Le Cyrano, affordable, comforting bistronomy in a historic setting

The Place de Clichy is one of the most neglected squares in the historic squares redevelopment campaign undertaken by Paris City Hall over ten years ago, and it pales in comparison with its cobblestone sisters. Not very green, constantly clogged with vehicles honking their horns and exhaust fumes stagnating in the air, the square on the borders of the capital's 8th, 9th, 17th and 18th arrondissements doesn't really have any terraces where you can relax away from the hustle and bustle.

As for the restaurants on its outskirts, they're more like big names or disembodied brasseries where you can savor dishes tossed onto the tables by high-spoken waiters, than little neighborhood nuggets. But these statements, clichéd as they are, are now history thanks to Cyrano.

Having escaped from Rostand's novel, our big-nosed hero is now hiding out on rue Biot, in a bistronomic restaurant-bar taken over last August by a young team, whose decor transports us back to the last century, to the Paris of yesteryear. Wonderful Art Nouveau-style gilded mosaics, large mirrors with deliciously pitted and speckled tints, imposing wood and marble counters... the address has had a thousand and one lives, in turn a haunt of the Surrealists and a former brothel.

Now, young women have put away their lace and young men have learned to behave, and it's only on the plates that the naughtiness takes place. At work is young, self-taught chef Charleyne Valet, all bonhomie and good ideas, who takes on bistro cuisine, modernizing it but not overdoing it, with recipes that are devilishly generous and damn comforting.

Perfect egg, smoked potato mousse and Jerusalem artichoke chips on the one hand, lentil velouté on the other (we tried to bribe the chef to get the recipe for the latter), to get things off to a good start; veal blanquette twisted with lemongrass, haddock with raisins and almonds, crispy polenta married with a parmesan cream and taggiasche olives; before finishing with a slice of black sesame flan...

All at a very, very affordable price. Expect to pay €18 for a starter/main course or main course/dessert lunch menu, and €22 for a starter/main course/dessert menu. And Cyrano's counter prices are even lower: €16.50 starter/main course or main course/dessert, and €20 starter/main course/dessert. It's hard to beat that!

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• Bistronomic restaurants in Paris, our best addresses
• Affordable bistronomic restaurants with lunch menus at €30 starter/main course/dessert
• Affordable restaurants in Paris

In the evening, on the other hand, the menu is quite different, with a multitude of small plates to be shared between guests, as is now customary in Paris. A lovely little address to discover without delay!