One of my steadfast favourite Paris eateries is a laid-back, unassuming bistro occupying prime position at the corner of a busy junction on Avenue Ledru Rollin in the 11th arrondissement. The Bistrot du Peintre is a simple Parisian establishment. Tables and chairs sprawling onto the street with a plastic sheet awning to protect from the wind and rain in winter; tarnished Art Nouveau-style mirrors and polished mahoghany bar; and hastily scribbled menu boards displaying the day's plat du jour and the vin du moment.