When I visited: March 2017

Location: Paris, in 2nd arrondissement

Rating in the Michelin Guide: Not in Guide

Dining Owl Hoot rating: 4/5

What to wear: Could go casual

Ambience: Friendly, traditional

Course of the meal: Rocket and mustard leaves with goat’s cheese on round bread pieces

If I could change one thing: Smaller main courses

Review:

After a very wet and awesome day at Disneyland, my partner Owl and I wanted some good-quality traditional French food for dinner, so followed our hotel concierge’s recommendation and went to Au Petit Riche.

We got some French bread pieces on the side (with no butter – a slightly unwelcome trend in Paris) and olives to munch on while we perused the menus (also available in English) and chose a bottle of red Pomerol Lalande Au Mit 2009, which was full-flavoured, quite heavy and delicious.

My partner Owl’s French onion soup was massive with cheese on top (like mine at Brasserie Gallopin). My starter of rocket and mustard leaves with goat’s cheese on round bread pieces was simply amazing. For mains, we went for duck with gratin of macaroni and pork belly with parsnip – these were good but a bit too big.

The desserts were amazing – miroir chocolat with crème anglaise (a chocolate dish with a shiny surface and cream) and a brilliant example of a traditional crème brûlée.

The waiters were really friendly throughout and the whole atmosphere was buzzy and fun. I would thoroughly recommend Au Petit Riche for a traditional casual French meal.