ooh la la, Bangkok!

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Paris Bangkok is on Saladaeng Soi 1/1 off Silom Road. It's open daily for lunch from noon to 2pm and for dinner from 6pm to 11pm. Call (02) 233 1990 or visit www.ParisBangkok.com.

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Tucked away down Saladaeng Soi 1/1, an old house has recently been transformed into a place where Paris food meets Bangkok prices. With the slightly cliched name Paris Bangkok, the restaurant offers great French food at affordable prices for locals and is accessible to a new generation of diners.

The eatery, which is decorated in light amber tones, is an eclectic mix of contemporary French and Thai decor with elegantly set red-covered tables. It's elegant, yet cosy. The dining room is spacious and warm with soft lighting while the lounge room is set outdoors, allowing patrons to enjoy a full selection of fine cigars and live sports or movies on a wide-screen TV. There is also a private dining room that can seat up to 40, with customisable set menus and a projector - ideal for business gatherings or parties. 

Paris Bangkok claims to be truly French as it's owned by a French entrepreneur, managed by another Frenchman Bruno Bischoff, and the dishes are prepared by French chef Eloi de Fontenay who has been in Bangkok for just five months.

Also open for lunch, the restaurant's naturally lit interior makes a classy setting for business meals or casual get-togethers. You can have a main dish at Bt180 with your choice of coffee and tea. Among the choices are French beef tartar with wedges cooked in duck fat, roasted parrot fish and risotto with basil, and chicken breast served with confited Thai eggplants. Or you can have two main dishes with a choice of dessert for Bt460. The lunch menu changes every 20 days so expect more delicious choices.

As appetisers on the regular menu, it's worth trying foie gras salad with truffle, green beans and mesclun salad with olive oil and French vinaigrette dressing (Bt390) and tuna and salmon ceviche with avocado and tomato served in a high-stem glass (Bt380). They are light and refreshing and guaranteed to stimulate the appetite. 

For a main course, roasted red mullet and piperade (Bt420) is delectable as well as great value for money. The whole red mullet is just lightly roasted and topped with breadcrumbs and served together with the piperade - a traditional French dish cooked with ham, onion, bell pepper and red tomatoes sauteed and flavoured with red Espelette pepper. It's a bit hot and has a sweet aftertaste thanks to the sauteed tomato and onion.

"Espelette is a small village in the Southwest of France known for its dried red peppers that are popular for preparing condiments and for the conservation of meat and ham. During summertime, festoons of peppers are hung on balconies and house walls throughout the communes to dry out. The peppers are very famous and because they are exclusively sourced from a specific French commune, they are very expensive at Bt2,500 for 250 grams," says de Fontenay.

Next is French lamb shoulder on a bed of eggplant and tomato confit with lamb juices (Bt990). The lamb is slowly cooked for the tenderest meat and bears the Label Rouge - the French Ministry of Agriculture's logo for foods that are considered to be of the highest quality. If lamb is not your thing, duck confit with sauteed potato (Bt420) is an alternative tempting choice. 

For dessert, the chef proudly presents croustillant with lemon and mango light cream (Bt240). The crunchy and sweet croustillant - a wafer-thin piece of crisp, sugar-coated puff pastry - goes perfectly with light tangy cream.

Paris Bangkok also offers Apellation-grade French wines for Bt1,050 per bottle. Wines by the glass start at Bt120. You can bring your own wine with no corkage charge. Local pints of beer go for Bt100 and draft Belgian Leffe costs Bt120 a pint.