Paris: Where to Eat: Big Night Out: Alain Senderens

Alain Senderens

By shedding his three stars and reinventing his Belle Époque restaurant as a brasserie de luxe, Senderens has scored a major hit. The landmarked Art Nouveau paneling survives, but an undulating tented ceiling and white Corian tables leave no doubt that 21st-century modern is what this space is all about. A forward-looking menu includes dishes like smoked salmon steak with Thai spices and cucumber ribbons, tartare of veal and langoustine with fine rice vermicelli and Parmesan shavings. Lunch in the cozier upstairs dining room is desperately très chic. Reserve four to six weeks in advance for dinner. Open daily. Métro: Madeleine.