Nestled down a small alleyway adjacent to the Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, this unassuming little canteen gives little away on the outside. Venture beyond its anonymous black façade, though, and you’ll come away very happy indeed.
Packed with prize-winning produce and impressive wine references, the Cantine’s appetite-whetting lunchtime menu features just two starters, two mains and two desserts. But nearly all are brilliant. On our visit, the miso mussels make for a particularly bracing entrée, while an indulgent pollock brandade is a hearty treat of a main. The clafoutis is a dry and slightly disappointing way to finish, though the marjolaine-infused crème brûlée is excellently done. Come early to bag a seat in the swimming pool-style blue-mosaicked bar, and team your food with a bottle like the fruity and well-balanced natural Beaujolais (Moulin à Vent, La Petite Oseille 2012).
TRANSLATION: HUW OLIVER