If you’ve been to FISH in the last ten years then you’ve been served a drink by Hayden Clout, the Kiwi barman.

He’s piggy-backed that experience and joined with former FISH chef Matthew Ong to create this combination bistro and cave where you can walk out the door with very drinkable wines starting at 4.50 euros.

Another small gem tucked in between the rue du Four and la rue Guisarde on la rue Princesse.

This wine bar cum resto is friendly, youthful, priced correctly and as the logo indicates-all dishes are made on site with fresh products.

Imagine a camera narrowly focusing on an image and then opening up onto a wide-screen panorama and you will have approximated the feeling when you enter Alcazar. This enormous ground floor dining room and wrap around mezzanine has been a fixture in the neighborhood for twenty years, and the just completed renovation with cozy banquettes and plants, has made this grand space warmer and more inviting.

Chef Alberico Penati’s resumé includes some of the world’s finest restaurants in London , Paris and grand-luxe hotels in Italy, including the Villa d’Este in Como and the Excelsior in Venice but he was keen to re-establish his presence and his cuisine in Paris and so, in collaboration with his friend and associate, Venetian businessman Pier Silli – founder of the Carpaccio at Royal Monceau – he returned early in 2014, opening Penati al Baretto. A mere six months after his arrival at Penati al Baretto, Chef Alberico Penati has earned a Michelin star.

My last visit to Bouillon Chartier, the always jam-packed Paris institution that bubbles with energy and good cheer was in 1995. Happy to report still decent food at ridiculous prices. Today’s visit was prompted by my friend and reader, Angela Bellante, who was in town and celebrating her Steinway birthday-she has as many years as Steinway has keys. After a complimentary kir royal we scanned the extensive menu of classic bistro dishes and ordered a bottle of Klipfel riesling.