Parisian foodies flock to SoPi – or South Pigalle – the 9th’s somewhat improbable restaurant quarter, where Les Affranchis started its own buzz in 2015. Owners Enrico Bertazzi and Keenan Ballois adroitly combine French traditionalism with sly humour and verve. The bistro is simply and sparingly furnished with floating bookshelves and framed prints. There are no paper menus, as the ingredients – seasonal and locally sourced – change frequently.
We sampled the three-course menu, fixed at €40: a delicate cream of pea with smoked herring and a perfect egg carbonara, well-presented and flavourful. On Ballois’ advice, we paired dinner with an Amphibolite Nature wine of the Landron domain and a Morgon red, which were lovely albeit overpriced at €7 per glass. For dessert, we went with the Tarte Tatine (vanilla emulsion and crispy arlette biscuit) and definitely did not regret it.
This traditional, no-frills bistro forgoes trends in favour of quality and service. Book without hesitation.