On Tuesday, we reviewed L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon – a concept new to London from one of the grand old men of French gastronomy. Today we to to Paris, to compare the newcomer to what’s sometimes regarded as that city’s quintessential grand old-style bistro.

Until recently, the venerable Benoit (established 1912) was owned by its founding family. Now, it’s in the hands of Alain Ducasse – the world’s most Michelin-starred chef. He hasn’t messed with the historic interior. One consequence of this is that the seating – just as at Robuchon’s new London outfit – is rather tight.

Benoit is Ducasses’s homage to the classic tradition, and – given the not inconsiderable prices – the menu can seem simple to the point of bluntness. Much therefore hangs on the quality of realisation, and we would have to report that, for us, the earth never moved. A velouté of cèpes and crayfish, for example, lacked the layers of flavour one might have hoped for. Main courses such as John Dory with mustard sauce or fillet of beef with bone marrow were hearty lumps of protein, not particularly enhanced by their accompaniments. Whoever made the nougat glacé could learn much from Marco Pierre White. And so on.

In London, it would be relatively difficult to sell food this unadorned at these sorts of prices. But then, in London most of the guests would be locals, not – as at Benoit – visiting Americans or Japanese worshipping at the shrine of Michelin.

So, if we had to choose between the ‘real’ old-style Parisian meal or the trendy (and more expensive) Gallic offering now available a few steps from the Ivy? Contrary to our expectations, we think the ‘local’ route by far the preferable one.