Saturday lunch in Paris?

[Dipteran]

I'll be spending a week in Paris in early April and am planning a food itinerary. The one open spot is Saturday lunch, and I'm looking for recommendations. I'm looking for bistros/cozy restaurants along the lines of two of my favorites, Chez Denise and L'Ami Jean: not too expensive, atmospheric, and, above all, good food (not tiny plates!). Lurking on this website I've read about Le Repaire de Cartouche and Cafe Cartouche, which sound good, but I'm open to any suggestions.

Thanks!

[John Talbott]

Over the years, I’ve kept some records of where we’ve eaten at certain dicey times (Weekends, August, between Christmas and New Years, etc) and using these plus newer articles here’s my accounting of where to eat Saturday lunch when many places are closed. NB. These don’t include places open 7/7. Roughly speaking the more newly opened or renovated or re-teamed come first and the older ones are at the bottom:

Cru
Le Gaigne
Passage 53
Noura
Barbezingue
Bistrot 212
Miroir
Les Terrines de Gerard Vie
L’Ardoise Dourmande
La Cantine de Troquet
Afaria
Le Bistro Paul Bert
Repaire de Cartouche
Sobane
L’Agassin
Lao Lane II
Le Petit Marguery
Cottage Marcadet
La Maree

That’s obviously too big a list, and as hard as it is to trim down, here are just a few “top” addresses.

Le Gaigne
12, rue Pecquay, 4th (Metro: Rambuteau)
T: 01.44.59.86.72
Closed Tuesday – thus open Saturday, Sunday on Mondays
Menus at 16 and 22 €

Passage 53
53 Passage des Panoramas, 2nd (Metro: Grands Boulevards)
T: 01 42 33 04 35
Closed Sundays
A la carte 38-44 €.

Le Repaire de Cartouche
8 blvd des Filles du Calvaire, 11th (Metro : Filles du Calvaire)
T : 01.47.00.25.86
Closed Sundays and Mondays
Lunch menus 13 & 24 €, a la carte 35-45 €.

Afaria
15, rue Desnouettes, 15th, (Metro: Convention)
T: 01.48.56.15.36
Closed Sunday and Monday lunch
Lunch menu 22-26, a la carte 35-45 €

[Dipteran]

John,

Thanks very much. I'm just curious why Le Petit Margurey didn't make the cut. When I lived in Paris 20 years ago I used to eat there from time to time, and it was great. Did it go downhill?

[John Talbott]

Not at all; Colette and I were there only a few weeks ago http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com/....
I guess I was putting in my top 4 the most recent to arrive on the scene.