Simone, Paris 14e.

Simone has to be my “best find” during the winter 2013/14 period – great food, reasonable prices, a super-friendly atmosphere and a wine shop attached – what more could anyone ask!

The restaurant has only been open a few months and is the work of three friends none of whom came from a culinary background: one was an investment banker, one worked in movie decors and the third, Mile Stewart, the chef, was in the pharmaceutical business. He is of Irish origin, confirmed by his looks, and he is a great example of a combination of Irish and French backgrounds. But all three had one thing in common: a love of good food and wine and they had been preparing their restaurant project for some time.

The dining room is small and unpretentious, with an open kitchen which takes up a good part of the space, but it’s great fun to watch the action there.

At lunchtime there is a three course menu at Euros 19.50, which is a real monetary feat -especially when the food is so good. The starters were veloute of pumpkin or a salad of “old-fashioned” root vegetables, followed by main courses of either Thai beef with noodles and cabbage or filet of Lieu with celery puree and Japanese mustard herb. The desserts were an orange confit sponge, an intense chocolate cake sprinkled with salt, or a chocolate mousse. There is also a two course menu at Euros 17.00, either starter and main course, or main course and dessert.

Wines by the glass are from Euros 5 to 7.50, with the particularity that they are all “bio”, and all sold in the wine shop adjacent to the restaurant which we visited after lunch. There is a wide choice of bio wines, from a variety of small producers, many from the Languedoc-Roussillon region and even La Tour de France in particular, and we came home with several bottles to try.

It was one of the most enjoyable lunches I have had for a long time and I wish the three entrepreneurs every success in their new venture. And we will be returning very shortly!