The open kitchen of this popular Provençal bistro near the Jardin du Luxembourg allows you to watch the cooks at work. Chef Gilles Ajuelos demonstrates an expert, loving, and creative hand with Mediterranean cuisine—expect unusual dishes such as aged Spanish ham with a grilled pepper pipérade and artichokes; mushroom-and-pea risotto with arugula; and duck breast with orange sauce, date puree, polenta, and wild asparagus. To finish things off, try the pear poached with lemon and saffron, served with a fromage blanc sorbet. Unusual for Paris, an entire section of the menu is devoted to vegetarian dishes. (Ajuelos now also runs the traditional French bistro La Marlotte at 55 rue du Cherche-Midi, 01-45-48-86-79.)
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