We were looking for a cafe for a quick meal. Preferably structured towards French tastes (not always easy in Paris). We had rejected pizza joints, cambodian, chinese and indian restaurants and bars that would drum up something from the microwave. We wanted a bit of ambiance, well patronised by locals and a friendly welcome. To our absolute joy Cafe Basile fitted the bill. We were welcomed and presented with a menu that did have hamburgers - but also had traditional French menu items. We had the plat du jour - a steak tartare, "poele", lightly fried and with deep fried new potatoes and a bit of salad. Absolutely delicious. Wine came by the carafe. Good and inexpensive, water in a carafe too. Desserts were equally good. I had a pain perdu with caramel ice-cream. It's not fine dining, but it was really good value, everything beautifully cooked and presented. Great find.