Spring Restaurant, Paris

© Kai Jünemann

Surprise: The best new restaurant in Paris is run by an American chef, Chicago-born Daniel Rose. The latest version of his contemporary bistro, Spring, opened in July at 6 rue Bailleul, near the old Les Halles market--the original was in the 9th arrondissement--and has been playing to a packed house of 22 covers ever since. Rose came to Paris to study philosophy and got swept away by a passion for cooking that led to stints in the kitchens of Paul Bocuse and Yannick Alléno. Despite the grandeur of his apprenticeship, Rose says that he wants his restaurant to be "friendly, relaxed, and very personal." That translates into cooking that features brilliant but unassuming offerings such as a lunch menu that features bouillon garnished with grilled chicken, pigeon, or other meats; a selection of side dishes like lightly pickled baby eggplant with smoked eel, trout with avocado slices and coriander flowers, and pan-fried New Caledonian shrimp on a bed of baby fennel; and desserts such as lightly sautéed black cherries with fresh almond slivers and a deconstructed lemon tart. 33-1-45-96-05-72, springparis.blogspot.com The rest of Andrew Harper's Notebook Column for Forbes Life can be found here.