Chinatown’s a competitive market for restaurants, but the folks behind 15-year-old stalwart L’Angelus on Club Street seem to have the formula down pat, providing casual French dining to a steady stream of regulars. Their most recent project Le Petit Navire follows in the same vein. Just like the flagship, the food is nothing flashy—just comfortingly simple and reliable. The restaurant is just right for a quiet solo meal: Tucked away on Ann Siang Road—removed from the main Club Street drag—the crowd and vibe is relaxed. Plus, there are plenty of two-tops so you don’t worry about hogging seats. We recommend competently executed mains like lobster pasta ($38) and mussels mariniere ($28). They come in generous portions, perfect for picking at slowly while reading a good book or catching up on some work. The service is great too: They’re aware enough to know when you want to be left alone with your meal, but are polite and efficient in delivering the food. We also love that a decent number of their wines are available by-the-glass (from $12). It makes it easy to indulge in fresh seafood-friendly options like pouilly fume and chablis, even solo. OK, so this joint doesn’t provide any surprises, but it is the sort of place we’d return to for an easy relaxing meal any day of the week.
