Clown Bar
Clown Bar is easily one of my favorite places in Paris and lately has been my first stop for lunch after arriving.
mackerel tempura/piquillos
radicchio/beets/black olive
milk-fed veal tartare/paris mushroom
Chez la Vieille
Another of my absolute favorites. I would be quite happy eating here at least once a week. Always at the bar.
blanquette de veau
herring and potato salad
Buvette
I stopped at Buvette for some vegetables to offset the cheese I was eating for 3 meals per day. They were delicious but the service was truly horrible to the point that I considered leaving before I had even ordered and again after I finished my glass of wine and couldn’t seem to get another.
Le Syndicat
I have had several disappointing experiences at places on the Worlds 50 Best Bars list but had a fantastic experience at Le Syndicat. It looks like an abandoned storefront in a slightly sketchy neighborhood and you could easily walk by it. Very cool menu, great drinks and service. I can’t wait to return.
Biggie Smalls Door
Marc de Bourgogne, Cap Corse Mattei, liqueur de gentiane, et cordial de pamplemousse & d’aneth
Undergroni
Eau de vie de framboise, Cap Corse Mettei, vermouth rouge, et sucette maison au piton
Chez La Vieille
Thank you Daniel Rose for reopening this spot, staffing it with amazing people from Spring, and creating such a fantastic environment. Perhaps the best time I have had at dinner while traveling and if I lived in Paris I would be here once a week. I could easily eat poireaux vinaigrette every day of the week and this version was excellent. But the chicken was quite possibly the best chicken I have had in my life. Yes everything in Paris seems better, and the chickens are different, but I have thought about this so often since.
Poireaux vinaigrette
Poulet fermier et puree de pomme de terre
Comte
Pages
I had an absolutely lovely lunch at Pages. In retrospect I am not sure i would have enjoyed it so much at dinner. It has nothing to do with the restaurant itself, but most people seemed to be out to business lunches and so for me it truly felt like a vacation day. As is too typical I did not take notes but everything was delicious and I always love having a view of the kitchen.
La Bourse et La Vie
It seems that Daniel Rose can do no wrong. As expected truly excellent versions of dishes that I love and could eat meal after meal.
Leeks and hazelnuts
Steak, fries and salad
Clocktower
It has been quite a while since I have dined at Clocktower so I was looking forward to the opportunity for a return visit. My last few times were for drinks only as there is no dining allowed at the bar (which I still do not understand). While the cherry tomato salad was very good, and I can’t believe I am about to complain about a portion size being too large, I was suffering from tomato fatigue by the time I finished. Of course avocado toast is overdone, but its so good when done well and I rarely have the willpower to pass it up on a menu. But in a city awash in much better versions, this one was anemic and overall quite sad. Thank god for the brittle and shortbread that appeared with the check. Two of my favorite sweets of all time.
Heirloom cherry tomato, Brooklyn burrata, sourdough, basil
Avocado on toast, poached eggs
Le Coucou
Le Coucou may very well be my favorite restaurant opening of 2016 thus far. Impeccable but incredibly friendly service. Gorgeous dining room. Properly spaced tables. Energetic yet you are easily able to carry on conversation without yelling or struggling to hear. Perhaps the first NY restaurant in ages that I would take my parents to. And really really great food. In a day of double Stephen Starr an experience worlds away from brunch. The rabbit could easily be for 2 and the proper cheese course impossible to turn down.
Salade de homard, sauce lauris
lobster tail, basil, tomato, sauce lauris
Quenelle de brochet, sauce americaine
pike quenelle, lobster sauce
Tout le lapin
all of the rabbit
Cheese (obviously)
iwillmakeualist 