Le Petit Cheval de Manège

Paris’s 11th arrondissement remains the mouthwatering nursery of the new generation of  bistrots. So many good ones have opened here that you could happily spend several weeks discovering them. One recent standout is Le Petit Cheval de Manège. With its stenciled tile floors, low lighting, attentive service and reasonable prices, it instantly became a local favorite. Belgian chef Xavier Thiery’s daily chalkboard menu just gets better and better, offering beautifully cooked modern French dishes like a “lasagnette” of scallops—large open ravioli filled with sautéed celery root and mushrooms topped with grilled scallops and crushed hazelnuts, a brilliant dish for a very reasonable €16.50.

5 rue Froment, 11th, 09.82.37.18.52. €35

Prices are approximate, per person without wine.

Alexander Lobrano’s book Hungry for Paris is published by Random House. www.hungryforparis.com.

Find Hungry for Paris and more in the France Today Bookstore

Originally published in the March 2012 issue of France Today