Bistrot d'Orsay

Whether you're supping on wine and charcuterie under the lights of the theatre next door, or settling in your bentwood chair for a lazy afternoon lunch, Bistrot d'Orsay feels like it belongs in a foreign holiday, but one you can happily enjoy any time. Banquettes, dark-wood panelling, vintage prints and subdued lighting are so textbook bistro they resemble set dressing rather than decor, but the atmosphere is warm and inviting. Pre-theatre peak times are handled with panache by a smart and savvy team, ensuring everyone feels like they have the best seat in the house. Classics such as delicate bouillabaisse partnered with a robust rouille show exemplary restraint, while mushroom gnocchi with chard, truffle and pecorino is unapologetically rich. Perfect, still-pink eye fillet calls for an extra jug of bordelaise sauce to dunk the crisp ends of thick-cut chips. A chilled sticky and French cheese - perhaps a creamy d'Affinois or savoury blue Saint Agur - may suffice for those with no room for encore.