There’s something very Claude Chabrol about Apicius: the sound of gravel crunching beneath your feet as you approach the aristocratic 19th-century mansion; the whiffs of power and corruption that cling to the rich clientele; and the absurdly aristocratic menu. Foie gras comes in two services, 90 Euro for two, rib of beef is served saignant uniquement, 110 Euro, and even the puddings are called things like ‘grand dessert tout caramel’, 20 Euro. To the right of the entrance and the contemporary bar is a long corridor, off which more or less private rooms are decorated in a timelessly classical style. The regulars are old-school and certainly not impressed by any of it. We are, though, and even more so since we know the building is owned by film-maker Luc Besson, who has his production offices above. Reservations are essential.