Restaurant Roundup
by Julie Baker

The wine bars of Paris tend to be atmospheric, inexpensive and one of the only places in town where complete strangers can start up a friendly conversation, particularly on Beaujolais Nouveau day, which this year falls on November 18. As usual we turned to wine expert Tim Johnston for a professional opinion on the upcoming produce. He confessed to not having yet tasted this year’s vintage but was unperturbed. “You can always find a good bottle if you look hard enough!”

Côté Vignes closed Sun, 16, rue Lauriston 16e, Mº Kleber, tel: 01.45.00.27.45. Just off the Champs-Elysées, this bar boasts simple honest fare at affordable prices, a jovial atmosphere, especially on the evening of Beaujolais Nouveau, and a giant blackboard, with wines and prices chalked up in a flurry of information. Nicotine-colored walls decorated with a multitude of hanging plants suggests a lush world of green vines, although a scythe suspended from the ceiling is a reminder of the fate that awaits you if you over-indulge in the pleasures of the grape! There are a range of planches or board dishes for varying degrees of appetite and an attractive three-course fixed-price menu for 120F which includes aperitif, glass of wine and coffee.

Lutetia closed Sun evenings and Mon, tel: 01.43.54.11.71, 33, quai de Bourbon, 4e, Mº Hôtel de Ville, tel: 01.40.51.80.30. A handy address to have in this part of town, the terrace of this wine bar and bistro is one of the most popular on the island thanks to its views onto the river and the Hôtel de Ville and the bar’s inexpensive and light three-course menu. There is a large, if sometimes pricey, selection of wines, noticeably from the Bordeaux and Loire regions.

Café Rako closed Sun, 34, rue St-Dominique, 7e Mº Invalides, tel: 01.45.50.23.39. This small two-storey bar is where my old alma mater, the La Varenne Cooking School, used to be located before it moved to Burgundy. The decor features red plush carpets, old-style wooden tables and contemporary art. There is wine from all regions but on Beaujolais Nouveau night there will be a special gathering around a pot au feu to keep out the winter chills.

Le Nez Rouge closed Sun, 11, rue Alexandre Cabanel, 15e, Mº Cambronne, tel: 01.47.34.87.40. Thibault Lavergne imports over 300 quality wines from different parts of the world and his wine shop offers a rare opportunity to taste them. During the Rugby World Cup, the store is hosting a special wine fair with promotional prices for selected wines from many of the participating countries. From Italy there is a 1998 Vitiano Falesco-Rosso Umbria, an Australian 1997 Yellow Label Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon and some excellent white Torrontés Domaine de Riojanas, a perfect accompaniment to spicy dishes from Argentina, a steal at 37F.

Café du Passage open daily, 12, rue de Charonne, 11e, Mº Bastille, tel: 01.49.29.97.64. One of the most comfortable, original, and expensive wine bars in Paris, the terrace is usually crowded and the cozy back room empty except during lunch. As well as boasting an impressive collection of wine that can also be bought by the bottle, the bar maintains an interesting calendar of tastings. For those interested in stronger stuff, there’s also a mind-boggling array of whiskeys on offer.

Le Saint Amour open daily, 32, bd Ménilmontant, Mº Père Lachaise, 20e, tel: 01.47.97.20.15.While this wine bar between the Père Lachaise cemetery and the charming but tragically disappearing quartier of Ménilmontant looks like a regular café, it has an interesting selection of wines and a great range of clientele, from African émigrés to paint-splattered artists. Specialties include Pouilly Fumé, Pommard and Montagny Premier Cru. There are also good-value set menus for 75F (not available Saturday nights and Sundays) and 120F.

A La Cloche Des Halles closed Sat afternoons and Sun, 28, rue Coquillière, 1er Mº Châtelet, tel: 01.42.36.93.89. A popular hangout for neighborhood media folk and local eccentrics, this wine bar is named after one of the bells that used to sound the opening and closing of the former Les Halles markets, and is one of the last vestiges of the “stomach of Paris.” It has a family-type atmosphere thanks to the jovial good humour of the hosts, Annie and Serge, who serve a wide range of wine, including a fine St-Joseph, in largish sniffer glasses. Even without the wine, the saucisson would be worth a visit.

Cave La Bourgogne closed Sun and Mon, 144, rue Mouffetard, 5e, Mº Censier Daubenton, tel: 01.43.36.20.53. Set in a tranquil and beautiful square at the foot of the bustling markets of the rue Mouffetard, this warm and inviting establishment boasts an old zinc bar, mosaic floor and a terrace complete with gas heaters to take the nip out of the air. As the name suggests, it specializes in wines from the Burgundy region and also offers a hearty selection of food, including cheese and cold-cut platters and a selection of well-priced menus.

Le Sancerre closed Sun, 22, av Rapp, 7e, Mº Alma Marceau, tel: 01.45.51.75.91. With its large mural of the village of Sancerre and regulars perched at the bar, this pleasant wine bar has been a neighborhood favorite for years. As the name suggests, the star of the show is wine from the famous village. The oyster bar offers a nice opportunity for the white Sancerre to shine, but pride of place goes to the excellent andouillette and their superb cèpes omelette.

Bistro des Augustins open daily, noon to midnight, 39, quai des Grands Augustins, 6e, Mº St-Michel, tel: 01.43.54.41.65. The premises of this little wine bar date back to the turn of the century — and look like it — with an appealing, retro mustiness, marble-topped bar, and menu specials chalked up on the board. It attracts a young branché crowd of students, media people and artsy tourists. The selection of wines is small but well-chosen, coming mainly from small producers from all over France. Prices are as low as the lighting.

L’Ecluse open daily, noon to midnight, 15, quai des Grands Augustins, 6e, Mº St-Michel, tel: 01.46.33.58.74. Just off the place St-Michel is this charming and comfortable wine bar, built on the site of a well-known, tiny cabaret of the ’50s and ’60s where Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens used to perform. The chocolate and burgundy-colored interior and attractive furnishings feel particularly welcoming in the cold weather. The selection of wines is centered exclusively around the Bordeaux region. This bar gave birth to several other establishments of the same name, including a Madeleine branch and another near the Champs-Elysées.

Le Rubis closed Sat evenings and Sun, noon to 10:30pm, 10, rue du Marché St-Honoré, 1er, Mº Tuileries, tel: 01.42.61.03.34. This pocket-sized corner wine bar just off the Tuileries is one of the best-known and best loved in Paris. normally crowded with business people at lunch time and early evenings, and is best enjoyed late in the afternoon or just before closing, when one can relax over a bottle of Cheverny and order some of the homemade rillettes or the plat du jour. The wine list is mainly centered around the Beaujolais and Loire regions.

Taverne Henri IV closed Sat evenings and Sun, noon to 10pm, 13, pl du Pont Neuf, 1er, Mº Pont Neuf, tel: 01.43.54.27.90.
Another celebrated and beloved establishment, the bar is named after the statue that faces it opposite the Pont Neuf. Nestled against the lovely place Dauphine, the interior is dominated by diplomas that proudly hang above the bar, creating a clubby satisfied feel. It offers a selection of wines from the Beaujolais and Loire that are bottled by the owners themselves.

Aux Bons Crus, noon to 11pm, closed Sat nights and Sun, 7, rue des Petits Champs, 1er, Mº Bourse, tel: 01.42.60.06.45. This popular wine bar dates back to the turn of the century and has retained much of its old-world feel complete with ancient dumb-waiter, wine kegs and old oak bar which makes up for a somewhat limited wine list. The back room, with its low ceiling and large window overlooking the back of the Palais Royal, has a pleasing ambiance, particularly on a grey winter’s day and is perfect for that secret rendez-vous.

Juveniles closed Sun, 47, rue de Richelieu, 1er, Mº Pyramides, tel: 01.42.97.46.49. Opened in 1985 by the Johnston-Williamson team (who also run the famous Willi’s Wine Bar just around the corner), Juveniles is a friendly place with an elegant, warm decor, a surprising kitchen and one of the best Beaujolais Nouveau parties in town. It’s also an excellent place to go if you want to try some superb wines from Australia, Spain and South America. Recent fabulous vintages include a 1999 Syrah from the Rhone Valley called Purple Rain as well as an Australian one from a small vineyard in the Barossa which has proudly adopted the name Cuvée Juveniles.

Au Sauvignon closed Sun, 80, rue des Saints-Pères, 7e, Mº Sèvres-Babylone, tel: 01.45.48.49.02. A small but welcoming wine bar which is also one of the busiest in Paris, thanks to its location in the heart of the Left Bank, just a stone’s throw away from Au Bon Marché department store. Manned by friendly staff who never seem to be ruffled by the often-frantic conditions, it is best visited in the mid-afternoon or towards closing time if you want to avoid the shoppers.

La Tartine closed Tue, 9am to 10:30pm, 24, rue de Rivoli, 4e, Mº St-Paul, tel: 01.42.72.76.85. Located in the heart of the Marais, La Tartine is named after its very reasonably priced open-faced sandwiches. The battered, nicotine-colored interior, large mirrors, old fixtures and molded ceilings attract a pleasing mix of elderly regulars, battered bohos, young students and gays. The emphasis is on wines from the Beaujolais and Bordeaux regions.

Le Baron Rouge closed Sun afternoons and Mon, 1, rue Théophile-Roussel, 12e, Mº Ledru-Rollin, tel: 01.43.43.14.32. Treat yourself to the winter pleasure of half a dozen freshly-opened oysters eaten standing up outside on one of the upturned wine barrels; just the thing to fortify you for the bustle of the nearby place d’Aligre markets. The interior is all wood and windows, with regulars lingering at the zinc bar for a quick glass before filling their empty bottles from one of the large wine barrels that guard the entrance.

Willi’s Wine Bar closed Sun, 13, rue des Petits Champs, 1er, Mº Bourse, tel: 01.42.61.05.09. Willi’s is one of the most popular wine bars in Paris and a great place to try difficult-to-find regional wines, such as the excellent Collioure red or a Jurançon moelleux. The attractive dining room with beams offers fare such as farm-raised guinea fowl with olives and sage or a wonderful plate of Stilton, Wigmore and Caerphilly cheeses. There’s also a rich choice of sherries and digestifs to start and end the meal with.

Les Vins des Rues, Chez Chanrion closed Sun and Mon, 21, rue Boulard, 14e, Mº Denfert Rochereau, tel: 01.43.22.19.78. A neighborhood wine bar par excellence, just off the animated rue Daguerre street market near Denfert Rochereau. Winner of the “Coupe du Meilleur Pot” in 1989, the decor is more like some little place in the country then in Paris, hovering comfortably between old-world atmosphere and neglect. The kitchen delivers simple, hearty fare and very reasonable prices, attracting a mainly young crowd.

Caves St Vincent closed Sun afternoons and Mon, 35, rue Daguerre, 14e, Mº Denfert Rochereau, tel: 01.43.20.05.74. Just one block away from Chez Chanrion is one of my favorite wines shops in Paris, the Caves St Vincent, a long-established store with an extraordinary range of wines at all prices. Apart from a strong selection of Burgundies and Champagne, it’s an ideal place to pick up that obscure bottle from an unfamiliar region.

Le Moulin à Vins closed Sun & Mon, 6, rue Burq, 18e, Mº Abbesses, tel: 01.42.52.81.27. A truly charming establishment in the heart of Montmartre is loaded with bottles and atmosphere and its dining room with its lacy curtains, old-style furnishings and fittings recalls the Paris of the 1930s we all dream of. The wine selection is mainly from the Southwest, Loire and Sancerrois. Le Moulin à Vins has also built up a reputation for its Thanksgiving dinners.

Lire Entre Les Vignes closed weekends, 38, rue Sedaine, 11e, Mº Voltaire, tel: 01.43.55.69.49. With its high ceilings and wooden floor this cozy space feels morelike a 1930s village restaurant then a wine bar just a few minutes from the Bastille. The rustic element is reflected in the generous portions and very good prices of its food, which attracts local artists.

Le Relais Chablisien closed Sat and Sun, 4, rue Bertin Poirée, 1er, Mº Pont-Neuf, tel: 01.45.08.53.73. Although the red-tiled downstairs bar is distinctly at odds with the old timber and stone walls, the upstairs dining area fits nicely into the old world ambiance, with a beautiful beamed roof so low it is literally impossible to stand upright; perhaps a problem if you’ve had a glass too many. The bar has a good range of well-priced wines including Gigondas, Saint-Amour or the Irancy, a delicate pinot noir from Burgundy and the veal kidneys here are superb.