Le Sand, Alfred and Alfi's continue their conquest of rue du Mont-Thabor

After the French brasserie Alfred and the small, long Italian restaurant Alfi's, the four up-and-coming boys Casimir and Théodore Mahoudeau, Martin and Basile Beaupère open a third address on the same rue du Mont-Thabor, on the edge of the Tuileries Gardens, and return to their first love: French cuisine.

Alfred may have been named after Alfred de Musset, but it was the author George Sand, his lover with whom he exchanged fiery letters, who was flattered by the new restaurant, which was given the sobriquet Le Sand.

So it's only natural that this vast space on the corner of rue Mont-Thabor and rue Rouget-de-L'Isle, halfway between a chic Parisian bistro and a coffee shop where you can enjoy a coffee and pastry at any time of day, should draw inspiration from 19th-century codes for its decor, which is as hushed as it is woody, and signed by Studio Harp.

The Sandbrasserie features exposed beams, velvet-covered banquettes, burnt-wood chairs and a long, brushed stainless steel counter. On the Sand Café side, Japanese elements such as a woven ceiling, softly lit lamps by Isamu Noguchi, high tables with irregular curves, bistro chairs and a four-color checkerboard floor. And to link the two spaces, a long terrace, sometimes sunny, sometimes shady.

From morning to night, the menu at Le Sand is the work of Jon Morales, a chef who is already at the helm of Alfi's and Alfred. His menu is classic, as expected of this type of address, and rather expensive, but prepared with local produce. Radish and butter (7€); pinchos of marinated anchovies, comté cheese and guindillas (7€); a plate of thinly sliced Bellota cured ham (15€) for several people to pick at, then straight to the main courses - we'd have appreciated real starters on the menu rather than simple pickings.

You'll find the great classics of hotel snacking menus (the traditional club sandwich, burger, salade niçoise, hot dog, pastrami sandwich) and more bistronomic dishes like theonglet de boeuf, sauce chimichurri (28€) and the poisson du jour (25€), which don't revolutionize the cuisine but are well executed. The tiramisu (12€), on the other hand, demonstrates creativity, served in the spirit of an alfajor, a typical Latin American pastry.

• To be read
• French restaurants with terraces in Paris: our top picks
• French restaurants in Paris, traditional or modern, our best addresses
• Alfred, a contemporary French brasserie a stone's throw from Place Vendôme

We also offer a Sunday brunch at €45. Quite a high price for what's on offer (starter/main course/dessert), so why not make the most of it on the sunny terrace?

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.