That meal last winter was a revelation. I arrived at opening time (8:00) with two boys and ordered more food than is really polite. We shared and devoured nine plates – starting with some fat white beans and sliced gizzards and a pucker-making goat cheese with piquillos. We also nibbled bravely on the pig ear salad.

We smiled through a rascasse and some pleasing seared scallops, then came close to stabbing eachother with forks to get the last bite of the poitrine de porc. Served with a side of well-salted and crispy frites (magically refilled throughout the night), this belly was by far the winning dish of the night/week/season.

We finished with a slice of tarte, some sautéed peaches, and a bit of Basque brebis with black cherry preserves. We also consumed two liters of wine and a round of coffees. At the end of the night, we walked (ok, staggered) away having spent less than €40 each.

I returned last night with a girlfriend and the intention of restraint. I had the idea that one could eat well here for a mere €20. I still believe that this can be done. Just not by me.

To fight off a bitterly cold December night, we both started with soup (€6.50). As seems to be the trend these days, two bowls of garnish (toasted pine nuts and buttery crumbs) were served with a pitcher on the side. And by pitcher, I mean an enamel goddess that poured six bowls full of warm delicious.

Grilled razor clams (€8) arrived next and were a nice change after our creamy cauliflower bath. The bowl was overflowing, but we made quick work of the couteaux and cleared a path for the coming lomo (€14). This dry-cured pork loin was lovingly lathered by a sauce spiked with piment d’Espelette. To avoid the oncoming coma, we opted for salad instead of dessert. Of course it was topped with half a pound of creamy Roquefort (€7.50).

The meal was a delight – every bit as good as I remembered – and our €30 per person tally included an absurd amount of food and a liter of wine. The more reasonable man sitting next to us dined solo on oeufs mayonnaise (€4.50) and that delicious lomo, bringing his own bill under €20. I may not be able to hit that magic number myself, but I can attest that other, more moderate souls, have done it.

In a nutshell: La Cantine du Troquet is a generous table where you can eat and drink big for €30-35 and with restraint for around €20. Safe choices like roasted chicken and steak frites coexist with more adventurous nose-to-tail preparations. Informal and buzzing, with friendly service and a very local clientele.

La Cantine du Troquet
101 rue de l’Ouest in the 14th arrondissement
No phone and no reservations. Open from 8:00 p.m. on weeknights (closed Saturday and Sunday).
Arrive at opening time for your best chance of being seated.

If you like the sound of la Cantine but want to spend more and have a proper reservation:
Le Troquet (the mothership)
15 Rue François Bonvin in the 15th arrondissement
01 45 66 89 00

Reprinted with permission from the Girls’ Guide to Paris

Last night marked my fourth visit to l’Avant Comptoir in just over a week. This new wine bar is nowhere near my apartment, so why am I returning again and again?

It’s the ham.

To be precise, it’s the deep-fried ham croquettes. Made with jambon Ibaïona d’Eric Ospital, these little nuggets are like eating, as the Frenchman next to me observed, “une caresse.” Priced at only 3 euros for a stack of three, they represent the cheapest love for sale in the French capital.

Those who prefer their ham without breading will be delighted by the legs swinging from the ceiling. The salty jambon Corse mingles with its Basque and Bigorre cousins above a stash of spicy chorizo and Andouille béarnaise. Order up a planche and then help yourself to the freshly baked bread, Bordier butter and cornichons that are lined up on the counter.

Speaking of the counter, I should mention that this place is only a bar with standing room for about 12 people. You’ll start as strangers, but hours of pressing close and tasting one another’s ham will likely turn you into friends. Last night, for example, our countermates invited us to their apartment next door to finish the evening with a 1963 Armagnac. It’s that kind of place.

Beyond the pork (and the duck neck, and the grilled scallop, sigh…) offerings, vegetarians have plenty to love at l’Avant Comptoir. There’s a lovely Breton artichoke served whole for dipping into silky olive oil, and the grilled cèpe (porcini mushroom) is a minor miracle.
Their wine list is short with plenty of inexpensive treats. I like to begin with the bubbly Mauzac Nature and continue on to the Côtes de Gascogne (2 euros a glass!). And I always make my way over to the magnum of Morgon at some point—it’s just perfect with the ham. Adding to the appeal, l’Avant Comptoir is open every day, with service continu and a takeout window selling sandwiches, waffles and crêpes. I may have to relocate to the 6th . . .

To read more about this new crush and the man behind it (Yves Camdeborde), check out these posts from Dorie Greenspan and Serve It Forth.

In a nutshell: Hit l’Avant Comptoir for a snacky apèro, or camp out at the counter and make a night of it (even on Sunday) by sharing rounds of tapas with friends and strangers.

L’Avant Comptoir
9, Carrefour de l’Odéon, in the 6th Arrondissement.
No reservations. Open every day.

If you like the sound of l’Avant Comptoir but want to stay on the right bank:
Le Garde Robe
41, rue l’Arbre Sec, in the 1st, near Métro Louvre-Rivoli.
01 49 26 90 60.

> Reprinted with permission from the Girls’ Guide to Paris

> Read other trusted reviews on L’Avant Comptoir at Paris by Mouth