Unlock Paris: budget

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Bululu Arepera Montmartre

Our radar is telling us that the "other" side of Montmartre - down the hill from the prime tourist photo-op territory of the Sacre Coeur - is bubbling under as one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Paris right now. We've already told you about burger bar Le Ruisseau, which is drawing local hipsters out of the woodwork, and trendy mid-century modern furniture shop Maison Nordik (check out our full round up in our piece The Other Side of Montmartre), and the area is continuing to build a solid empire of interesting, independent establishments, making this part of town a destination in and of itself. One of the area's top draws is charmingly ramshackle Venezuelan sandwich joint Bululu - the only Arepera in Paris. In the small space, with chipboard tables and recycled tin cans as cutlery holders , a team of pretty girls with flowery headscarves in their hair explain the Venzuelan sandwiches on offer: made from freshly baked, golden, gluten-free bread, arepas are a filled with various key ingredients such as avocado, tajada (plantain), black beans, cheese and beef. Also on offer are fried plantain chips, and deliciously simple Obleas for pudding - wafer sandwiches filled with sweet Dulce de Leche - and there are a range of juices, beers and lemonades to wash it all down with. Open for lunch and supper, and brunch on weekends.

Bululu,
20 rue de la Fontaine du But,
75018 Paris
Open Weds-Fri: 12-2.30; 7.30-11pm
Sat-Sun: 12-11.30pm

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw / Unlock Paris

Le Tricycle Hot Dogs

Hot dogs have taken off big time recently in Paris with the fast-food snack popping up at specially dedicated restaurants (Little Fernand) and trendy cocktail bars (Glass) alike, and food trucks - serving burgers and the like - have been going strong in the capital for the last couple of years (Camion qui Fume etc). Now, thanks to the lovely people behind Le Tricycle, the two trends combine, with Paris' first travelling hotdog stand having been launched earlier this month. Stunningly beautiful couple Coralie and Daqui pedal their red push-bike food cart to different - and invariably rollicking good fun - venues around the capital, serving the American street food classic with a twist: here everything is 100% vegetarian. Queues of intrigued - and salivating - punters line up at events such as Wanderlust Village to wolf down the fresh, tasty and more-or-less healthy wheat-protein dogs, with fun names such as Nate Dog (onion relish, fried onions), Snoop Dog (onion relish, fried onions, cabbage and carrots) and Red Hot Chili Dog (with chili sauce) all made to order using high-quality ingredients bought and prepared that very morning. Prices are super reasonable at just €4-5 and there are also scrumptious cookies and cheesecakes for dessert. Go on, treat yourself - have two. To find out where Le Tricycle will be next, see their website.

There's a brand new wine-bar/restaurant in town, and we've got a feeling it's going to be a great success. Serving small plates to share and with an excellent wine list, Au Passage is very much in the same vein as two other success stories that have opened over the last couple of years in Paris, Aux Deux Amis and Le Dauphin. Down a quiet passage way off the Rue Amelot in the 11th is this former workman's bistro, taken over by a group of French friends who also own a couple of other restaurants around town (the Peres Populaires in the 20th and the Caves Populaires in the 17th). Being run by two wine and food aficionados from the group, who are self-confessed fans of Le Chateaubriand's Inaki Aizpitarte, this latest venture looks set to be their most fruitful yet. The setting retains a shabby-chic charm - "populaire" has been the team's keyword until now, afterall - with the original zinc bar and floor remaining intact, and the local workmen from the nearby Renault garage still patronising the place (only now they rub shoulders with bobo foodies, too). The decor is shabby-chic, with atelier-style windows, battered old leather club chairs, simple tables and chairs and retro 60s lights. Old meets new at the exterior of the restaurant too, with murals by French street artist Mass Toc adorning the original mosaic front. The evening menu of small plates features simple options with a focus on the quality of individual ingredients, such as anchovies with piment d'espellette, burrata and home-made rillettes. Slightly more innovative offerings which show off the skills of the chef include trout with exotic cucumber, and courgettes with ricotta. Diners are recommended to choose three plates per person (which generally range from €4-€9) and to get stuck in and share amongst themselves. The very amiable staff are happy, nay positively thrilled, to advise on wine by the glass or bottle from the judiciously chosen list featuring natural wines from independent and small producers. We tried the very reasonably fixed-price lunch menu, which comes in at €9 for just the main, €13 for two courses or €16.50 for all three. The no-choice starter of the day, tuna confit served with tomatoes, capers and red onion, was a light, refreshing option for a hot summer afternoon. There is a choice of two dishes for the main course, which change daily depending on the season, the market and the inspiration of the chef. On our visit, a fillet of whiting cooked a la plancha and veal were on the menu, both served with a selection of cool, summer courgettes. Pudding was iced grapefruit served with fromage frais. Au Passage is a laid-back and friendly place with honest, good, seasonal food and a superlative wine list, in a charming setting - and all this for a very reasonable price. Like we said, we have a feeling that this place might just be a big success...

Au Passage1 bis, passage Saint Sebastien, Paris 75011+33 1 43 55 07 52 Au Passage Facebook Page

Open: Lunch Mon-Fri, Dinner Tues-Sat.

All photos copyright Kim Laidlaw

Paris-Feni

Just off the well trodden track of rue Oberkampf is the Paris-Feni cafe, located in the charming Village Popincourt, a little pedestrianised square which is also home to some antique shops and the trendy pizza joint Al Taglio. Named after the the city in Bangladesh from which the two founders hail and the capital of France in which they now reside, Paris-Feni was aided by ADIE, an organisation which provides micro-credit to small companies who would ordinarily be unable to apply for more traditional loans, and which itself was founded by fellow Bangladeshi Dr Muhammad Yunis (who won the Nobel Peace Prize for the initiative in 2006). But not only is Paris-Feni good for the soul and the greater good of mankind in general, it's also good for the body and the wallet too. Seasonal, fresh fruit juices and salads, colourful and flavoursome Bengali-inspired dishes fill you up nicely whilst swiftly completing your five-a-day requirements, and the whole lot will set you back less than €15. The biryani, which comes in a vegetable, chicken or mixed variety, is particularly good. Delicious, virtuous and cheap - you'll leave feeling entirely cleansed (and with enough change to buy a packet of fags on your way home, should you wish to redress the balance).

Paris-Feni

15 bis rue Ternaux, 75011 Paris

Open Tues-Sun, midday - 11.30pm

All photos copyright Kim Laidlaw

Nanashi - Le Bento Parisien - Marais Branch

Having opened the original Nanashi in Paris' 10th arrondissement last year, owner and man about town Lionel (who also runs Le Baron and a number of other elite Parisian establishments) has opened a second branch of this healthy Japanese-inspired canteen in the hipster neighbourhood of the moment, the Northern Marais.

In keeping with the original branch, the menu here features daily-changing seasonal fare, conceived by chef Kaori Endo, formerly of the Rose Bakery. The speciality is the bento box, which comes in veggie, meat and fish varieties, featuring a protein and a grain on one side (so tofu and brown rice, or fish croquettes and quinoa) and vegetables or salad on the other side of the two-compartment container. There are also brioche pizzas, salads, fresh juices and yummy cakes (the green tea and raspberry one even sounds like it might be good for you).

The decor here is airier and more luminous than the original, with bright white walls, vast windows, lots of natural light and bold primary coloured chairs. If the original branch is a bit Berlin, this one could be described perhaps as a bit Stockholm.

A great address for a healthy but hearty, and reasonably priced, lunch (the bentos come in at around €10), to eat in or take-away.

Nanashi

57 rue Charlot, 75003 Paris

Tel: 01 44 61 45 49

All photos copyright Kim Laidlaw Adrey

Petit Usagi at Le Citizen Hotel

EDIT: Petit Usagi is now closed!

Situated on the ground floor of the new boutique Citizen Hotel and overlooking the trendy Canal Saint Martin, this tiny outpost of the Northern Marais eatery Usagi serves a selection of healthy and simple Japanese food for a lunch time crowd.

The bijou yet airy space is decorated with lots of blonde wood, cheerful touches of sunny yellow and cobalt blue, and an abundance of mini Japanese lanterns with a bunny motif (usagi means rabbit in Japanese).

Petit Usagi serves simple bentos in three incarnations: veggie, meat, and fish, served with a soup of the day and tea as part of the fixed-price menu (€15-18). The vegetarian option has tofu balls with peanut sauce and soba noodles with seasonal vegetables, whilst the fish and meat options vary daily but include delights such as salmon with black sesame or chicken curry, both served with rice. It's also a great option for takeaway to eat along the canal when the weather is good.

Petit Usagi

Le Citizen Hotel

96 Quai de Jemmapes

75010 Oaris

01 83 62 55 50

www.petit-usagi.com

All images copyright Kim Laidlaw Adrey

Gontran Cherrier - Artisan Boulanger

Sexy French baker, Gontran Cherrier, has opened up a a new boulangerie in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. The simple, airy corner space, with shiny white metro-tiled walls and a mosaic floor, provides a showcase for his innovative take on traditional French baked goods. Savoury options such as tartes fines (€4.20), a kind of French pizza, come with delicious toppings including rocket, tomato and bacon, or you can sample delicious bagels and rolls (€4.90), such as the veggie option of gaucamole and red onion in a green bun, coloured and flavoured with with rocket. More traditional viennoiseries (croissants and the like) and bread are also sold, as are cakes like the banana, pistachio and lime tarte we sampled on our visit. These delights can all be eaten in, seated along the window seats, where you can read a paper and have a coffee, or indeed can be taken away.