From your Parisian

Sharing my newest discoveries as I float through the streets of Paris. Restaurants, bars, events, all reviewed for you with love, from your Parisian.


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Paris Cocktail Bars: Sunset

I’ve said it many times, but I’ll say it again: I love my neighborhood! So when I hear about a new restaurant or bar opening nearby I have got to check it out. Sunset opened last November, but it wasn’t until last week that I finally got a chance to visit this trendy cocktail bar with a friend.sunset_paris_foodFrom the outside, the first thing you see is a long and inviting heated terrace. It was a cold night and by the time that we had arrived it was already invaded by trendy looking clients. We went immediately inside, where we were greeted with a smile from a barman standing behind the glowing bar, followed by one of the very pretty waitresses. When we said we wanted to have a drink and eat something,  she escorted us to the back room. While the front area around the bar is lively and modern, the back room has more of a lounge vibe with comfy armchairs, candlelight, a red carpet and walls painted blue with an unusual pattern (that looks like they went crazy with a chisel and gauged out tons of small holes) that contrast with a yellow geometric pattern on the ceiling. A little busy and not really my style but it definitely grabs your attention.sunset_paris_interiorWe started with a cocktail and I naturally tried the “Red Sunset” (8 Euros), which I found to be quite nice but a little too fruity. The waitress was very friendly and when she heard my non-French accent (I can’t seem to lose it…considering a voice coach!), she immediately started speaking to us in English.sunset_Paris_cocktailsunset_paris_menuWe took a glance at the menu and each dish (6-10 Euros) sounded better than the next. We finally chose the following: roasted pumpkin (with smoked ricotta cheese, sunflower seeds and Parmesan shavings…beyond delicious!), hanger steak (cooked in whisky and served with pureed carrots, béarnaise sauce, herring eggs and sautéed potato cubes…divine!), and a spiced chicken burger (kind of a pulled pork-like texture to the chicken, which was combined with homemade guacamole and a mini side salad…pretty tasty!). The photos I took are not the best due to the dim lighting, but I think they’re enough to get you drooling a little, no?sunset_paris_squash and ricottasunset_paris_beefsunset_paris_chicken burgerOverall, we found that the food was amazing and satisfying, even if the plates were a little small. Then again, at these kind of cocktail/tapas bars you don’t expect huge portions. Intrigued by the dessert menu (and still a little hungry), we ordered a dessert: cheesecake with citrus fruits from the Amalfi coast and a side of limoncello and yuzu flavored shaved ice (6 Euros). A light, creamy and tangy treat.sunset_paris_cheesecakeNext time I go I will try to sit in the front of the bar, as it seemed to have more of a fun and relaxed vibe. I have to admit that the back room felt a little stuffy and posh. Or perhaps it was just the crowd that night, which I found to be a little too pretentious and “bobo”. Overall though, Sunset is a classy addition to the neighborhood and a great place to take a date or business client you want to impress. I’ll definitely be back for the food!sunset_paris_exteriorContact Details:
100 rue Ordener
75018, Paris
+33(0)1 71 28 99 33

Rating: 

3.5 red sunsets out of 5

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Paris Wine Bars: Le Chat Ivre

It’s hard to think about France without thinking of wine, so it’s not surprising that there are tons of wine bars (or cave à vins) in the city. One of those wine bars, Le Chat Ivre (which translates as the drunken cat) is located in a quiet street not too far from Place de la Bastille in Paris. When my friend V suggested this place I was like “hell yeah”, as I cannot resist a bar with a funny name! So Friday night I reserved a table for myself and three of my favorite ex-colleagues to meet up for a long overdue get-together.

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The décor is classy but casual, with light wood tables and dangling light fixtures as well as floor to ceiling metal shelves (similar to those you’d see in a large wine cellar) stocked full of various bottles of red and white wines. An inviting bar welcomes you as you enter, with a selection of French cheese and charcuterie strategically displayed at the far end for all to see.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

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With V and C, we sat down at our table and started pouring over the extensive list of wines and tapas. We all ordered a glass of Chardonnay (6 Euros) and immediately decided upon the game plan of selecting two tapas dishes each, which we would all share (…for the most part ;))! I LOVE places that offer little dishes to share, as I always have trouble deciding what to order and want to try everything! R was really late, so we started with some haddock accras (7 Euros) accompanied by sweet and sour dipping sauce, to help us survive until he arrived.

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAFunnily enough, R arrived shortly after the accras, and with all four of us present we were finally ready to order. We chose 8 dishes (which range from 6-12 Euros each) and a bottle of Chardonnay (2013 Domaine Girard Mâcon-Solutré; 27 Euros) and started catching up with everyone’s latest news. FYI, we shared an office together several years ago and I still consider them as my ultimate “dream team” of office mates, based on the amount of laughter we experienced on a daily basis.

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The food arrived all at once, and with each plate, our little table became more and more crowded with colorful dishes! My favorites were the fresh green pea risotto, the arugula and mozzarella ravioli (covered in Parmesan shavings and black pepper), the refreshing Thai beef salad, the juicy honey lemon chicken wings, and a zucchini, radish, spinach leaf and feta salad. Oh, and the deliciously seasoned beef kofta with yogurt dipping sauce…okay …basically everything was pretty enjoyable! I admit that I don’t know much about wine (apart from how to drink it in large quantities) but the Chardonnay was particularly nice, which leads me to believe that it must have passed a careful inspection by a wine connoisseur before appearing on the menu.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

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We chatted for the next 2 hours over the loud hum of happy clients and instrumental background music. The two guys, as well as the waitress who served us, were attentive and very friendly, which made me appreciate this place even more. In the end we paid 30 Euros each, which I found to be very reasonable. With the amount of food we ate, none of us left as drunken cats, but we definitely left very happy.

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Restaurant Details:

22 Rue des Taillandiers, 75011 Paris
+33(0) 1 43 55 77 08

Rating:

4 tipsy felines out of 5!