Last night marked my fourth visit to l’Avant Comptoir in just over a week. This new wine bar is nowhere near my apartment, so why am I returning again and again?

It’s the ham.

To be precise, it’s the deep-fried ham croquettes. Made with jambon Ibaïona d’Eric Ospital, these little nuggets are like eating, as the Frenchman next to me observed, “une caresse.” Priced at only 3 euros for a stack of three, they represent the cheapest love for sale in the French capital.

Those who prefer their ham without breading will be delighted by the legs swinging from the ceiling. The salty jambon Corse mingles with its Basque and Bigorre cousins above a stash of spicy chorizo and Andouille béarnaise. Order up a planche and then help yourself to the freshly baked bread, Bordier butter and cornichons that are lined up on the counter.

Speaking of the counter, I should mention that this place is only a bar with standing room for about 12 people. You’ll start as strangers, but hours of pressing close and tasting one another’s ham will likely turn you into friends. Last night, for example, our countermates invited us to their apartment next door to finish the evening with a 1963 Armagnac. It’s that kind of place.

Beyond the pork (and the duck neck, and the grilled scallop, sigh…) offerings, vegetarians have plenty to love at l’Avant Comptoir. There’s a lovely Breton artichoke served whole for dipping into silky olive oil, and the grilled cèpe (porcini mushroom) is a minor miracle.
Their wine list is short with plenty of inexpensive treats. I like to begin with the bubbly Mauzac Nature and continue on to the Côtes de Gascogne (2 euros a glass!). And I always make my way over to the magnum of Morgon at some point—it’s just perfect with the ham. Adding to the appeal, l’Avant Comptoir is open every day, with service continu and a takeout window selling sandwiches, waffles and crêpes. I may have to relocate to the 6th . . .

To read more about this new crush and the man behind it (Yves Camdeborde), check out these posts from Dorie Greenspan and Serve It Forth.

In a nutshell: Hit l’Avant Comptoir for a snacky apèro, or camp out at the counter and make a night of it (even on Sunday) by sharing rounds of tapas with friends and strangers.

L’Avant Comptoir
9, Carrefour de l’Odéon, in the 6th Arrondissement.
No reservations. Open every day.

If you like the sound of l’Avant Comptoir but want to stay on the right bank:
Le Garde Robe
41, rue l’Arbre Sec, in the 1st, near Métro Louvre-Rivoli.
01 49 26 90 60.

> Reprinted with permission from the Girls’ Guide to Paris

> Read other trusted reviews on L’Avant Comptoir at Paris by Mouth

Opening night at KGB

Have you ever wondered why some restaurant openings are “events” while others are simply overlooked? The recent opening of Ze Kitchen Galerie Bis provides some clues about media coverage and what it takes to draw the hounds.

#1: Give us a name we can play with. No, I don’t mean this restaurant’s full name, which is just a longer version of the unfortunate original (bis means “second” or “again”) – I mean the abbreviated KGB. So much spy-themed headline potential! So much room for clever word play! See also Spring, Cul de Poule, and Mama Shelter.

#2: Give us the backstory. Second (or third) restaurants from known chefs have a built-in backstory. Any review of KGB will include a retelling of the mothership Ze Kitchen Galerie and its captain William Ledeuil. Instant filler, increased word count, easy story.

It's weird! It's new!

#3: Give us something new. The restaurant of my heart is not the restaurant of my pen. I may crave a perfect roast chicken, but really, is there anything new to say? By contrast, the Zors-d’oeuvres at KGB may be kooky and ill-conceived, but their presence on the menu gives me something to write about.

#4: Timing is everything. KGB opened during the rentrée when readers are shaking off the summer slumber and are ready for something new. Writers are back at work and hungry for material, and these “new/best openings of the rentrée” stories are easy to pull off. And finally…

#5: If Frank goes, we all go. Any mention by François Simon, the Figaro critic who always gets there first, ensures that everyone else will follow. Sometimes Le Fooding is first on the scene, but the pack principle remains. Nobody wants their editor to think they’re out of the loop.

For illustration and your reading pleasure, here are the three first weeks of KGB coverage:

• KGB: les premières photos ! François Simon, Simon Says (09/01)
• KGB (Kitchen Galerie Bis) Le Fooding (09/02)
• Kitchen Galerie Bis in the 6th: Two steps forward, one back John Talbott (09/04)
• Back in Ze Kitchen Again Paris Update (09/09)
• KGB (Kitchen Galerie Bis): FBI (fausse bonne idée)? Chrisoscope (09/15)
• Paris 6e: KGB L’Express (09/17)
• KGB : L’adresse de la rentrée L’Express Blog (09/17)
• KBG, a terrific modern bistro on the Left Bank Alex Lobrano (09/20)