The French café Padam, on Avenida Veracruz between Calle Durango and Calle Sinaloa in the Colonia Roma Norte, was recently acquired by the guys who have run the pizzeria Zazá around the corner for a decade. One of them, Lalo, actually did time in the kitchen of a Parisian restaurant, so he knows the territoire. I've eaten there a few times since the place changed hands and have had excellent versions of traditional French cafe fare, like the croque monsieur, the salade Nicoise or (pictured above) the salade Lyonnaise. They also do a standout chicken in rosemary sauce, and have one of the best 100-peso comida corridas in town (yesterday I ate a cream of shrimp soup, a salad with fresh lettuces and roasted vegetables, and a piece of grilled fish). For the moment, they open for breakfast and lunch and close their doors around sundown. If only we could convince them to stay open for dinner.