La Rallonge

Geoffrey Millard follows up La Table d’Eugène with a venture in the same street, a fresh and modern tapas bar that shows some serious gastronomic nous. Don’t be put off by the crowds inside, as waiting here is all part of the fun. There are no reservations, you just have to patiently wait your turn while admiring the raw yet chic decoration: high stools and tables, cement floor tiles and a long bar in the corner.

Between €4 and €14 a dish, the risotto of coquillettes with ceps and black truffles or the spicy crispy duck and dried fruit with orange sauce, for example, are serious winners. Then there’s the sinfully good beef cheek with potato carpaccio, the scallops with mashed potato and slightly salted butter or prawn ravioli in a Thai lime bouillon, all heady hits of flavour.

To go with all that, the wine list is full of great labels, covering regions across France (between €4 and €6.50 a glass). If you’re coming as a group, there are also excellent, generous sharing platters of cheese and charcuterie; chorizo Extra Mano, sliced shoulder of pata negra, coppa etc. (€12 to €30). Altogether, a perfect mix of simple, sophisticated dishes, a rare alchemy that can only succeed.