Au Petit Duc - Paris 10e Arrondissement

My wife and I were hungry and looking for a place nearby our hotel, and randomly picked this restaurant. The menu is fairly generic and comparable to other brasseries in Paris, as are the prices for dishes. The food is also average, nothing to write home about. My wife had a ham and cheese omelette, and I had a cheese and cold meats selection. Not bad, just not good either.

We hade hamburgers and they were very good, home made strips. Nice toilet, and helpfull staff. Nice outsider serving.

After 45 minutes of walking around looking for a restaurant to have our last dinner at, we finally gave up and ate here. We found a table quickly, and they had some options on the menu that looked appealing. My husband tried to order 3 times before he found a dish they weren't sold out of (no risotto for him), and I had a simple croque madame - the worst I have had in Paris (but still edible). My mousse au chocolat was the redeeming aspect to the meal. The service was slow, but adequate. The problem was, inside or outside, it was like sitting in a smoke pit. We sat inside, but the door between inside and out was open, and everything smelled like smoke. We finally got up and left because it was getting hard to breathe. Some French restaurants have done a better job than others of protecting a customers right to fresh air. This wasn't one of them. I definitly wouldn't recommend it, and definitly wouldn't return.

Chose Au Petit Duc after wandering around the Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle on a (for December) balmy night. I ordered a poisson specialty of the day and was presented with a simple but beautifully cooked dish. Washed down with a recommended vin ordinaire, this was a most pleasurable eating experience. Very friendly staff and nice decor added to the positive experience.One patron couldn't wait to get back in after enjoying a cigarette, and promptly walked straight into the glass entrance door. Obliging staff directed the injured and very embarrased man to the toilet for repairing his visage. As it happened his nose was broken, so the restaurant staff called for an ambulance and waited with the guy until it had taken him off to hospital. Just mentioned this as an example of some exemplary service! All in all an interesting night.

Had this for lunch and it was quite delicious. The place was not full at all but had a nice ambiance. Menu is growth in French and English what the staff is not very English friendly. Good thing we knew just enough to get by.