January has been busy and when I say busy, I mean it’s been hard to find the time to make myself a proper meal in the evening. But things are beginning to slow down a bit and I had time to stroll, play Paris tourist, and spend some time with Mr. Cheeseland over a piping hot pot of tea and scrambled eggs. Though brunch in Paris is largely a distorted version of the American concept – bread, butter and jam, eggs, possibly smoked salmon, pancakes, fromage blanc and freshly squeezed juice – dining out on a Sunday afternoon seems to make the end of the weekend slightly more bearable. 

The sun finally made its appearance this month with her dear friend freezing-cold so wandering too far from home wasn’t in our plan. We are fortunate to live in a neighborhood with a great deal of activity, quality restaurants, top-notch bakeries and independent shops. We’ve tried almost every restaurant worth testing with the exception of few places so we decided to cross another off our list. A hop from metro Parmentier (line 3) sits Sur Un Petit Vélo (on a little bike), a charming and inviting little restaurant with perfect sun exposure and an affordable menu.

Throughout the restaurant are scattered old bikes and photos of… you guessed it, bikes. The atmosphere is comfortable and warm and equipped for large parties. With only two waitresses manning the tables, the service was not as attentive as it could have been. Still, they were pleasant and didn’t leave us hungry for too long.

They offer 4 brunch menus beginning at 13€ in addition to their regular lunch offering of salads, burgers, and bagels, all of which include a freshly squeezed fruit juice which is, in my opinion, the minimum. If it comes out of a carton, you’ve received your first sign of what’s to come. Along with our juice was a carrot cake which is more like a carrot bread that could have been a day old (but I guess that’s what French brunch is about, no? Getting rid of old bread and baked goods?). It was a bit dry but flavorful and a nice replacement from the standard tartine with butter. 

The scrambled eggs were runny, just as I like them and finished off my portion of the meal perfectly. Mr. C had a significantly larger appetite and sprung for the figue and hazelnut French toast with vanilla ice cream while I continued to nurse my bottomless cup of tea.  It still makes me laugh that French toast is served at the end of the meal as a sweet finish and usually includes a scoop of ice cream.

We talked, planned our week ahead, and agreed that dinner would be light. We enjoyed ourselves but we underwhelmed by the offering. Judging by the burgers that passed by our noses, I think Sur Un Petit Vélo deserves another chance. And if not because of the rest of their menu but because it’s just so darn cute.

I’ve often said that there is too much mediocrity on the Parisian restaurant scene but sometimes a place without frills that isn’t likely to land on any top-eats list, like this one, is exactly what I want. Supporting local cafés is what it’s all about and if they happen to have a decent menu, even better.