Years ago, if you wanted to drink interesting wine and nibble some inexpensive food, your options were limited to wine bars serving platters of charcuterie and cheese. A handful of Paris places offered more in the way of padding, but the options were always simple – more hearty than arty.

The opening of L’Avant Comptoir in October 2009 kicked off a wave trickle of wine bars serving truly interesting food. Aux Deux Amis, Spring Buvette (RIP) and Le Dauphin followed within a year, and Frenchie has more recently opened a wine bar across the street. These places have a few things in common: small plates, impeccable ingredients, and small production/natural wines. They’re also refugee establishments, providing shelter for clients who couldn’t score a seat at the restaurant, or for former employees who have jumped the mothership. Aux Deux Amis falls into the latter category, as does my new crush Au Passage.

I knew that Audrey, former front-of-house mistress at Spring, was  somehow involved with this new wine bar in the 11th (she’s the girlfriend of one of the owners), but it was a pleasant surprise to also see James Henry behind the stove. James used to do the cold apps and desserts at Spring, and the evening menu at Au Passage is very much in this wheelhouse. Aside from a couple of fatty comforts (burrata, rillettes), most of the small plates could have easily been starters at Spring – they featured pristine produce (Joël Thiébault and Terroirs d’Avenir) and were bright with both color and acid. Flavor pairings were unexpected and, for the most part, successful. I loved the anchovy bass line in a dish of “courgette, ricotta” and the coriander flower in an escabèche with clams and chinchard (reminiscent of mackerel). I was less convinced by the sprinkling of pomegranate on a plate of “saucisse, carrotte”, but I can forgive the out-of-season and overplayed garnish when the dish was otherwise totally delicious. Desserts followed the same Spring format of crustless cream + fruit/chocolate + crunchy bits, but they make more sense in a laidback wine bar than a Michelin aspiring restaurant. Another nice touch: bread from Thierry Breton (Chez Michel) in the same style as (but better than?) Poujauran.

As for the wine, we tasted three and were enamored with two. The red Sancerre from Pinoz Dauny was a great way to begin, and we were delighted by the Verre de Poêtes recommended by Jean-Charles Buffet. I didn’t love the Boisson Rouge dessert wine, but 2/3 isn’t bad when one is prowling for new and interesting wines. We washed the sugar from our mouths with a smoky white whiskey and still managed to escape for only €40 per person.

In a nutshell: Au Passage is what happens when a business minded wine nuts open a large and relatively inexpensive space and spend their money on ingredients and talent. Prices are low, there enough tables and turnover to make booking a real possibility, and the menu changes every day. All this will probably add up to a habit. The rentrée will bring loving reviews and longer waits for reservations, so go and get it while you can.

Au Passage (closed August 7-22 for summer vacation & renovation)
1 bis passage Saint Sébastien, 75011 Paris
Tel: 01 43 55 07 52
Open Mon-Sat for lunch (1 dish for 9.50€, 2 for 13€, 3 for 16.50€) and dinner (small plates, most around 8€)
Facebook page

Last night, I took a peek at the new wine bar Le Dauphin. It was opening night and cheerfully mobbed, so we didn’t stay to eat. I did, however, snap a few dishes and the tapas list so that I could share what’s on the menu.

This list looks very promising. The cured meats are expected (spanish hams & chorizo, dried duck breast, sausage from the Tarn), but dishes like oeufs brouilles truffe noire (scrambled eggs with black truffle) and tapioca à l’huître, boudin noir (oyster tapioca with blood sausage) are much more elaborate than one usually encounters at a bar. I can’t speak yet to how any of this tastes, but conceptually (petit luxe plates at affordable prices), I’m on board.

As for the wine list, it leans heavily toward the Loire and includes many of the same producers that I’ve enjoyed at Le Chateaubriand next door (and at Le Verre Volé, Le Café de la Nouvelle Marie, Aux Deux Amis, Le Vin au Vert…)

I was happy to see Lassaigne listed among the bubbles next to a Cerdon that is sure to bring a smile to the lips of my Bugey-bred boyfriend. Further down, the list reads like a “Greatest Hits” of the natural wine movement, with selections from Mosse, Villemade, Binner, Puzelat, and Foillard.

What makes me very happy about this list, besides the number of good Loire whites, is the clearly marked and affordable prices. There are three reds and three whites priced under 35€ by the bottle and 5€ by the glass. With the amount of publicity this place will generate and the presumed cost of bringing in all that marble, they could have elected to gouge a little more. The fact that they didn’t is commendable.

And what about the design, this interior by one of the world’s most famous architects? It’s still unfinished, and thus difficult to judge. I can say this: there’s a whole lotta marble. Slabs the size of which would have made Michaelangelo squeal. Marble on the bar, the floor, the wall, and even the ceiling. Mirrors, too, and some stunning wooden stools. The effect is very cold, and I mean that literally. My tongue, if I had placed it on the frozen marble wall, would have stuck.

I’m excited to go back and take a better look when it’s finished, and to begin eating and drinking my way through these lists. Bruno tells me that Le Dauphin will remain in preview mode for at least the next few weeks, but will start turning out more elaborate food when the rest of their furniture arrives. Paris by Mouth will keep tabs on the young whale’s development with practical details and the latest reviews (see the PbM page on Le Dauphin here). And if any of you go, I’m very curious to know what you think!

I recognized Nat(halie) the moment I walked into la Bodeguita, a newish wine bar on the rue Quincampoix. I spent many nights in the palm of her hand back when she worked at Le Garde Robe. “I remember you, too” she said, narrowing her eyes into a French girl’s version of “here comes trouble.”

I always drank too much at Le Garde Robe when Nat was working behind the bar. I’d go in for one drink and she’d pour me something crazy – something natural, unexpected and fun. She asked what I thought, made suggestions based on my response, and allowed me to taste before pouring a glass. Under Nat’s command, I was always ready to conquer the ever-expanding territory of “just one more.”

Her presence at La Bodeguita was only the first of many signs. Also promising: the sight of Edyta, the Ryst-Dupeyron seller who stole my Armagnac virginity, and the wafting smell of room temperature charcuterie (see here for Sébastien Demorand’s dirty thoughts on the matter).

We paired our planche (Spanish hams, French cheese) with chilly white wines because of the heat. We tasted so many different things that Barbra finished the evening wearing flowers in her hair. All were interesting, but I especially loved the opener – a Vain de Rû from Dominique Andiran – and my lullaby glass of Drappier.

The wines themselves are interesting, but it’s the time that Nat spends in describing her finds that will bring me back to La Bodeguita. This sort of friendly welcome is missing in some other wine bars that specialize in vins naturels. The location is central and the interior (like everything else there) is devoid of pretension. I do wish they served a little more food and had a smaller markup on their bottles consumed sur place.

Price: The big platter of charcuterie and cheese runs €20, and most wines by the glass are between €4-6.

Atmosphere: The floors are concrete, the crates are visible and the bartender is dancing with the dog (video here).

Location: 58 rue Quincampoix (near the Centre Pompidou), 75004

My first visit happened four years ago with Phyllis Flick, a longtime Paris resident who I “met” on the eGullet discussion forum. We shared a bottle of Morgon (was it the Foillard?) and some sausage & mash. To my delight, she became a friend. I’ve returned many times since because I like the wine, the friendly dog, the laid-back atmosphere, and the price: €20 for two courses at night. I also love that I can walk in without a reservation.

To be clear: the food is very simple. It’s like eating in the home of a friend who knows how to entertain a crowd. Cheaper ingredients are stretched and adorned and the preparations are simple: sausage & mash, pork belly & mash, etc. & mash. Last week I broke from tradition and sampled their Thai-style steak. I was expecting a train wreck, but this was one of the best Thai dishes I’ve eaten in Paris. It’s true that’s not saying much, but the plate was still a delightful surprise. On that visit, I so enjoyed the glasses of wine that we ordered – a sparkling Vin de Table (Cuvée Jeux de Bulles) from Domaine Mouressipe and a Bourgogne Chitry from Vini Viti Vinci, €4 each – that I took home the bottles.

One nagging downside: I could stand a little more warmth from the team behind L’Autour d’un Verre. The waiter is friendly enough, but I haven’t once managed to squeeze a smile out of Kevin, the American who owns this place with his Finnish wife Mari. The natural wines on offer (including many small production Vins de Table) deserve an ambassador who is willing to explain them.

In sum, L’Autour d’un Verre is a great place to go when you haven’t booked ahead, when you haven’t a lot of money, and when wine and friends are the evening’s main attraction.

L’Autour d’un Verre
21, rue de Trévise (rue Richer)
Tel: 01-48-24-43-74

Colorful tables are crammed into a space that’s likely smaller than your living room. The walls are lined with shelves and shelves of wine. You’ll sit so close to your neighbor (a young sommelier, a local actor, a tango instructor) that conversation will be unavoidable.

There are two kinds of evenings at Le Verre Volé. The first is composed of dinner, wine and intimate conversation. The dishes are selected from a chalkboard menu that changes with the seasons. Using nothing more than a couple of toaster ovens, the “cooks” here turn out starters like brandade de morue (salt cod and potato purée) with purple artichokes, or a salad of ripe heirloom tomatoes from Annie Bertin…

…The second kind of evening chez Stolen Glass ends with chairs on pushed-back tables and some manner of debauchery. I have seen tango dancing at Le Verre Volé. I have seen a visiting American break-dancing on the floor (see photo above). I have stood at the counter, long after the exterior gate has been pulled down, and finished off bottles of Who Can Remember with a Metallica-loving sommelier. This wine bar is a magic spring of random Paris adventure…

> Read the full review at The Girls’ Guide to Paris

> Read other trusted reviews on Le Verre Volé  at Paris by Mouth

I panicked, on a recent winter night, when some friends asked me to organize a dinner. Choosing a restaurant is something that I usually enjoy, but the guests for this particular occasion were a couple of chefs. And not just any chefs, but senior chefs working in three-star restaurants.

My anxiety subsided as soon as I remembered Les Papilles. This homey little spot near the Jardin du Luxembourg is a favorite among food and wine insiders. I think it’s something to do with the simple and honest cooking, the well-priced wine selection and the likability of owner Bertrand Bluy.

Bluy worked for years as a pastry chef (Fauchon, Troisgros) before opening his own place under a refreshingly simple banner: “des beaux produits traités simplement et de bons vins… C’est tout, on n’est pas là pour se prendre la tête!” Bluy’s mission—to serve beautiful products, prepared simply, with good wine and without frills—makes Les Papilles a place that’s enjoyed by both big spenders and budget travelers.

> Continue reading at The Girls’ Guide to Paris

> Read other trusted reviews on Les Papilles at Paris by Mouth

I  love bringing visitors to the Canal St.-Martin. This waterway in the 10th Arrondissement has in recent years become a magnet for hip and artsy Parisians. Good cafés and restaurants have been popping up around the water’s edge, and edgy boutiques for clothing and jewelry can be found not far away. After a morning spent exploring (one that’s usually fueled by pastry from Du Pain et Des Idées), I almost always stop in for lunch at Le Cantine de Quentin. This sweet little place is open only during the day and performs triple duty as a restaurant, cave à vins (wine shop) and épicerie.

The lunch menu is short and sweet, with about six choices for each category of entrée, plat and dessert. I habitually begin with one of their homemade veloutés, whose ingredients change with the seasons. A creamy pumpkin soup topped with grilled chestnuts was just perfect on a recent winter afternoon. Hearty starters like the country terrine and charcuterie plate are more sharable.

>>read the rest of this review at The Girls’ Guide to Paris

As a young person growing up in Kansas, I couldn’t imagine anything more disgusting than a raw oyster. They seemed slimy, stinky and squirmy – why would any sane person want to pop one in their mouth?

I managed to avoid the mollusc until I was 25 years old, when I was confronted by a raw bar at a friend’s wedding. Trying to fit in at this chic affair,  I swallowed my inhibitions and a couple of oysters. To my surprise, I didn’t die. I ate oysters a few more times while living in Boston, but never with much enthusiasm.

That all changed when I moved to France, where fresh oysters during winter are part of the culture. There are more huîtres consumed here than in any other country – around 130,000 per year. The majority are pried from gleaming seafood platters in polished restaurants and brasseries. But my favorite place to eat them is on the hood of a parked car.

> Read the rest of this review at The Girls’ Guide to Paris

> Read other trusted reviews on Le Baron Rouge at Paris by Mouth

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