tag: wine bar

On a night so cold that my glasses immediately fogged up upon entering the building, I met up with T for drinks and snacks at Septime’s new offshoot bottle shop / wine bar.

Let’s get our expectations straightened out: Septime La Cave is not the kind of wine bar to which one goes for dinner. One goes for some nice little nibbles and a glass or two of beautiful wine.

There are bottles, which can be had for a €7 corkage fee, lining the walls. No tables to speak of, but a bit of counter space to work with.

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Posted in: dining out, paris, Uncategorized | Tags: 75011, bar, charcuterie, food, paris, paris wine bar, septime, septime cave, septime la cave, snacks, travel, wine, wine bar | 6 COMMENTS

I met up with awesome Jackie at Le 6 Paul Bert on a freezing evening during a week when I felt like I was dining out every night. It might have been because I’ve been at restaurants so much lately, but this place didn’t really wow me. Don’t get me wrong — everything was fresh and well-made and beautifully plated, but nothing made me want to get out of my seat and applaud. Still, Le 6 Paul Bert is a solid adresse and I wouldn’t hesitate to go there again, and at €38 for three dishes and a dessert, it’s not too hard on the credit card either.

Tartare de bar, mayonnaise d’huitres et herbes amères

Coteaux XL juste saisis, eau de laitue de mer, daikon

Noix de veau, carottes blanches, persil et moelle

Longe de cochon, endive rôtie et poire

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Posted in: dining out, paris, Uncategorized | Tags: 6 paul bert, 75011, bistro, food, le 6 paul bert, paris, paris restaurant, paris wine bar, restaurant, travel, wine bar | 2 COMMENTS

James Henry, previously of Au Passage, has opened a new testosterone-and-punk-rock-fueled restaurant and bar in that corner of the 11th that’s been seeing a lot of action lately.

Prosecco sur Lie Casa Coste Piane, tartare de veau, good books

Get your hipster boners ready, friends. Unsulfured, natural wines. Homemade bread. House-churned butter. Homemade charcuterie. Mozzarella minute. Offal and raw stuff all over the place.

Homemade bread and butter

This was M’s favorite. He had opinions.

Four amuse-bouche

Clockwise from top left: coeur de canard; grilled octopus; cochon de lait broth with roast sea urchin, foie gras, and cabbage; charcuterie maison

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Posted in: dining out, paris, Uncategorized | Tags: bar, bones, bones paris, bones paris restaurant, james henry, natural wine, paris, paris bar, paris restaurant, paris wine bar, restaurant, rockstar chef, unsulfured wine, wine bar | 4 COMMENTS

Kotteri Ramen Naritake
31 rue des Petits-Champs, 75001 (Pyramides)

“And I have already spent too much time
Doing things I didn’t want to
So if I wanna sit here and write and drink wine
You can bet your black ass that I’m going to

Yes I come here often
Sure I’ll have another one
Yes I come here often
Sure I’ll have another one
But I don’t have to talk to you”
- Amanda Palmer, “Do You Swear To Tell The Truth The Whole
Truth and Nothing But The Truth So Help Your Black Ass”

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Posted in: dining out, life, paris | Tags: amanda fucking palmer, amanda palmer, amanda palmer paris, cafe verlet, food, kotteri ramen naritake, music, paris, paris bar, paris restaurant, ramen, rock, travel, verjus, verjus bar a vins, wine bar | 4 COMMENTS

Le Siffleur de Ballons
34 Rue de Citeaux, 75012 (Faifherbe-Chaligny or Reuilly-Diderot)
01 58 51 14 04

If a city has a personality, maybe it also has a soul. Maybe it dreams. That is where I believe we have come. We are in the dreams of the city. That’s why certain places hover on the brink of recognition; why we almost know where we are.
– Sandman #51: “A Tale of Two Cities”

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Posted in: dining out, life, paris, Uncategorized | Tags: beer, beer bar, buskers, Candelaria, cat, champagne, chatelet, duff beer, flower shop, flowers, food, le siffleur de ballons, louvre, mexican food, neil gaiman, neil gaiman quotes, Nuit Blanche, paris, paris at night, paris bars, paris beer bar, paris restaurants, pikachu defibrillator, pont des arts, quai de seine, restaurant, sandman, sandman quotes, seine, street art, travel, verjus, Verjus Bar à Vin, wine, wine bar | 9 COMMENTS

This week I met up with the awesome Caroline of Sweet Caroline in Paris for noshing, gossiping, and discussion of the state of musical theatre in Paris (conclusion: meh).

But before that, I stumbled upon this adorable and eclectic boutique called Les Fleurs just east of the Bastille. I am not exaggerating when I say I wanted to take home everything in this store. Can’t you just imagine waking up to these whimsical paper decorations floating above your bed?

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Posted in: dining out, paris | Tags: bar à vin, boutique, boutique les fleurs, charcuterie, cheese fromage, dried apricots, dry white wine, eclectic boutique, friends, gift shop, hipster, jewelry, le siffleur de ballons, les fleurs, paris, paris restaurant, paris shops, planche mixte, restaurant, wine, wine bar | 5 COMMENTS

I don’t know much about wine. I can tell the difference between a bad wine and a good wine, but I’m not sure I could tell between a good wine and a great wine — or it could be that I have yet to taste a truly great wine. I know that I tend to like aromatic whites like Gewürztraminer and Grüner Veltliner, and I tend to dislike reds with extremely high or low levels of tannins. But if you were to give me a Pinot noir, I wouldn’t be able to tell you whether it was from Bourgogne or the Jura or Alsace.

That’s why I love places like Ô Chateau. It’s a place where the curious can explore and ask questions and taste very good wine from all over France in a comfortable environment with — and this is the best part — educated, eloquent sommeliers to explain the differences and make sure you know what you’re drinking.

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Posted in: dining out, paris | Tags: champagne, cheese, o chateau, paris, paris restaurants, pinot noir, restaurants, wine, wine bar | 2 COMMENTS