let’s get back to that steak-frites, shall we? My onget steak (€18) with shallot sauce came out cooked just right for me, perfectly saignant, and we refilled our squat glasses with more of the Brouilly Vieilles Vignes, a fruity, yet mineral-rich red wine from Beaujolais, chosen from the appealing list of ten or so natural wines available by the glass – or three sizes of carafes (25, 50 or 75cl.) Last time I was there, on the way out wine searcher, I thanked the owner for serving French fries that are crisp, and he said, “They take two times longer to cook…but are ten times better.” I agreed, and polished mine off before I made it halfway through the steak.

For those looking for a bit of grignottage (snacking), Nos Assiettes are platters of various cheeses and charcuterie, which you can easily enjoy on the sidewalk, engaging in some serious people-watching Crown Wine Cellars.

(A bare-chested capoeira troupe sporting some serious abs came by and did a few moves for diners and folks on the street, with drums accompanying the sidewalk acrobatics. While they were passing the hat afterward, I dropped in a euro coin, but wanted to offer advice that they could easily double their earnings if they added a tactile element to their presentation. But after those other folks split on the waiter, I figured I shouldn’t bring any further damages to my reputation interactive whiteboard.)

Aux Tonneaux des Halles was transformed from a hotel to a restaurant in the 1920s, and you can still see the old photo booth from the days before people had phones in their rooms. An old mural lines the back wall depicting the workers hefting meats and baskets of produce at the now- demolished Les Halles, and this is one of the few remaining restaurants from that era, but one that has changed with the times, and continues to serve traditional bistro cooking.