Opened in the now on the map ‘Spring-land', north of metro Cadet, in early 2008, this modern, precise Korean, run by the former chef of Samiin, offers an excellent value and quality lunch menu in an area rife with substandard sushi houses. For under 20€ you get a ‘salade de fraîcheur' (icy, literally) made of various fresh raw vegetables; caramelised chicken with shrimp ravioli; sashimi of salmon; and excellent bibimbap (alas no egg!) or marinated beef with kimchi; followed by soup and a dessert. There's a good choice of Korean beers and alcohols too. The contemporary dining room is decorated in elegant autumnal tones, and plays ambient music reminiscent of a high-end spa. The service is smiling and friendly. One of the best ethnic tables in town. AM

It doesn't take a great deal to be branded a healthy restaurant in Paris, besides a couple of vegetarian options and the occasional plate of crudités. Supernature, an organic canteen in the 9th, happily doesn't compromise on flavour when it designed its health conscious menu that attracts heaps of trendy young things to its simple but chic digs. The focus is on organic comfort food - whether a cheese burger is strictly classified as figure lover's fodder is questionable, but a shot of herb juice should relieve some of the guilt. The vegetarian tarts are rustic with a real homemade appeal, like the delectable sweet and savoury pumpkin and gorgonzola tart. Save some room for pudding as Supernature's carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is superlative and worth a trip in itself. FU

Risotto, 25€.
This homey, modern little eatery located (literally) in the shadow of the Saint Roch church is one of the rare organic Italien restaurants in town (the other being their sister restaurant Cibus). Although empty the evening we dined there, the service was warm, and the chef kept poking his head out of the kitchen to see how things were going and to make suggestions. The pleasant decor is clean and modern, even though the Buren ceiling sculpture is a little bizarre. Dishes like calamari with zucchini and a balsamic reduction, and tagiatelli with cepe mushrooms were both winners, especially when washed down with a bottle of quality organic wine. AM

Bibimbap, part of 13€ lunch menu

Although located in tourist ground-zero this spotless restaurant in full view of the Notre Dame packs in a predominantly Asian clientele for some of the city's best Seoul food. The menu riffs through Korean classics such as a wonderfully spiced kimchi and has the best bibimbap (rice, cooked in a casserole with sautéed cucumbers, zucchini, beef and fried egg) on the Left Bank. The lunch menus at 10€ and 13€ are easily one of the best values of the moment. AM

Opened last year by the Kinugawa family, Hanawa is an enormous emporium of Japanese cuisine, just off the elegant avenue Montaigne. The restaurant is divided into three different levels, each serving its own speciality: teppanyaké, sushi and traditional cuisine. We visited the traditional restaurant, tasting deliciously authentic (but expensive) dishes such as beef with ginger and algae, spankingly fresh tuna sashimi, and a wonderful sushi platter. As good as the food was, we couldn't help wondering if the new wave of authentic and good-value Japanese restaurants (Guilo Guilo, Youlin) might eventually dethrone outsized establishments like this, not that the ladies who lunch and suits would care. AM

This surprisingly good-value bistro located in the high-rent seventeeth, not far from the Arc de Triomphe, has had the Paris food press buzzing since it was opened not too long ago by Japanese chef Hide Kobayashi. Be forewarned however that no sushi or California rolls are on the menu, rather there's a well-turned out classic French menu from the Robuchon trained chef. For 29€ you get perfectly cooked dishes such as leeks with vinaigrette sauce and a dusting of Guérande salt, entrecôte from Hugo Desnoyer or cod on a bed of puréed mashed potatoes, and standard yet good French desserts including île flottante and tarte tatin. Book in advance, as the tiny dining room is always packed with locals and in-the-know foodies. AM

Belleville's Rue Rébeval is a veritable enclave of good eats. New kid on the block Kiwizine joins the tasty trove, but with some notable differences. Kiwizine - a jeu de mots that alludes to both the French word cuisine as well as to the New Zealand-born (aka 'Kiwi') half of the owner couple - is adamantly organic and equitable. On top of using top-quality ingredients, Kiwizine has taken its protocol even further, creating a space that welcomes and encourages artists. From the cheery red exterior to the black-and-white-chess board-tiled floor, Kiwizine provides an arty gathering ground: relaxed, airy, without pretension. It's only open on Friday and Saturday, as the owners are volunteering their time until the cooperative gets off the ground. Patrons, in exchange of paying a 2€ membership fee, are kept updated about the rotating bill (every 6 weeks) of exhibitions, or can simply relish having a perfect place to huddle - over a home-made meal - and discuss their own projects. SM

Located on one of Paris' most mouth-watering streets (Unico, Crus et Découvertes, Le Temps au Temps), the Bistro Paul Bert has long been a destination for locals and foodies seduced by their good value, authentic menu. Recent articles in the Anglo/American press may have compromised the charm somewhat (especially during dinner time, with braying Yanks galore), but the bistro still remains excellent value with its 18€, three-course lunchtime menu (courgette salad with parmesan, delicious steak tartar and some of the best frites in the city, followed by a decent caramel crème brulé). The 34€ menu gives a lot more choice with more creative items like Thai-style beef carpaccio, and wines are reasonable with good bottles from 20€-25€. AM

The team behind the Canal Saint Martin’s popular Italian restaurants, La Maddonina and their more recent pizzeria, Maria Luisa, have opened another annex in the upper Marais’ rue Charlot, offering a similar menu and quality to Maria Luisa but for a more upscale clientele. Surrounded by the art galleries and trendy boutiques of Paris’s NoMa (Northern Marais) district, this cozy eatery pulls in the crowds for easy Italian eats: copious platters of charcuterie, quality pizzas, a small selection of daily changing pasta and salad, served with homemade bread and washed down with a limited but good selection of vinos, by glass, pitcher or bottle. Go for a biano and finish with the excellent caramel panacotta. Starters from 7-9€, pizzas from 9-15€. AM

The self-assured crew behind flourishing Left Bank haunts like the Cinq Mars or l’Altro inch north, almost on to the Right Bank, to take up digs on the solemn Quai d’Orfèvres, just up the road from the French police bureaux. Sandwiched in between the river, the Pont Neuf and the pretty place Dauphine, this delightful little spot has installed an enticing energy and décor. Two rooms propose the same tasty menu but different moods, one with white linen and silk cushions faces the calm Place Dauphine, and one with raw wood cantine tables faces the more animated river. Proposing a concise and fresh menu of 6 entrées, 6 mains and 6 desserts, on a winter’s day you might find pot-au-feu, rack of lamb or a tuna minute steak for a main, at around 16€-20€; vegetarians are catered for too with maybe a carpaccio of beetroot followed by spinach risotto. Desserts are both impressive and comforting – baba au rhum or a clementine soufflé, anyone?, and there’s a veteran’s wine list including a couple of great wines by the glass, including a Bourgogne Passetoutgrain (5.5€). A lunch-time fixed price menu gives you a 1-2-and 3 course option for between 13€ and 17€. Nice!