|
| |
Wine bars, wine cafes and restaurants in Paris and some
elsewhere
För våra rekommendationer på svenska klicka här! Swedish - click here.
Paris 1er
Au Vieux Comptoir, Bar à vins – Restaurant, Paris 1
17, rue des Lavandières-Saint-Oppurtune, 75001 Paris, ph 01 45 08 53
08,
www.au-vieux-comptoir.com, open from 10 AM to midnight Tues to Sat
A popular restaurant on a side street to the busy rue Rivoli. Nice
atmosphere and very friendly and helpful staff (well worth underlining!). At
lunch time you can have Today’s Special for 14€, traditional French cooking,
e.g. a ‘hachis parmentier’ (a gratin of mashed potatoes with minced meat),
excellent to try in winter when you need to warm up. If you like beef you
should try their tempting côtes de boeuf, a giant ‘beef chop’ from cows of
the Maine Anjou race (but you should be two persons sharing – it weighs in
at 1.4 kilos!) with sauce béarnaise. Or try the excellent charcuteries from
Alsace, the Jura of the Basque countries, the veal from Corrèze or the
scallops. All is made from prime raw material. They have an interesting wine
list with, unusually, many wines served by the glass. A bistro one will come
back to! (Brief 76, Nov-09)
Le Vin Chai Moi, Paris 1
18, rue Duphot 75001 Paris, 01 40 15 06 69
Luc Menier is the sommelier and Sébastien Farré is the chef.
Born and raised in the same village, in Chinon in the Loire Valley. Now they
are both at the cleverly named and very nice restaurant Vin Chai Moi, just
off Place de la Madeleine. They used to have a restaurant in the 20th
arrondisement in Paris but in May they moved to this, much more central
location. They are still putting the final touches to the decoration, when
we were there the first time the parquet was not yet done on the first floor
but the second time it was in place. They have three levels: a small are on
street level which they will run as a small and elegant brasserie with just
a few tables. The basement can be rented for private functions or tastings.
One floor up is the restaurant and a small bar. A three course menu goes for
33 euro and if you pick and chose from the à la carte you can expect 40-45
euro. The ravioli de langoustine is a delicious starter with a creamy sauce,
or try the foie gras de canard mi-cuit. As a main course you can try the
file de bar (seabass) with benne and chanterelles mushrooms, a generous
entrecôte with creamy mashed potatoes, or a souris d’agneu (literally, a
smiling lamb, a very tender knuckle of lamb) with curry cauliflower. If you
still have room for desert (please do) you can try their home made baba au
rhum (sponge cake steeped in rum, but go easy on the rum, they’ll put the
bottle on the table…) or a delicious Grand marnier soufflé. The wine list is
quite extensive without being excessive, with several interesting bottles
starting at 24 euro: a very good Saint Romain from Alain Gras for 36 euro
(lots of pinot in that wine!) or a white Chinon (unusual!) for only 24 euro.
(Open lunch and dinner. Closed Sundays and Mondays.) (Brief 73, Aug-09)
Pinxo, Paris 1
9, rue d’Alger, 75001 Paris, 01 40 20 72 00,
www.pinxo.fr
Pinxo is run by Alain Dutornier from the Michelin-starred
restaurant Carré des Feuillant, just a few blocks away. The decoration is
very Spartan with a Japanese touch. The first thing that strikes you with
the food is the presentation: very modern, very slick and it too more than a
hint oriental. Choose e.g. the mi-cuit (very lightly cooked) tuna, grilled
gambas with spicy rice and coconut milk and finish with the coffee
accompanied by a heavenly delicious chocolate preparation. You will not be
disappointed. Very professional and attentive service. Good selection of
wines starting at 30€. Count on 40-60€ for a full meal. (Brief 66, Jan-09)
 Macéo,
Paris 1
15, rue des Petits Champs, 75001 Paris, tel 01 42 97 53 85Macéo is
just next door to Willi’s Wine Bar and both are owned by the Englishman Mark
Williamson. Just like at Willi’s the wine list at Macéo is outstanding, with
an emphasis on the Rhône Valley. Elegant but relaxed atmosphere that is a
mix of classic and modern. Very good food of course. Set menus from 34 euro.
(Brief 44) |
La Garde-Robe, Paris 1
41, rue de l’Arbre Sec, 75001 Paris, tel 01 49 26 90 60
Newly opened wine bar and wine shop not far from Chatelet with many
interesting wines. Several organic or biodynamic wines. Try for instance the
spicy Patus 2004 from Coteaux du Languedoc, 8 euro for a bottle, or the
Saint Joseph from the brothers Durand, 16 euro. On the food side: soup,
charcuteries (8 euro), cheeses, oysters are on the menu for lunch and
dinner. Several wines are offered by the glass and you can also choose any
bottle you want from the shop selection and pay a corkage of 6 euro. Open
11-15 and 17-late.
(Brief 31) |
Rouge Saint Honoré (previously known as Rouge Tomate)
(they have changed name, perhaps on request of the similarly called
but unrelated restaurant in Brussels - who have also contacted us through their
lawyers.... An odd story... So,
here is a very good
way how
not
to contact us)
34, place du Marché Saint Honoré, tel 01 42 61 16 09
After the renovation the Place du Marché Saint Honoré
has become full of restaurants. At this one, as you can guess, they use
tomatoes in virtually everything, and they do it very well. Excellent
cooking and quite low prices. The wine list is also good with the
”speciality” being that all wines are varietal wines (made from only one
grape variety), mostly from outside of France! (Brief 24) |
La Toque Saint Germain (previously
Les Dessous de la Robe)
4, rue Bertin-Poirée, 75001 Paris, tel 01 40 26 68 18, metro Chatelet.
|
|
In one of Paris’ oldest houses you find this wine bar/restaurant. It opened
in 2003 and is the second restaurant run by the people who also have La Robe
et le Palais nearby. The new Les Dessuos is more to our liking and the
interior is a country style mix of wooden beams, stones and colour. You can
have straight forward but excellent plates of cheese or charcuterie and also
a small – but excellent – selection of cooked dishes: a set menu for 23€. An
excellent wine list with some good value bottles in particular from the
South of France. Apparently Les Dessous de la Robe has changed name
and owners. The new owners continue in the same style it is said. We have
not been there ourselves yet. (June 07) |
|
Le Rubis
10, rue Marché
Saint Honoré, 75001 Paris, Open all day until 22.00 (Sat to 16.00, closed
Sun) |
|
 A very
traditional, simple, country style café/restaurant. Don’t expect to sit down
and ponder at length over the menu – you’ll get a quick reading of what’s on
offer today and order one course after another. It’s an old-style, long-time
“institution” among Paris’ wine bars. (No hot meal in the evening.)
(Brief nr 5) |
|
Le Fumoir
6, rue de l’Amiral de Coligny, 75001 Paris, ph: 01 42 92 00
24, open every day 11.00-02.00 |
|
 Atmosphere a
bit like an English club, with a bar where you can read papers and a library
with 3000 books. A view through the big windows over the Louvre. Some 10
wines by the glass, 2 course menu for lunch (~16€). Three courses from the a
la carte is around 30-35€.
(Brief 10) |
|
Willi's Wine
Bar
13, rue des Petits Champs, 75001 Paris, ph 01 42 61 05 09,
open 11.00-23.00 (booking essential !) |
|
 One of Paris' classic wine bars/restaurants. Run by Mark
Williamson. Amazing choice of wine, very good food, crowded and friendly. A
bit more expensive than the “standard” wine bars. Very strong on Rhone.
(Brief nr 6) |
|
Juvenile's
47, rue
Richelieu, 75001 Paris, open 11.00-24.00, closed Sun, 01 42 97 46 49 |
|
 Small and crowded. Also wine shop. One of the few places
where you can find good non-French wines. Run by Mark Williamson’s Scottish
colleague Tim Johnston. Good sherry selection. Food is tapas-oriented but
can be a bit of everything.
(Brief nr 6) |
Cirió
17, rue des Petits Champs, 75001 Paris, 01 42 96 47 54 |
Cirio
is a small, unpretentious Italian restaurant open since summer 2002. A good
selection of starters (bruchetta, carpaccio,...) and fresh pasta. Already
when you enter you notice that there are bottles of olive oil and basamic
vinegar on all the tables so you get a feeling of that they do pay a bit extra attention to the food here.
Not a very extensive wine list but well chosen and (good point!) with several wines served by the glass or in carafe. Good
value for money.
(Brief nr 11)
 |
|
L’Ecluse Saint Honoré
34, place du Marché Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris, ph 01 42 96
10 18 |
|
 On the Place
du
Marché Saint Honoré with a view over the new building by Bofill. There are
six L’Ecluse wine bars in Paris, and that it is a “chain”, albeit small, can
by some be seen as a negative. But in this case they are ambitious and
focused, without being complicated or sophisticated. They also have
excellent opening hours, which can be particularly good for overseas
visitors who are not used to French eating times. When almost all other wine
bars are closed, e.g. on Sundays, there’s always a L’Ecluse you can go to.
The wine list is exclusively Bordeaux, and primarily red (the selection of
whites could be improved). many, if not all, are served by the glass. The
food is traditional, uncomplicated dishes made from high quality products,
be it foie gras, salmon or cheese. For each dish there is a wine
recommendation.
Go to the L'Ecluse web site here.
(Brief 32) |
|
Taverne Henri IV
13, place du
Pont-Neuf, 1st arr. open 12.00-22.00, Sat 12.00-16.00, closed Sun.
Métro Pont Neuf. 01 43 54 27 90 |
|
 Café style,
simple food, good atmosphere. A really old-style Paris wine bar. Given it's
location you can be quite sure to find quite a lot of foreigners there too.
They have different types of "asiettes" (cheese, pate, ham etc) for around
12€. |
|
Lavinia – Restaurant et Bar à Vin
3-5 bd de la Madeleine, 75001 Paris, ph 01 42 97 20 27 |
|
 Enjoy a good
lunch in a relaxed atmosphere (makes a change from the boulevard outside)
upstairs in one of Paris’ biggest wine shops, and you’ll have a view over
their enormous assortment of spirits. You can also just drop in for a glass
of wine in the wine bar, until 8 PM. If you don’t find what you fancy in the
wine list in the restaurant you can choose what you want from their 6000 or
so references in the shop and just pay the shop price!
(Brief nr2) |
Paris 2e
Ma Cave Fleury, Paris 2
117, rue Saint Denis, 75002 Paris,
http://macavefleury.wordpress.com
 Almost
exactly one year ago Morgane Fleury opened the doors to her ’cave
éco-logique’ in Paris called Ma Cave Fleury. (The celebration was on
February 13 so we say Happy Birthday a bit late.) Ma Cave Fleury is both a
wine shop and a wine bar – small but very charming. “Fleury” is the well
known champagne producing family of that name, one of the precursors of
organic and biodynamic champagne. You can of course buy their own wines here
(very clean, stylish, with no sulphur and very little dosage), but also
other wines with the same philosophy, in other words, most of the wines here
are biodynamic and all are organic. And most of the producers are also
friends of the family. You can for example find Léon Barral from the
Languedoc, La Tour Grise from Saumur, Marcel Richaud from the Rhône Valley,
Marcel Deiss and Pierre Frick in Alsace, Marcel Lapierre from Beaujolais.
You can have a glass of wine with some charcuterie or cheese (it’s not a
pure bar – they generally serve something with the wines). If you book in
advance you can also get a hot meal. The location, on Rue Saint Denis, with
its seedy reputation, may make you hesitate, but Morgane shrugs it of and
notes that there have never been any problems. They also organise wine
tastings and other events, advertised on Morgane’s blog. Go take a look:
http://macavefleury.wordpress.com (Brief 79, Feb-10)
Racine
8, passage des Panoramas 75002 Paris, ph 01 40 13 06 41
Open Mon-Fri 12-24
A small wine bar in one of the old 'passages' (indoor shopping
gallery) close to the big boulevards. The peculiarity with this wine bar is that
all wines are organic, many are even biodynamic and most are made entirely
without sulphur (unusual). In other words, very interesting wines and sometimes
also very good. But sometimes you can also understand why it is actually a good
idea to use some sulphur in the wine making… You can also get some small things
to eat: cheese, charcuteries and a few hot dishes. (Brief 57)
Sur un Arbre Perché
1, rue du Quatre Septembre, 75002 Paris, ph: 01 42 96 97 01,
www.surunarbreperche.com
 A small resto
close to La Bourse. Cuisine inspired by international
«fusion» with exotic ingredients: grilled tuna with risotto, coconut milk
and saffron (15€), goat cheese lasagne (11€), scampi brocettes with spicy
ceviche (11€). The interior is designed by Ralston & Bau (www.ralstonbau.com)
using old wood from disaffected barns in northern Sweden (www.arvesund.se).
The wine list is designed with the help of WineTastings Britt Karlsson:
short and interesting.
(Brief nr1)
|
Le Domaine Léopold, Bistrot à vins
36, rue Léopold Bellan, 75002 Paris, métro Sentier, ph 01 45
08 45 83, closed Sun |
|
 This is a very
nice wine bar/restaurant on the already restaurant dense rue Leopold Belland
in the 2nd, just a stone's throw from the market street rue Montorgueil. In
summer time they have a big and calm 'terrasse'. The menu is short but with
a good selection of typical wine bar food made from fresh raw material: a
plate with different duck preparations (the owners come from Sud Ouest),
cheese, sausages, ham etc. They also serve a few cooked dishes with a
distinct South West flavour (magret de canard, entrecote,...)
The regional
style also shows on the wine list even though it is not so dominating: they
have more than 150 different wines! some 10 wines served by the glass, some
unusual (and interesting) vin de tables... Ask for advice if you're not
confident. We can particularly recommend the duck, made in different ways:
traditional magret with pommes sautées, or made as tournedos (less filling)
or as a tartare! Excellent with home-made spicy mayonnaise. Or the duck
liver (foie gras) as a main course (!), served raw. Definitely worth trying.
And if you're lucky you will get a cannelé (Bordeaux speciality) to the
coffee. Best ones in Paris.
(Brief nr 16) |
|
Legrand Filles et Fils, Boutique Vins Epicerie Fins
Espace Dégustation, 1, rue de la Banque, 75002 Paris, ph 01
42 60 07 12 |
|
Recently
changed owners. The old wine shop has expanded into a restaurant and wine
bar. Foie gras de canard (16€), a plate with stilton, smoked duck’s breast
(17.50€), smoked and marinated trout (14€)… Some 15 wines by the glass:
Chinon Pierre Breton (9€), Mas des Chimères Languedoc (11.20€), magnificent
Haute Cotes de Nuits 2000 from Jayer Gilles (11.50€), Cote Rotie from
Burgaud (11.20€). Or pick any wine from the wine shop and pay 15€ corkage (a
bit high but well worth it if you pick a good bottle).
(Brief nr4)
 |
|
Paris 3e |
|
Au Bascou
38, rue Réaumur, 75003 Paris, tel 01 42 72 69 25, closed Sat
and Sun |
|
For almost ten
years Jean-Guy Loustau’s basque restaurant has maintained it’s position as
one of Paris’s most popular wine restaurants. Start with a sweet Jurançon
for aperitif and try a full bodied Madiran or Irouléguy – a perfect match
with the tasty food.
(Brief nr2) |
|
Les Enfants Rouges
90 rue des Archives (or 9, rue de Beauce), ph 01 48 87 80
61. Open for lunch Tue-Sat and dinner Thu-Sat. |
|
Dany Bertuis
has moved from Moulin à Vin in Montmartre to the market Enfants Rouges in
Marais. Excellent selection of young and interesting producers from around
the country: Champalou, Huet (both from Vouvray), Daguenaud, Puzelat and Jo
Ptithon from other parts of Loire. Arena and Leccia from Corsica, Jean-Paul
Brun and Chermette from Beaujoulas… Unfortunately not all of the wines are
available by the glass, but some are: Amphibolyte that you should try if you
find Muscadet uninteresting (and you might change your mind, 2.4€),
Crozes-Hermitage from Dard & Ribo (3.50€), Cotes du Rhone from Marcel
Richaud (3.20€) etc.
2 course lunch
menu for 14€ and 22€ for three courses in the evening. Traditional and
simple food: grilled sardines, crème brûlée etc.
(Brief nr3)
 |
|
Au
Bourgignon du Marais
19, r. du
Jouy/r. Francois Miron, 10.00-01.00, closed Sun. Métro St Paul. 01.48 87 15
40. |
|
 Originally a
wine shop with a few tables, now a restaurant that also sells wine. Burgudny
focus: owner/manager himself from a burgundy growing family. Small, and calm
in the Marais. Food: 6 snails (7€), oeufs en meurette (7€), jambon persillé
maison (8€); main courses: entrecote for two with mashed potatoes (38€),
confit de canard, tartare de bœuf, andouillettes, cœur de rumstek (all 14€). |
|
Le Rouge
Gorge
8, rue
Saint-Paul, Métro St Paul, 01.48 04 75 89, 10.00-02.00 closed Sun. |
|
  Small
bar/restaurant. Good, simple food. Gaspacho de pastèque
(5€), carpaccio de courgettes (7€), entrecôte ratatouille (18€), dorade
royale farcie au caviar d’aubergines (16€), grande assiette de repas de midi
(10€). |
|
Les Fous
d'en face
In Marais. 3,
rue Bourg-Tibourg, métro Hôtel de Ville. 01.48 87 03 75. |
|
 Small, "rustic" restaurant with very good food and a very
good wine list: foie gras de canard (16.50€), éventaile d’asperges et sa
tulipe de brick à la graine de pavot (9.50€), gibelotte de lapin confite aux
tomates sur son lit de salade (16€), bar sauvage rotie à l’huile d’olive et
pamplemousse (26€). Some rather high end wines, e.g. 1994 cuvée Syrah
Leone from Peyre Rose (78€). |
|
Le Coude Fou
16, rue Bourg-Tibourg, 75004 Paris, ph 01.42.77.15.16.
Open for lunch and from 17.00. |
|
 Well situated
in the Marais. Two lunch formules either 3 courses or two. Good selection of
value for money wines from the South of France. Duo de cailles orientale
(14.50€), tartare de boeuf etc |
Sorza
Paris 4, 51 r St Louis en l'Ile 75004 Paris, ph 01 43 54 78 62,
www.restaurant-sorza.fr
Strolling along the river on the Ile Saint-Louis is something
that both tourists and Parisians love to do. A relatively new restaurant on the
main street (almost the only street…) is Sorza. It is not big and it fills up
quickly so booking is recommended. The walls are red and the tables are black
and art hangs on the walls. And the food is beautifully presented on the plates.
It is an ambitious cuisine with distinct Italian influences. We do recommend the
parmesan soufflé. Excellent risotto with gambas, tender and succulent veal
chops, to mention a few things. The wine list is short… but well chosen. Count
on around 30€ for lunch and a bit more for dinner. (Brief 60)
|
Paris 5e |
Louis Vins
Louis Vins. 9 r Montagne Ste Geneviève 75005 Paris, 01 43 29 12 12, open
every day, even Sundays
A new wine restaurant with a good wine list with a certain emphasis on
organic wines. You can for example find the full selection of wines from
Julien and Claude Courtois, father-and-son winemakers on the edge of the
Loire Valley, in Sologne. The 2 course menu costs 23 euro, or 26 for three
courses. If you are a sweet addict don’t miss their excellent Ile Flottante,
this French speciality made from whipped egg white served with a vanilla
sauce.
(Brief 23) |
|
Pipos
2, rue de L’Ecole Polytechnique. 75005 Paris, ph 01 43 54 11
40, closed Sun |
|
Looks like a simple student café but has a good selection of
wines and some served by the glass: Cairanne, Crozes-Hermitage (Combier),
Morgon (J Foillard). Well done and simple dishes. Very close to
Pantheon and St Germain. |
|
L’AOC
14 r Fossés St Bernard 75005 Paris, 01 43 54 22 52 |
|
Close to the
Institut du Monde Arabe. Classic French cuisine – very well made and nicely
presented by la patronne or her staff. As the name suggests, also a good
wine list.
(Brief nr 1) |
La Bastide d’Opio
9, rue Guisarde, 75006 Paris, tel 01 43 29 01 84
A small Provence restaurant in
Paris with a definite southern feeling. Very good cooking that is nicely
presented on the plates. The grille tuna was excellent and very succulent and
the crumble d’agneau (!) very tasty with just the right cover of crumbles. At
lunch time you can get two courses for 14.10 euro. The wine list, though, is
short and would definitely improve if a little more focus and effort was made
with wines from Provence. (Brief 42)
Midi Vins, Paris 6e
Restaurant – Bistro à Vins, 83, rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 Paris
 Newly
opened wine bar and bistro in a renovated traditional café. Original tables made
from old champagne “pupitres”. Very good value menu with starter, main course
and dessert fro 21 euro. I had an excellent salad with crayfish to start with
followed by a perfectly grilled “bavette” (steak) with potato gratin. The fish
was also very good. Very traditional desserts with crème brulée, tarte aux
pommes (apple tart), strawberries etc. Nice wines, for example a Moulin-à-Vent
from Domaine des Terres Dorées, an Anjou from Domaine Gilet, Crozes-Hermitage
from Chapoutier, Chiroubles from Domaine Joubert…
Le Comptoir du Relais
5, carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006 Paris, ph 01.43.29.12.05
A nice and calm little wine bar in the Quartier Latin with a
terasse on a street that is no too busy. Many wines served by the glass with a
few samples from almost every wine district in France. Typical wine bar food.
(Much improved since its opening when they proudly boasted 36 different wines on
the menu, only to tell you "sorry we're out of that" unless you asked for the
Sancerre.)
L’Ecluse
15, Quai des Grands Augustins
See comments at L'Ecluse in Paris 1er above.
Fish – La Boissonerie
69, rue de Seine, 75006 Paris, ph 01 43 54 34 69
A good place to go if you like Languedoc wines. Very lively,
very crowded. Mediterranean cuisine. More than half of the wines are from
Languedoc: Domaine de l’Hortus, Chateau Pech-Redon, Domaine Jougla, Domaine
Ferrer-Ribière and Château des Estanilles, all stars from Languedoc.
Il Vicolo
34, rue Mazarine, 75006 Paris, ph 01 43 25 01 11, closed Sun
Well done Italian food and a good selection of Italian wines.
Leave aside the famous Chianti and Barolo and try instead something from Sicily
or Puglia – much better value for money. Around 40€ for dinner, including wine.
|
Paris 7e |
|
Au Sauvignon
corner of rue de Sèvres and rue Saints Pères, métro
Sèvres-Babylone |
|
Well prepared,
small things to eat (tartines...), a bit chic, sunny terrace. The wine list
is a bit anonymous (no producer names mentioned) but Aligoté and
Menetou-Salon is usually good, by the glass for around 3.50€. |
|
Bellota-Bellota
18, rue Jean Nicot, 75007 Paris, ph 01 53 59 96 96, Tue-Sat
10.00-23.00, they also sell dry-cured hame to take home |
|
You go here to
eat dry cured Spanish ham. You order different quantities and with or
without cheese (15-30€ depending on choice). Only Spanish wines, some served
by the glass. Try the excellent Gazur from Ribera del Duero made by the
fenomenal Telmo Rodriguez (famous for his Rioja). |
Paris 8e
Le Taste Monde
Paris 8, La Madeleine, 8, rue de Surène 75008 Paris,
www.letastemonde.com
A new TasteMonde has opened next to Place de la Madeleine.
Their first restaurant opened several years ago in Issy-les-Moulineaux but now
they've opened a second location more centrally. Unusual for Paris restaurants
the focus is on non-French wins (although they do have some champagne too). And
quite an extensive selection too. The cooking is very good and quite French in
style, in spite of the wine list selection. Two courses for 29 euro and 3
courses for 38 euro (lunch and dinner). Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday. (On
Saturday afternoon, between 3PM and 6PM you can go there and taste a selection
of wines by the glass for a very humane 1€ to 2€ per glass.) (Brief 58)
Villa Spicy
8, avenue Franklin Roosevelt, Paris 8e, Tel 01 56 59 62 59, Open every day
Just off Les Champs-Elysées, on the avenue F Roosevelt, you
find this pleasant restaurant with excellent food with a certain Provençal
touch. It used to be called (simply) Spicy but have now (why?) changed name to
Villa Spicy. Perhaps because of a total (successful) renovation – the atmosphere
is now relaxed and cosy, service is friendly. They have a good-value lunch menu
for 20 euro (two courses, e.g. with a superb pumpkin soup with chestnut crème, a
very popular French autumn dish). Starters go for 9-14 euro, main courses are
14-28 euro. They also have a fixed price menu in the evening for 28 euro. A
small (as often in French restaurants) selection of wines by the glass. (Brief
52)
15cent15
Hôtel Marignan Champs Elysées, Paris, 12 rue Marignan, 75008 Paris
Hôtel Marignan Champs-Elysées is a new luxury boutique hotel
in central Paris. The main restaurant in the hotel is Spoon by the fabled chef
Alain Ducasse and they recently opened a “lounge”, this oh-so-trendy concept in
the restaurant world today. The lounge, called 15cent15, also run by Ducasse, is
a good place to have a less ambitious lunch in a relaxed and comfortable setting
with a definite “club” feeling. Lunch dishes cost between 15 and 25 euro and
there’s an interesting selection. For example, a wonderfully succulent salmon
tartar (18 euro) or a foie gras poëlé (very quickly fried foie gras – 16 euro).
In the evening the 15cent15 transforms into a tapas bar with a wide choice from
5 euro. The wine list has a few interesting wines by the glass (could be more),
e.g. a white Côtes-du-Rhône from Domaine Perrin (of Beaucastel fame) that is
very nice, nutty and herbal. Perhaps they could overall have been a bit less
traditional in their wine selection. There are not really any nice and
imaginative surprises – more safe bets. And why does a boutique hotel choose as
a house champagne one from the huge co-operative Nicolas Feuillatte…? (Brief 45)
La Maison de L’Aubrac
37, rue Marbeuf, 8e, ph 01 43 59 05 14, open 24/24(!),
www.maison-aubrac.fr
 Finding
a good restaurant, with an outstanding selection of wines, close to the Champs
Elysees, without it being a total tourist trap - is that possible? Certainly. Go
to the Maison de l'Aubrac, a place to go for meat. Aubrac is famous for its beef
and you can get, for example, an excellent côte de boeuf for two (Paris style,
56 E), a piece de boef (14.50E), pave de boef (16.50E)... But they also have
many other things. Today's menu can be: mise en bouche, mousse de chevre a la
tomate (2.50E); carpaccio de lotte aux agrumes et taboulet (10E); filets de
rouget, citron confit et tapenade (16E); tartelette aux fruits rouges (8E). Very
well prepared.
And a really exceptional wine list - an
astonishing selection of wines from Languedoc. About a dozen wines served by the
glass: Antoine Arena Grotte di Solo, Vin de Table from Corsica, slightly
sparkling, semi-dry, perfect for aperitif, 6.50E; Carignan Chant de Marjolaine
from Domaine Rimbert (picture), 5E; Marcel Richaud's Cuvee Garigues Cotes du
Rhone (picture), 4E; Domaine Gauby Vieilles Vignes, blanc, CDP Catalan, 8E; or a
coupe champagne Ruinart for 8E... We also tried today's special on wines which
was a Vacqueras Domaine de Monediere les Calades from Christian Vache for 16.50E
for 50 cl, excellent spicy, fruity southern Rhone style. They also have a small
wine bar where you can drink some interesting wines by the glass.
The interior is a bit "country style cafe",
almost Texan, with wooden booths, and some wonderful photographs of cows, pigs
and other things that will arrive on your plate. Very friendly and attentive
service, mostly. Open 24/24! (Brief nr 15)
L’Ecluse Madeleine
15, place de la Madeleine, 8e
See comments at L'Ecluse in Paris 1er above.
L’Ecluse François 1er
64, rue François 1er, 8e
See comments at L'Ecluse in Paris 1er above.
Paris 9e
Les Bacchantes – Restaurant – Bistro à Vins, Paris 9
21, rue Caumartin, Paris 9e, ph 01 42 65 25 35
Just off Boulevard de la Madeleine and next to the Olympia
theatre you find this small restaurant. When you step inside it feels as if it
has been there for many years. Probably it has. The staff is very welcoming and
even if it’s your first time there they make you feel as if you are just coming
back to your stam tisch. Many guests come here before going to the
theatre so it is very crowded already well before 8PM, which is indeed unusual
in Paris. Food is traditional French bistro fare. You can have an andouillette,
if you have a penchant for this strong-smelling offal sausage, but fortunately
there are many other delicious things to choose from, for example a classic côte
de boeuf (a “beef chop” grilled whole and served for two, sliced up – delicious
for the carnivorous) or a superb lamb. Several other French classics are on the
list too. Try the charcuteries for an entre. If you’re two (or maybe three) it’s
perfect to share. And they have delicious cheese too (which is not always the
case in restaurants). The wine list is not extensive but well chosen. Try a
Cornas from the Durand brothers for 39€ or perhaps a less expensive St Joseph.
If you want white, try the absolutely delicious Jurançon from Domaine Hours,
full-bodied with lots of taste. And very rare to find in a restaurant. (Brief
67)
|
|
Radis Roses
68, rue Rodier, 75009 Paris, tel 01 48 78 03 20
A tiny restaurant with amusing and colourful details and
a very ambitious cuisine. The speciality of the house is ravioli (but there
are other things as well) and as raviolis are a speciality from the Rhône
Valley (you didn’t think they were Italian, did you?) the wine list offers
only wine from this part of France. The food looks beautiful on the plate
and tastes delicious. All entrées are 9 €, the main courses are 14 € and the
desserts 7 €.
(Brief 26) |
Autour d’un Verre - Bar à vin - Wine bar
21 rue de Trévise, 75009 Paris, tel 01 48 24 43 74, open for lunch 12h to
15h Mon to Fri, dinner 19-01 Mon to Sat,
www.autourdunverre.net. |
  Marie
from Sweden and Kevin from the US recently opened this small and personal
wine bar/restaurant. From the start they knew what profile they wanted: only
‘natural’ wines. That means organic or ‘bio-dynamic’ wines, often made
without sulphur, without filtering, and without chaptalisation. In other
words – very much ‘terroir’ in the true sense of the word. The Brief
particularly liked the mashed potatoes and the saucisse de Montbéliard but
there are other good things too on the not too extensive menu. A good idea
is to ask Mari or Kevin to suggest a wine – there are many hidden treasures
that they have on offer.
Brief 12 |
|
Lafayette Gourmet - Le Bar Rouge
Bd Haussmann,
75009 Paris, closed Sun |
|
A year ago the food market part of Galleries Lafayette,
called Lafayette Gourmet, had its wine department entirely renovated. This
included a new wine bar called Le Bar Rouge where you can gaze across the
wine bottles while enjoying a glass or a small meal. Lunch and other
“smaller” dishes between 11.30 and 19.30. Some interesting wines by the
glass. A well earned pause in the shopping?
(Brief 39) |
|
Igolosi
6, rue de la Grange Batelière, 9e, métro: Richelieu-Drouot,
ph 01 48 24 18 63 |
|
Italian
restaurant and wine shop with modern interior. |
Paris 10e
Baxo
21, rue Juliette Dodu, 75010 Paris 01 42 02 99 71,
www.baxo.fr
 This
nice little restaurant only just opened in December, not far from the Canal
Saint Martin. Very good value lunch menu, 2 courses for 12 euro or three for
14.50 euro. In the evening they have à la carte with starters for 8-12 euro and
main courses for 12-18 euro. You can get French classics like hamburger (perhaps
not so French but still classic), tartare, or côte de Boeuf, and also some more
“fusion” inspired cooking: tuna with wasabi, or wok de calamars. They will
develop the wine list towards a selection of smaller, ambitious growers (but it
will take some time for them to build up the list they think). Modern interior
decoration with fat cushions and trendy lighting. The bar (called “bar lounge”…)
is almost as big as the restaurant, which on the other hand is not very big
(only some 25 places). Very customer friendly opening hours: from 9 in the
morning to 2 at night. Closed Sundays. (Brief 42)
Trema
8, rue de Marseille, 75010 Paris, ph 01 42 49 27 67, open every day except Sat
lunch
Drink champagne and eat salmon – that’s what you should do at
Trëma! Go for a brunch on Sundays for example (18-25 €). On week-days you can
get a good lunch with two courses for 12€. Emphasis on fish of different kinds
and you can swallow it down with a glass of very nice Domaine Tariquet white.
The lowest price champagne is called Godet and sells for 25€, for 35€ you will
get a Jacquesson Cuvée 729 (note that they have moved from 728 to 729,
indicating a new vintage) and for 45€ you can get Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru
1995 – almost a steal. Good value is also the Pol roger for 27€. The chef comes
from Finland (!) so they also have many types of vodka to choose from. And
Swedish mineral water: Ramlösa.
Le verre volé
67, rue de Lancy, 75010 Paris, ph 01 48 03 17 34, every day 10.30 to
midnight, closed Sun evening
Close to Canal St Martin and Place de la Republique. Mainly a
wine shop but they also have 6 tables, so booking is important. You can drink
anything from the shop to your food for a corkage of 4.57€. Serving charcuterie,
andouilettes, cheese, boudin noir and other traditional French food. Or fresh
oysters from Utah Beach in Normandy. Some wines also sold by the glass from
2.59€. Other well known names: Pierre Breton (Loire), Marc Sorrel and Dard &
Ribo (Rhône), Domaine d’Aupilhac (Languedoc) and also interesting new
acquaintances. Ask le patron Cyril Bordarier.
Trema
8, rue de Marseille, 75010 Paris, ph 01 42 49 27 67, open every day
except Sat lunch
Drink champagne and eat salmon – that’s what you should do at Trëma! Go
for a brunch on Sundays for example (18-25 €). On week-days you can get a
good lunch with two courses for 12€. Emphasis on fish of different kinds and
you can swallow it down with a glass of very nice Domaine Tariquet white.
The lowest price champagne is called Godet and sells for 25€, for 35€ you
will get a Jacquesson Cuvée 729 (note that they have moved from 728 to 729,
indicating a new vintage) and for 45€ you can get Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru
1995 – almost a steal. Good value is also the Pol roger for 27€. The chef
comes from Finland (!) so they also have many types of vodka to choose from.
And Swedish mineral water: Ramlösa. |
|
Le verre volé
67, rue de
Lancy, 75010 Paris, ph 01 48 03 17 34, every day 10.30 to midnight, closed
Sun evening |
|
Close to Canal
St Martin and Place de la Republique. Mainly a wine shop but they also have
6 tables, so booking is important. You can drink anything from the shop to
your food for a corkage of 4.57€. Serving charcuterie, andouilettes, cheese,
boudin noir and other traditional French food. Or fresh
oysters from Utah Beach in Normandy. Some wines also sold by the glass from
2.59€. Other well known names: Pierre Breton (Loire), Marc Sorrel and
Dard & Ribo (Rhône), Domaine d’Aupilhac (Languedoc) and also interesting new
acquaintances. Ask le patron Cyril Bordarier. |
|
Paris 11e |
|
Le Café du Passage
12, rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris, ph 01.49.29.97.64, métro
Bastille, 18.00-01.00, closed Sun |
|
 Very pleasant. Exceptional wine list, cool jazz, mix of
English club atmosphere and Italian design (owner is ex-interior designer).
Outstanding selection of Rhone and southern France. Small things to eat. Also a small shop where you can buy to bring home even late at night!
(Brief 17) |
|
Clown Bar
114 r Amelot 75011 Paris, 01 43 55 87 35, métro Filles de
Calvaire |
|
 Just next to
the Cirque d’Hiver this café looks just like any other. Clown was founded in
1902 as a wine trading company and became a café in 1907… Inside it is
decorated with a circus theme. Food is very well made and quite traditional
French. A lunch menu for 13.50€. Starters: oeuf en meurette,
salade de gesiers, caviar d’aubergines,…; main courses: calamares, onglet,
tartare de bœuf, poelée de foie de canard, brandade de mourue, parmentier,
manchons de canard… From the wine list: Vouvray Champalou Cuvée les
Foudreaux 2000 (15€ for 50cl), Madiran Ducourneau 1998 (15€ for 50cl), VdP
du Principauté d’Orange 2001 from Corinne Couturier (13.50€ for 50cl).
A domination of Rhone wines on the list.
(Brief nr4) |
|
 L’Ecluse Bastille
13, rue de la Roquette
See comments at L'Ecluse in Paris 1er above. |
|
Le Vin de Zinc
25, rue Oberkampf, Paris 11e, 01 48 06 28 23,
métro Filles de Calvaire, closed Sun and Mon |
|
More a
restaurant than a wine bar but with a very good wine list with quite a few
wines by the glass. |
|
Paris 12e |
|
Le Baron Rouge
1 rue Théophile-Roussel, 75012 Paris, métro Ledru-Rollin or
Gare de Lyon, Tue-Sat 9.30-14.30 and 16.30-20.30, Sun 9.30-14.30 |
|
Very rustic
wine bar. Atmosphere as you will find nowhere else in Paris. Close to one of
Paris' largest market squares. Also a small shop with both some food and
wine (even in your own bottle if you wish). Fabulously cheap oysters in
season, if you feel the need for that. |
|
Nicolas – Bar à Vins, Bercy Village
Chai no 24,
Cour Saint-Emilion, 75012 Paris, ph 01 43 40 12 11, every day 12.00-22.30 |
|
 Nicolas is fundamentally a nationwide chain of wine
shops. Here they have also a restaurant with simple food. Drink what you
want from the shop without corkage. Some wines also by the glass. Examples:
Moussaka 9€, Syrah Bonassin, Marocco, 1.60 €/gl, La Chapelle de Romanin (AOC
Les Baux de Provence) 3.30 €/gl, Champagne Nicolas 5.15 €/gl.
|
|
Bernard Péret
6, rue Daguerre, ph 43 22 57 05; Métro: Denfert-Rochereau;
09.30 - 20.00, closed Mon. |
|
Looks like a "plain" café. Also has an adjoining wine
shop. |
L’Auberge Etchegorry, Paris 13
41, rue Croulebarbe, 75013 Paris, tel 01 44 08 83 51,
www.etchegorry.com
 The
name is genuinely Basque (a region that covers bits of south-western France as
well as northern Spain) but the restaurant proposes gastronomic specialities
from all of the French Sud-Ouest (south west). Let yourself be tempted by a
traditional (and delicious) confit de canard – a succulent duck’s leg cooked
very tender, or a paella or a piperade, which is a juicy tomato-based dish from
the Basque countries. And much, much more. Friendly and attentive service and
very French atmosphere makes for an enjoyable evening. (Brief 65, Dec-08)
|
Paris 14e |
La Régalade, 49
avenue Jean Moulin, 75014 Paris, 01 45 45 68 58 |
 La Regalade is one of the hidden classics. It
is located rather off from everything else, but not very far from Alésia.
From the outside you would hardly notice it. But get inside and the food is
outstanding. Even if it is a bit hidden it has certainly already made its
reputation so it is absolutely essential to book in advance. The food is
very good with a level of ambition that you wouldn’t guess from the
interior. Nothing wrong with the ‘cadre’ though – it is a very classic Paris
‘resto’ that you might find in any part of the city exept where the tourists
go. But the level of cooking is a bit better than average here and the
service is good and friendly. Try the set lunch menu with plenty of choices
for 30 euro. The cooking is a bit ‘Basque’ since the chef is from the
Pyrenees. The wine list is just as impressive. An extensive selection f
interesting wines by the glass for aperitif and a good selection of bottles.
(Brief 7) |
Le Severo
8, rue des Plantes, Paris 14, 01 45 40 40 91. Every day except Sat evening
and Sun. |
 A ’vrai trouvaille’ of a wine bar and café in a part of Paris that tourists
would not normally visit, but one with a genuine Paris-feel – on a small
back street near Denfert-Rocherau and Alésia. Not more than some 30 seats
decorated in a classic café style with just a touch of chic. Come early, or
even better, call and reserve a table. Food is excellent but simple: grilled
meat (e.g. pave 14€) with big and crunchy French fries, some other
traditional and simple dishes and salads – all of it well prepared. Plus
cheese of course (fermier!). Very interesting wine list on a huge black
board covering one of the walls (e.g. Ch des Tours Côtes du Rhône 22€ - the
same wine maker as Ch Rayas).
(Brief nr 11) |
|
|
| |
| |
Paris 15e
Marie Edith, Paris 15
34, rue du Laos, 75015 Paris, ph 01 45 66 44 60
Not far from métro Cambronne in the 15th in Paris you find this popular
Parisian restaurant on a side street. They have a very affordable 29 euro
menu (three courses, or two for 26€) that will give you a very traditional
French meal. If you have that kind of preferences you can get andouillette
(grilled sausage from intestines), rognons de veau (veal kidney), or veal
liver. they also serve various grilled fish (e.g. a delicious filet de bar
grillé) and meat (e.g. an excellent and juicy grilled bavette). To start
with you can try the terrines, or the original ravioles de Royan (quite
different from Italian ravioli) in a cream and garlic sauce, or a salad with
crayfish (with a small supplement, as several other dishes have too). To
finish you can have my favourite, oeuf à la neige façon Marie Edith, poached
whipped egg-white in vanilla and caramel sauce, divine. The wine list is
short and traditional. A modestly priced wine is e.g. JL Colombo’s Côtes du
Rhône (red or white – 26€). All is very old-fashioned French, almost as if
you were in the country side. It is often fully-booked, so call ahead. (Brief 80,
March-10)
Le Bon Bec, Wine Restaurant Bistro
235 bis, rue Saint Charles, 75015 Paris, tel 01 45 54 05 31
www.lebonbecparis.fr
 A
wine restaurant/bistro that offers a wide selection of wines by the glass
(indeed rare in Paris), sometimes even some very exclusive wines. The couple
who runs the restaurant happens to be great wine lovers and has invested in
one of the big (and expensive) “wine organs” that allows you to keep opened
wines under neutral gas so that they keep well even if not finished in a
day. The food is very good in a classic French bistro style. Expect 30-40
euro for a meal. Well worth venturing to this far corner of Paris 15, if,
for example, you happen to be at the big exhibition area near Porte de
Versailles, to discover this small neighbourhood restaurant (‘resto du
quartier’) with wine ambitions (she who is in charge of the wines happens to
also be a Korean wine writer). (Brief 68, March 09)
Restaurant Afaria, Paris 15
15, rue Desnouettes, 75015 Paris, Ph 01 48 56 15 36
Closed Sun and Mon lunch, recommended to book in advance
Between Porte de Versailles and Convention this Basque
restaurant is hidden. A bright, welcoming restaurant with big windows to the
street. The menu is a mix of Spanish and French south-west with some unusual
twists. Very elegantly presented and innovative, and above all very, very
delicious. The pumpkin soup with small morsels of artichoke and scallops was
a dream. And the small ‘filet de rougets’ (red mullet) on ‘couscous au
citronelle’ was excellent. We did not try the deserts (but we saw them!) and
will be back to try the full menu. The owner and chef, Julien Duboué has
previously worked in famous places such as Carré des Feuillants and Drouant
and that certainly shows. Truth to be told it is not often you are so
impressed by a restaurant. And one where the bill adds up to something
very reasonable. A two course lunch for 22 euro, three courses in the
evening for 30-40 euro. They also have a small bar and a big ‘table d'hôte’
(‘communal’ table) where you can have just a glass of wine and some tapas
(Spanish roots ‘oblige’). The wine list has a good selection of wines
primarily from the Languedoc and the South-West. (Brief 55)
Le Troquet
21, rue François Bonvin, 75015 Paris, 01 45 66 89 00, closed
Sun and Mon
 Hidden behind
the Unesco annex you find this restaurant with a slightly Basque nuance.
They have an excellent lunch menu with traditional dishes for 23€ (three
corses). Well made and good value. You can get, for example: asperges au
vinaigrette et magret de canard fume to start with and then for main course
paleron de boeuf vinaigrette avec pois et pommes nouvelles, to finish with a
tarte normande. A limited but interesting wine list, from the South West,
for example: Madiran Domaine de Grabiou 1996 (100% Tannat) from René Dessaus
(23€), or an Iroleguy (23€)
(Brief nr 7)
Paris 16e
Le Brandevin
29, rue du Docteur Blanche, 75016 Paris, tel 01 42 24 19 33,
www.lebrandevin.com
A classic Parisian bistro/neighbourhood restaurant – crowded
and with a great and friendly atmosphere and good service. The emphasis is
on classic French cuisine – main courses are mostly meat, for example côte
de Boeuf (T-bone steak style), entrecôte, escalope de veau (veal with morel
sauce), steak tartare, filet de boeuf. Prices for a main course vary between
18 and 22 euro, starters around 7 euro. (Brief 48)
Cristal Room Baccarat
11, place des Etats-Unis, 75116 Paris, tel 01 40 22 11 10. Book a table well
in advance.
Do you need a
very special environment for a special dinner? Try the “Cristal Room” at
Baccarat’s new museum in the 16th. It is in a sumptuous ‘hotel particulier’
and includes a restaurant, a museum and a shop. Philippe Starck, on of
France’s top designers, has created a place to fit Baccarat’s slogan “La
beauté n’est pas raisonable” (~ beauty is not reasonable). Very interesting
to visit and you don’t have to eat if you don’t want to (or if you can’t get
a table). (Brief 12)
    
Paris 17e
L’Ecluse Carnot
1, rue d’Armaillé, 17e
See comments at L'Ecluse in Paris 1er above.
Paris 18e
Cave des Abbesses
43, rue des Abbesses, ph 42.52.81.54, open Tue-Sat
9.00-20.00.
A wine shop and
wine bar. Some 15 wines served by the glass.
Paris: Issy-les-Moulineaux (92)
Les Colonnes
65, rue du General Leclerc, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux (facing the exit from
the métro Mairie d’Issy), ph 01 46 42 25 33, café open all day, open for lunch,
closed for dinner. Closed on Sun.
 For
the first time ever the Lillet-Lebey guide has selected a bistro outside the
peripherique, so outside the strict Paris limits, to “best bistro in Paris”.
Traditional home cooking (madame does much of the cooking herself) but sometimes
with an elegant touch. Try the splendid cote-de-boeuf for two and have it cut up
at the table by the waiter. A good selection of wines, many by the glass (Pierre
Frick Alsace, Clos Tue-Boeuf from Touraine, Charles Hours Jurançon…). Friendly
but not very elegant service. (Brief nr 6)
A Table
43 rue Baudin, 92300 Levallois-Perret, tel 01 47 57 23 00,
www.restaurantatable.fr
You find “A Table” in one of the “proche-banlieus”
(near-suburbs) in Paris, Levallois-Perret, just north-west of the centre. In an
area dominated by modern office buildings they offer an ambitious cuisine but in
a relaxed, modern bistro type atmosphere. For example very good oysters and an
excellent seafood risotto. Three course menu for 34.50 euro. Open every day,
including free WiFi access! (Brief 43)
- - Bordeaux - -
Chai Pascal, Bar à Vins, Saint Emilion
37 rue Guadet, 33330 SAINT EMILION, Tel 05.57.245.245
This charming wine bar opened in the old town of St Emilion a
year ago by Pascal Fauvel, who runs the place, and Catherine Papon-Nouvel, the
owner of three St Emilion chateaux: Château Gaillard, Château Petit Gravet Ainé
and Clos Saint Julien (see
our video with Catherine here). Catherine’s wines are of course on offer but
also many of her colleagues’ wines, both in St Emilion and from other districts.
It’s a very relaxed place and if you want something to eat with your wine they
offer platters with Basque charcuteries, cheese and smoked salmon. Open every
day 11AM to 11PM in season, closed on Sundays the rest of the year. (Brief 71,
June-09)
Restaurant L’Olivier du Clavel, Bordeaux
44, rue Charles Domercq, 33800 Bordeaux, ph 05 57 95 09 50, open Mon-Sat,
www.olivierduclavel.fr
 It’s
just in front of the St Jean railway station in Bordeaux so it’s not exactly a
charming area, but there are many other good reasons to go to L’Olivier du
Clavel and not only when your catching a train. The cuisine is excellent and
prices are very reasonable. You can have a two course lunch for 16 euro (or
three for 19 euro), including a glass of wine (!), and in the evening they have
a 29 euro three course menu. We recently had a fabulous risotto with pesto and
grilled shrimps, a brochette with scallops, parmesan and green asparagus, and a
duck’s breast with mango and polenta. Everything very well prepared and
delicious. They also have a reasonable (not large but well chosen) selection of
wines you can order by the glass. (Brief 70, May 09)
 Brasserie
l’Orléans
On the edge of the big (enormous) square Esplanade des Quinconces
in central Bordeaux you find this traditional brasserie. It is not a place
where most tourists go (looks rather old fashioned from the outside) but you
find plenty of locals. Very efficient service, traditional brasserie food
(grilled meats, ile flottante etc) as well as some good fish (Atlantique
oblige…). A small terrace outside.
(Brief 25) |
|
Le Jardin des Gastronomes
1, place Saint-Pierre, 33000 Bordeaux, ph 05 57 85 90 35
Facing the old church Saint Pierre in the Old Town in Bordeaux you can find
this very good value-for-money restaurant (and many others on the
neighbouring streets). You can e.g. get a very nice foie gras with the 3
course menu for no more than 14 euro.
(Brief 23) |
|
- - Avignon - - |
|
Cave Saint-Marc, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
Place Saint-Pons, 30400 Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
If you want to discover the vineyards of southern Rhône
the small town of Villeneuve-les-Avignon is a good base. It’s almost like a
suburb of Avignon, just across the river, but actually an old town in it’s
own right. When the Pope was residing in Avignon in the 14th century the
cardinals lived in Villeneuve and many of the impressive old buildings date
from that period. A good place to taste the local wines, Tavel, Lirac, Côtes
du Rhône etc, is in the wine bar cum wine shop cum restaurant Cave
Saint-Marc in the centre of the town. It seems to be THE meeting point for
locals. Try for example the delicious ‘petits farcis’, spicy stuffed
vegetables. The cuisine is, as one would expect, decidedly Mediterranean –
aubergines, tomatoes, spices and herbs dominate. (Brief 71,
June-09)
 Numéro
75
75 Guillaume Puy, 84000 Avignon, tel 04 90 27 16 00
This beautiful hôtel particulier has been transformed into a trendy
restaurant without losing its noble character. The walls have been painted
in a warm burgundy red colour which goes very well with the very special
lamps. Exciting food and a good wine list where, of course, the Rhône Valley
is dominant. Set menu from 22 € and main courses from 14 €.
(Brief 26) |
- - Chablis - - |
Le Bistrot des Grands Crus
8-10 rue Jules-Rathier. 89800 Chablis, tel 03 86 42 19 41 |
 A bistro with very well prepared food and an interesting wine list in the
centre of Chablis. It is connected with the Hostellerie des Clos which has
the one-star in the Michelin guide Guide Rouge "Michel Vignaud". Around
20-30 euro for a meal. We tried the veal kidneys (rognons de veau) and a
very tasty fish soup.
(Brief 17) |
- - Epernay - - |
|
Table Kobus
3, r Dr Rousseau, Epernay, tel 03 26 51 53 53 |
 One of the better restaurants in Epernay. Classic cuisine with a bit of
innovation, but not too much. Menus around 25-37 euro, e.g. a "pear menu"
where everything is with pears: salad with smoked duck breast and pear,
pigeon with pears, pear sabayon...
(Brief 17) |
- - Beaune - -
Restaurant Bissoh, Beaune
1a rue du Faubourg St-Jacques, 21200 Beaune, ph 03 80
24 99 50, closed Tue and Wed,
www.bissoh.com
It is not quite what you expect – that a Japanese restaurant
has what is no doubt one of the best (if not the best) wine list in Beaune. But
so it is. You will find virtually all of the top Burgundy producers but also
other districts are well represented. When we were last there, on the table next
to us a young winemaking couple was tasting one of their (illustrious)
neighbours’ wines. If you like saké they also have many of the top producers.
Food, having trawled through the extensive wine list, is excellent. Both the
sushi and the meat, traditionally prepared on the cooking table in the middle of
the restaurant. A dinner will add up to 35-50 euro (or more, of course,
depending of your choice from the wine list…). (Brief 66, Jan-09)
|
Le Gourmandin, Beaune, Bourgogne
8, place Carnot, Beaune, Tel: 03 80 24 07 88
Just a stone’s throw from Beaune’s biggest tourist
site, the magnificent Hotel Dieu, you find Le Gourmandin on the main square,
Place Carnot. Classic French food with regional specialities. Quite elegant
and ambitious, without being expensive.
(Brief 24) |
Ma Cuisine, Beaune, Bourgogne
Passage Sainte-Hélène, Beaune, Tel: 03 80 22 30 22
Just off Place Carnot this
small restaurant hides in a passage way. Very cosy and unpretentious, the
food is not complicated but very well done (and easy on your budget). It is
quite popular so come early or book a table. They also have a wine shop.
(Brief 24) |
Le Bistro Bourguignon
8, rue Monge , ph 03 80 22 23 24
Nice wine bar and restaurant in the main town in Burgundy with a very
ambitious chef (even sometimes a bit over ambitious…). On Saturdays they
sometimes have jazz concerts.
-> Discover more exciting restaurants in Beaune on our Wine Tour to Beaune
in September. Send me an email if you are interested.
(Brief 23) |
Le Bistro d’Emile
3, avenue de la République, Beaune |
 A "budget level" restaurant in central Beaune. Decent wine list with good
prices. The place to go to when you have touring vineyards all day and are
too tired to appreciate some of the sophistications in posher restaurants
but still want something well prepared.
(Brief 17) |
Le 26, Narbonne
8 Bd Docteur Lacroix, 11000 Narbonne,
www.restaurantle26.fr
 This
is one of our favourite restaurants in Narbonne, not that choice is lacking. In
the miniscule space (30 m2 plus terrasse) le chef Frédéric Nalais serves
delicious and well made food. Try the croustillan de noix de saint jacques en
feuille de brick (scallops in crispy spring roll dough), ravioli with basilica
or a grilled dorade (sea bream) with coriander and cream of fennel. Excellent
goat cheese from the Cévennes mountains. At lunch time you can get la formule
expresse for the steal of 14.50 € and in the evening you can try the menu
terroir for 24.50€ or, more ambitious, le menu des gourmets at 37€. A good wine
list with an emphasis on local wines: Corbières, Minervois…
(Brief 78, Jan-10)
Les Vignes de Bacchus, Trèbes
Port de Plaisance-9 Avenue Pierre Curie, 11800 Trèbes,
www.lesvignesdebacchus.com
If you happen to be boating in a barge along the Canal du Midi
we recommend a pit stop at the wine bar / wine shop les Vignes de Bacchus in
Trèbes, just east of Carcassonne. They have a good selection of producers,
focused on the nearby appellations of Minervois and Corbières. The owner of the
shop/bar is also a winemaker and makes, for example, a very decent Tempranillo
(3.50 euro), an unusual grape in France! From April 1 to October 30 they are
open every day from 9 in the morning to 2 at night (well, as long as there is
someone still there…). (Brief 72, July 09)
Divine & Sens, Montpellier
2 impasse Périer, 34000 Montpellier, tel 04 67 54 12 30, Restaurant – Bar à
Vin – Shop
Divine
& Sense opened in October 2008. It’s well place in central Montpellier with a
design that seems to be inspired by Philippe Starck with the contrast between
old and new and unexpected details – a chandelier where you don’t expect it,
chic furniture… Food, to come to the essential, is ambitious and more
traditional than what one expects. Nice wine list with a focus, appropriately,
on some excellent Languedoc producers. (Brief 65, Dec-08)
Bistro Alex, Vinipolis,
5 avenue de Vendange, Florensac, Florensac
 Wine
tourism is en vogue and the wine co-operative in Florensac in the Languedoc has
made some big investments to become more welcoming to passing tourists. It is
located near the motorway between Montpellier and Perpignan so it is easy to
reach. They have opened a big and modern wine shop where the floor is made of
glass to give you a view of the wine cellar and oak barrels below. They have
also opened an excellent restaurant called Bistro Alex. The chef behind the
cooking is Jean-Claude Fabre who previously was in charge of the Chez Léonce
Michelin starred restaurant. One of his specialities is fish and seafood and
nearby is the Bassin de Thau which is one of France’s biggest sources of fresh
oysters. The cuisine is innovative and very good. To accompany the food there
are plenty of wines from the co-operative. Try for instance the delicious
viognier. (Brief 64, Nov-08)
Auberge La Rose Blanche, Lou Caléou, Boisseron
51, rue Maurice Chauvet, 34160 Boisseron (between
Montpellier and Nîmes) ph 04 67 86 60 76, open Tue-Sun.
 Located
between Montpellier and Nimes , its an old basement – « cave » perhaps –
transformed into a modern restaurant. Wonderful contrasts and trendy details.
Very good food and a good selection of local wines.
(Brief 40)
Nice
 Vin sur Vin
18 bis rue Biscarra, Nice, ph 04
93 92 93 20
See this name under "Wine shops".
Restaurant La Forge, Antibes
10, rue Aubernon, 06600 Antibes, tel 04 93 67 17 16
In the old city in Antibes you find this newly opened
restaurant. It is small, nicely and traditionally decorated and the welcome
is warm. It is mainly the Mediterranean kitchen that is on the menu of
course (mussels, fish, vegetables…) and the kitchen’s ambition seems to be
to be well ahead of the average local restaurant. Price levels are moderate
and the overall impression is very good. Expect 30-35 euro for a dinner. The
wine list is not exceptional but has a few interesting items, reasonably
priced. (Brief 68, March 09)
Bistro de Serine, Bar à Vin – Caviste – Restaurant
16, boulevard des Allées, 69420 Ampuis,
www.bistrotdeserine.com, Rhone
 Ampuis,
the ”capital” of the northern Rhône Côte Rôtie district, is not big so you
will not miss Le Bistro de Serine on the main street in the middle of the
town. It is a wine bar and restaurant and they also have a wine shop. The
exclusive focus is of course the wines from northern Rhône, and there are
many of them, not least from some of the top growers, Pierre Gaillard, Yves
Cuilleron, Jean-Michel Gerin and François Villard, who is a well known
northern Rhône “bande de copains” who also happens to own the bistro. Good
food, well prepared, clearly a notch up since the change of ownership some
time ago, a lunch menu for 19 euro. (Brief 72, July 09)
Aux
Plaisirs des Halles, Nimes
4, rue Littré, 3000 Nimes, ph 04 66 36 01 02, closed
Sun and Mon.
 Very
ambitious kitchen, perhaps the best in Nîmes. A small dining room decorated in
quite modern style, avoiding the over-heavy classic French attributes that you
sometimes see, in particular in smaller cities. If you’re lucky you can have a
chat with the chef after dinner.
(Brief 40)
Restaurant Cap Sud, Tours
88, rue Colbert, Tours,
capsudrestaurant.fr
A charming little restaurant in the heart of Tours in the Loire valley, located
between the Cathedral and the Vieux Tours. Open Tuesdays to Saturdays. In short:
very high ambitions and moderate prices! It’s an innovative cuisine, with
inspired presentations of the dishes. The emphasis is on southern French raw
materials and products, lots of shell fish and vegetables. At lunch time you can
get a three course menu for around 15 euro, in the evening they have a “small”
menu (not on Sat) for just under 20€, and one for 38€. The wine list offers a
range of wines from all over France, starting at 20€. They have several
interesting Vouvrays on the list. (Brief 76,
Nov-09)
| |
|
En français
