Pianovins, the French mini-bistro nugget in the 11th arrondissement

Just a stone's throw from the Bastille, at 46 rue Trousseau in the 11th arrondissement, we're off to discover Pianovins, a restaurant opened in 2018 by a duo who worked with Guy Savoy for nearly 25 years. At the piano is Michel Roncière, who likes to regale us with his fine French gastronomic dishes, and at the wine bar is Éric Mancio, who twirls around the dining room distilling good humor and good advice on fine wines from here and abroad.

At Pianovins, we love good, well-crafted food, cooked just right and using seasonal produce. The chef changes his menu regularly according to the products of the moment.

The place is somewhere between a neighborhood bistro and a gourmet restaurant. With so many years of experience working with Guy Savoy, it's inevitable that you'll come across some of the codes of haute gastronomie, such as theamuse-bouche served at the start of the meal and the various services. Everything is homemade, and the two partners offer a short menu. From the outset, you can choose between a 4-course lunch menu or a 5- or 7-course dinner menu. A bistronomic starter-main course-dessert for €37, without skimping on the quality of the produce or the service, that's what awaits you.

For the start of autumn, when we visited, we discovered an excellent butternut velouté as an appetizer.

The cream of shellfish, with its iodized flavor, takes us to the seaside, with its crumbled crabmeat and shellfish and freshly shelled Paimpol cocos, all sprinkled with a few herbs to complete the dish.

We continue with a pan-fried Mont Saint-Michel Bouchot mussel with chanterelle mushrooms and an emulsified jus.

The 3rd course offered us a Lieu jaune from Brittany cooked to perfection. Lime and melt-in-your-mouth chicory, we had a great time.

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As good Parisians, we can't pass up the cheese platter from Alexandre, the Maitre Fromager. Just the thing to round off the meal with a glass of good wine.

Last but not least, dessert, a roasted pineapple fondant with spices, honey and dried fruit, is a sweet ending.

As you can see, it's a great place to eat, and a guarantee of a fine dining experience in a relaxed, intimate setting. At Pianovins, there's no such thing as a flashy plate: we're all about good juices, good cooking and fresh produce. Good food and good wine, with no fuss - what are we asking for?

Please note that the restaurant isn't very big, so be sure to make a reservation to avoid getting stuck in the water.