Magnolia, a neo-bistro with a subdued ambience by Anglo-Saxon chef Jack Bosco Baker

It's not always easy to find the courage to brave the cold, gray days of winter to visit a restaurant. Unless the address, on arrival, does everything to make you feel like you're in a little cocoon to curl up in by candlelight.

Magnolia, SoPi's neo-bistro, opened at the end of the year with the ambition of offering Parisian foodistos a comforting refuge. And the gamble paid off.

With the ambiance of a small butrefined Parisian brasserie - half classical, half contemporary, with its marble counter and draped half-curtains - Magnolia is the work of Maxime Vaudin, who is very proud of his new project.

It has to be said that the restaurateur has surrounded himself well, calling on Anglo-Saxon chef Jack Bosco Baker, who has also worked at the Cave Paul Bert and feus Robert and La Vierge de la Réunion.

It's these gleaming bistronomic experiences, combined with his English roots, that inspire the chef to deliver punkish dishes, working with game and offal, or finishing with a Japanese barbecue - all of which add cachet and depth to his dishes.

At the time of our visit - the menu changes daily: excellent skewers of rabbit liver (8€), lamb heart with preserved lemon and pointed cabbage (15€), scallops with yellow wine (32€) and mashed potatoes, wild duck with prunes (24€), before concluding with a pair of profiteroles (10€) bathed in Armagnac hot chocolate.

• To be read
• French restaurants in Paris, traditional or modern, our best addresses
• Bistronomic restaurants in Paris, our best addresses
• Affordable bistronomic restaurants with lunch menus at €30 starter/main course/dessert

When it comes to liquids, Magnolia can rely on its selection of wines (natural) and cocktails (classic), such as the Paloma, which is back in favor in Paris at the moment, but whose small size we somewhat regret. With such a bistro menu, we can't wait for the address to open for lunch soon.