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However much others try to copy Algerian-born Momo's formula, they can't replicate the unique atmosphere of his Paris and London restaurants. Book for the late sitting if you like to dance on the tables: before you've finished your mint cocktails, the waiters will already be gyrating on the bar. Starters include salade méchouia (a refreshing combination of diced tomato, red peppers and garlic), zalouk (aubergine and garlic) or stuffed sardines. Of the mouthwatering tagines the chicken with pear is a winner, but the real revelation is the fish tagine absolutely bursting with flavour.
A la Biche au Bois
However crowded it gets here, it doesn't matter because everyone always seems so happy with the food and the convivial atmosphere. It's impossible not to be enthusiastic about the more than generous portions offered with the €24.90 prix fixe menu. Mains might include tasty portions of wild duck in blackcurrant sauce, partridge with cabbage or wild venison stew. If you can still do dessert, go for one of the home-made tarts laden with seasonal fruits. The wine list has a reputation as one of the best-value selections in town. Book in advance, but expect to wait anyway.
Afaria
Instead of the usual starter, main course and dessert categories, Basque-born chef Julien Duboué has divided his menu into sections such as 'les sudistes' for southern French-inspired cooking, and 'les petits appetits' for lighter dishes. Several dishes are for sharing, in particular a caveman-sized duck magret with balsamic fig vinegar, served on a terracotta roof tile with potato gratin perched on a bed of twigs. Other creations such as oysters with bulgur, hummus and preserved lemon show that Duboué is not just another Basque bistro chef, but a traveller who happily borrows ingredients from around the world.
Atelier Maître Albert
This Guy Savoy outpost in the fifth has slick decor by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. The indigo-painted, grey marble-floored dining room with open kitchen and rôtisseries on view is attractive but very noisy at night. The short menu lets you have a Savoy classic or two to start with, including oysters in seawater gelée or more inventive dishes such as the ballotine of chicken, foie gras and celery root in a chicken-liver sauce. Next up, perhaps, tuna served with tiny iron casseroles of dauphinois potatoes, and cauliflower in béchamel sauce.
Au Rendez-vous des Amis
Considering its proximity to the honeypot that is Sacré Coeur, this café/bar is still cheap, making it popular with locals and foreign students, and the odd tourist. During happy hour (8pm to 10pm), a kir or glass of wine will set you back a very reasonable €2.50. There are cosy nooks round the back with plenty of upholstered spots to choose from.
Baxo
A spanking new hybrid venue that triples as a restaurant, bar and DJ lounge for an übercool, bobo clientele. Friday nights are for resident DJs, and Saturdays bring live bands and guest splicers. The food is satisfyingly innovative.
Bioboa
The fact that this place describes itself as a 'food spa' shows how it's embracing the organic ('bio' in French) revolution. There's a high-concept air about the place: white designer chairs and tables; a beautiful bird fresco that winds through it; and a mammoth fridge overflowing with expensive mineral waters, exotic smoothies and colorful takeaway salads for the fabulously busy. A healthy feast here might consist of soft-boiled eggs with sweet roasted autumn vegetables, or a juicy tofu burger with organic ketchup - one of Bioboa's staples.
Bread & Roses
Come for a morning croissant and you might find yourself staying on for lunch, so tempting are the wares at this Anglo-influenced boulangerie/épicerie/café. Giant wedges of cheesecake sit alongside French pastries, and huge savoury puff-pastry tarts are perched on the counter. Attention to detail shows even in the authentically pale taramasalata, which is matched with buckwheat-and-seaweed bread. Prices reflect the quality of the often organic ingredients, but that doesn't seem to deter any of the moneyed locals, who order towering birthday cakes here for their snappily dressed offspring.
Café de l'Homme
The Musée de l'Homme's Café de l'Homme has established itself as one of the Chaillot area's best hangouts, thanks to its breathtaking terrace with views of the Palais de Chaillot's golden 1930s statues and the Eiffel Tower.
Café Marly
A class act, this, as you might expect of a Costes café whose lofty, arcaded terrace overlooks the Louvre's glass pyramid. Reached through the passage Richelieu (the entrance for advance Louvre ticket holders), the prime location comes at a price: it's €6 for a Heineken - so you might as well splash out €12 on a chocolate martini or a Shark of vodka, lemonade and grenadine. Most wines are under €10 a glass, and everything is impeccably served by razor-sharp staff. Brasserie fare and sandwiches are on offer too.
Café Thoumieux
Café Thoumieux is a laid-back destination for cocktails, tapas and big-screen sport. Banquettes snake around the room, and spiky Aztec-pattern lamps light up the faces of the pretty young locals who have made this place their own. The flavored vodkas are delicious, and include vanilla, caramel and banana; just watch out for the treacherous, extra-high bar stools (the banquettes are definitely the safest option) and the monstrous, pebble-dashed sink in the toilets - it's real.