Pizza Cocktail Adventures: Grazie

Grazie
91 blvd
Beaum
archais
Paris
75003
Tel:
01 42
78 11
96

Arriving on the scene in the shadow of cool-as-heck big sister (Merci concept store) Grazie is already turning heads with distressed industrial chic decor and wagging tongues with superior pizza and cocktail rumours. So, a week after its opening Kim and I were on the stools checking out and chatting with Oscar, the tatooed Italiano behind the bar.

The first thing I noticed was not the pleasant deviation from the common speakeasy/lounge style or the stepped up class for a pizza joint. The first thing I noticed was the smell. Something good was cooking in the large stone pizza oven visible from the open kitchen. I mentioned to Kim that the smell and the style combination reminded me of San Fransisco. I'm not even really sure what I meant by that, but Melanie made the same comment when she arrived so perhaps there is something to it.

Originally just up from Italy to consult on bar set up, Oscar ended up staying to work. The cocktail menu hints at his Italian origins in its offerings (Aperol Spritz), ingredients (Cynar) and cheeky names like 8 1/2 or the Pimm's Italiano. The 24 cocktails range in price from 9 to 15 Euros and comprise a respectable mix of traditional classics, tweaked classics and house creations. Plus, you gotta love a menu with a breakfast cocktail on it (Breakfast Martini.) The bar stock is small but very solid with an extremely impressive choice for a Paris bar (they're working with the nice people over at LMDW Fine Spirits). Gins on offer include Brokers, Plymouth Navy Strength, Gin Mare, No. 3, Monkey 47, Bulldog and Hendrick's.

I'd never tried Monkey 47 in a martini, so I went with that. It was expertly made and the Monkey 47 has a distinct crisp and bitter flavor that I personally found a welcome change of pace for my martini. [Although for those of you who don't drink martinis all the time, I'd recommend something a bit more classic from their choice.]

We had a larger group than usual for a Wed so I got to sample several different drinks. Bloody Mary fans should try the two bloody mary riffs (one including sake and wasabi and the other with Hendricks gin.) Other group favorites included la Vie en Rose, the Mediterranean gin and tonic (with a spray of house-flavoured salt) and the Speakeasy.

As we worked our way through the menu, the bar got progressively more packed. And, this is when Oscar went from from damn good to excellent in my estimation. He didn't let the growing crowds pressure him into time-saving measures of dropping nice touches like using tongs instead of fingers to handle straws. He maintined his cocktail making standards but still knocked out drinks at an acceptable pace. Other little extras that impress are the attention to mixers (Fever tree tonic over Schweppes) and the beautiful bar and glassware.

We would have loved to have scored a table for some pizza tasting, but the place was already booked up for the week. Instead, the friendly staff served us at the bar. And the these pizzas are the perfect accompaniment to the cocktails. When a drinks menu is so tempting, upscale carby goodness is the ideal way to soak up any overindulgence. And these pizzas aren't just belly-fillers - they'll draw as much clientele on their own as the cocktails.

Overall, Grazie is a great deviation from the Paris norms. I think Oscar is injecting some quality novelty into Paris' nicely growing cocktail scene. I already made ressies for pizza and cocktails with the girls there next week to further explore. But, for now, Grazie seems to be more than earning the hype it's generated.

What? you still want more info on this hotspot? Check out Kim's post on I Heart Paris.

Taco Cocktail Adventures: Candelaria

Candelaria

52 rue de Saintonge

75003 Paris

03 42 74 41 28

I like a challenge. I like the satisfaction of a new and unusual discovery. In Paris, the wine is free-flowing and there are more palate pleasing French bistros than I can manage. And, while I'm a serious fan of both, some of my favorite consumables are a bit more elusive here: cocktails and Mexican food.

As if they intuited my unfulfilled cravings, enter duo Carina Soto Velasquez (previously of Experimental Cocktail Club) and Josh Fontaine (previously of Curio Parlor) and their new venture, Candalaria - Paris' first taqeuria/cocktail bar combo! I'd been impatiently waiting for this opening for awhile and just to guild the lily on my first visit, I had the pleasure of sharing the table with some of Paris' finest and funnest of residents and writers, Heather, David, Zeva, Meg, Phyllis, Lisa and Barbra.

We were lucky enough to score the only available table in this authentically bright and buzzing taqueria. The rest of the tiny taco joint was busting with hungry locals lined along the counter and partaking in spicy snacks. The friendly staff manage to maintain their cool through the mayhem to cook and serve a selection of tacos, tostados and Mexican beer. In short: Candelaria is delivering fun, festive and freakin' good food.

After appeasing our appetites, we squeezed through the throngs to the unmarked door at the back: the door of juxtaposition. Here patrons pass from the fast and festive dining area into a nocturnal cocktail hideaway for sophisticated lounge lovers. At first glance of the menu (at 11 to 12 Euros/cocktail), you already know that there is serious cocktail intent behind it with special creations featured from the likes of Toby Cecchini and Joaquin Simo of the NYC's Death & Co.

Being familiar with both Josh and Carina's work behind the bar, I skipped my usual martini to experience something that they hadn't mixed for me previously. Carina graciously indulged us with a requested round of tall and tasty margaritas (even though they are not on the menu or normally available in the taqueria.) My second sampling was La Gueppe Verte (pepper infused tequila, cucumber, coriander, agave, lavender and lime.) I loved it. The balance of the pepper heat and cucumber refreshment was spot on. If it hadn't been so busy, I may have showed less restraint and stayed on to try some of their other ten promising cocktails on offer. But we'd already had a full evening of food, beers and spirits, so I called it a night but was already planning a return for some serious cocktail exploration at the bar.

Josh, Carina and their crew have more than met my challenge of finding super Mexican nosh and superlative cocktails. So, now maybe I'll find some other unusual nibbles to hunt for in Paris. But, in the meantime, I'll definitely be indulging my taco and tipple cravings at Candelaria.

For more pictures and another take on our evening, you can check out Heather Stimmler-Hall's post over at Secrets of Paris.

First Customer Cocktail Adventures: Wildrik

Wildrik
20 rue de Picardie
75003 Paris

I hold more stock in being right than being first. Even so, I was (unintentionally) the very first costumer to hit Minibar, the newly opened venture from Bakhtiar/España duo who both already have several well-known night spots under their belts. I was later joined by Matt, Vio and Alannah.

The (as of yet?) unmarked entrance was easy to miss and the smell of fresh paint still lingered in the air of this industrial chic little space. Shiny silver animal cages serve as tables, artsy metal lamps provide ambient light, and interestingly off beat touches adorn the walls (horns, suit jackets, a framed collage of actual toy cars...) In the small seating area with high ceilings, each wall is painted a different rich color.

The friendly staff informed me that they couldn't do a dry martini because they hadn't yet received their dry vermouth. Minibar offers "classic cocktails" and a selection of house creations. Prices range from 10 to 15 Euros, with 12 Euros the most common. I ran through the fruit, sweet and vodka heavy list and settled on a Black Label Sour (Black Label, egg white, grapefruit juice, Angostura and lime juice.) The drink arrived with a tiny leaf full of piment d'Espelette, the addition of which upped the interest factor for me.

Violaine had the Best Mojito - a bartender's creation that was voted best mojito (by whom I didn't ask). I found it heavy on vanilla and she found it too sweet. Alannah had a Bourbon New Fashioned which masked the bourbon (in this case Jack Daniels) with heavy red fruits. A Tomato Blitz (tequila, cherry tomatoes, passionfruit juice and peppercorns) was the only other option that didn't seem like it would be too sweet, so I gave it a try and found it my preferred drink of the evening.

Basically, this is a menu that will satisfy a certain portion of the drinking public. Pleasing presentation with 'exotic' fruit garnishes and easily quaffable drinks that tend to taste more pretty than high-proof will pull in patrons who like their drink to look nice but not necessarily pack a potent punch. I do like that some of them featured the piment d'Espelette, giving a kick as well as a French touch. I think they could easily drop the prices by a few Euros, considering I can find bars in the same range with a more serious selection of ingredients and more interesting cocktails.

As a side note: while they didn't have any dry vermouth, they did have Dolce & Gabbana Martini Gold. Cointreau may have Dita, but Martini has hottie Monica Bellucci to push the newest addition to their collection, which seems to target a more (wanna be perceived as?) lux market.

And, there definitely seems to be a market. Soon, the comfy cowhide covered stools and love seats spilled over with chatty patrons. Lots of low-riding designer jeans exposed boxer briefs and a tight white tanks hugged well-toned arms. As the crowd grew, so did the noise level. This is a space that amplifies the din, so don't head here for a quiet conversation during the busy hours.

Overall, my initial reaction upon entering was smitten. After settling in, I realized it wasn't really working it on a cocktail level for my personal tastes. But, I think they will garner a loyal crowd of locals looking for this particular brand of nightlife - especially if they drop the prices slightly or institute a happy hour. So, am I right on this one? Hard to say. First impressions can be deceiving.

Wednesday Cocktail Adventure: L'Apparamment Cafe

L’Apparemment Café
18, Rue des Coutures St-Gervais
Paris 75003
Tel: 01 48 87 12 22

On some cocktail adventures, we get bad service. On some, we get bad drinks. On some, we get bad prices. And, on some we get the un-holy trinity of all three at once! Welcome to this week’s Wednesday Cocktail Adventure.

I read online that l’Apparemment was more of a salon with board games, a laid back casual atmosphere, good food and drinks and an interesting mix of clientele. I like the sound of that. I arrived to find Matt and Mel already waiting this bar that feels like a cross between a casual cabin in Backwoods, US with the cheap wooden paneled walls and an exotic Casablanca-type expat bar with its low-hanging ceiling fans and ferny plants.

Matt was already waiting for his previously ordered Side Car (listed on the menu) while Mel and I checked out the drinks on offer. L’apparemment offers 11 house creations and 23 ‘classics’ including Manhattans, Blue Moons and Americanos, using a bit of artistic license for some of the recipes.

Booze selection is bare minimum. Gordon’s is their only gin and the other spirits are limited to 2 or 3 low-end choices. This is clearly not the place to come for top shelf brands. I explained how to make my dry martini and Mel took a cool raoul (tequila, grapefruit juice & almond syrup) And, thus began the wait. For each of our drinks, the server had to come back and ask us to repeat our order two to three times. The place was not crowded and we were sitting just a few feet from the bar where the order was being placed. Promised peanuts never came. This wasn’t just standard Parisian indifferent service. I seriously wondered if the guy was high.

My martini was unenthusiastically shaken without ice and arrived cheekily committing just about every martini sin possible: tasteless gin, too much vermouth, big black plastic straw, large chunk of lemon wedge, tall glass and warm temperature. When Matt’s Side Car finally came (quite some time after he ordered it) it was predominately lemon juice.

I didn’t try Mel or Violaine’s drinks, but there was no cocktail joy on anyone’s part. Matt and I agreed that it was the worst Wednesday experience yet: nothing redeeming on a cocktail level whatsoever. Well, unless…is there a word for self-directed Schadenfreude!? We do sometimes enjoy a bit of twisted glee when we discover the really bad cocktails. We should probably see someone about that!

We couldn’t bear the thought of paying another 9.50 Euros for such sub-sub-par drinks. Sure, we’ve paid more, but never for drinks of such appalling quality. So, since it was St Patty’s, we headed over to the Rush Bar and forwent cocktail trials for some serious St Patrick’s Day celebrating instead.

Wednesday Cocktail Adventure: Andy Wahloo

Andy Wahloo

69, Rue des Gravilliers

75003 Paris
Tel: 01 42 71 20 38

Apparently, I've been remiss in placating the Gods of Successful Terrace Visits. Clearly, I haven't sacrificed the appropriate sacrifices, prayed the appropriate prayers or danced the appropriate Terrace Dances because last Wednesday's bar was the 4th thwarted terrace attempt.The Raphael was closed for a private party, Bateau El Alamein got rained out, the Hotel Particulier isn't open on Wednesdays and the Andy Wahloo was already too crowded to score a table outside by the time we got there. Guess it's a popular after work spot.

The 17h00 to 20h00 happy hour with 5 Euros cocktails may have something to do with this early evening draw. Everyone appeared to be enjoying these nicely priced thirst quenchers on the pleasant backyard terrace - half of which seems to be devoted to the associated next door restaurant and the other half for drinks. I sidled up to the bar and checked out the menu: the typical what-have-yous (caipis, cosmos, moscow mule, etc) as well as tapas. Not seeing it on the menu, I asked the nice man working there if he could make a martini.

He paused and looked into the distance for a moment, quietly thinking, silently questioning as if deciding on something terribly important. Then, he turned to a dark soft cloth bag on the counter behind him, slid his hand inside and rummaged around before declaring "Yes! Yes, I can make you a martini." He then removed a small silver cylindrical gadget from the pouch, which turned out to be a vermouth atomizer. Turns out Lionel brings his own collection of accouterments to work with him to make sure he's got what it takes to please his customers. (I should have asked for a peak inside his bag of tricks!) I don't normally go in for misters for my martinis, but I was fascinated with this pretty, shiny plaything. He chilled the glass, stirred up the Bombay Sapphire well, misted the glass with a good amount of vermouth before pouring in the gin and served it with a twist. He quickly followed up to find out if I was happy and offered more vermouth if necessary (as always, I really appreciate sincere follow through.)

While I wasn't blown away by the standard cocktail menu, I was happy enough that the staff were able to diverge easily and give me something I wanted. In fact, I found Lionel & co. exceptionally friendly and accommodating. When one of our party ordered wine, he brought out the four bottles on offer and gave her a generous sampling of each to help her decide.

This Wednesday brought a large, fun crowd with the usuals plus a few occasional dropper-inners, making the vibe a bit more party-like and lively. So, feeling a bit festive, I tried a few things after the martini. The Gin Bramble (gin, lemon,& creme de mure) was refreshing but I particularly enjoyed the Wahloo Special (dark rum, lime, ginger, banana liquor & cinnamon). My group and the rest of the clientele seemed to feel the festiveness too, as evidenced by the 2 - 3 guys behind the bar working fast and furious to keep up with the drink orders.

One thing worth noting is the Andy Wahloo doesn't skimp on the ice, which is a big problem with a lot of Parisian bars, making for mediocre cocktails and drinks that should be served cold.

This brightly coloured and kitschy bric-a-brac brimming establishment probably draws a relatively young and lively crowd ready to dance to the later evening DJ's - which could be fun if that's your thing. However, for me, I give it a thumbs up for a solid after-work stop some ice cold refreshments at a nice happy hour price. Plus, I'm just taken with the bartender because you gotta love a guy who comes with his own tools!

Wednesday Cocktail Adventure: Murano

NOTE: For searching convenience, i'm cutting and pasting my earlier entries from eGullet before my blog existed, so there are no photos for these first few & these are not recent entries - i just thought it would be better for them to all be in one place...just some housekeeping!:

Murano
3, Boulevard du Temple,
Paris 75003 (note: in a few websites the address is listed as 13 – but that’s a typo online, not mine – it is number 3)

When a drinks menu lists regular old Johnny Walker at 16 Euros a shot, you already know you’re paying in big part for atmosphere in addition to the booze. And, the Murano does deliver atmosphere. You walk into open, bright lobby with spacey, modern chairs and a decorative (yet functional) ‘fireplace’ that runs the entire length of one wall. This first seating area seems a bit sterile, but still modern and hip. Passing into the bar proper area, it’s dimmer, but colorful and modern with flashy videos playing on the wall behind the bar.

A few reviews I read told me that this is where the beautiful people drink. Apparently, that means the beautiful people with cash, because the drinks are, on average, 20 Euros. Here, I had no qualms ordering my martini exactly to specification. Their house gin is Bombay Sapphire, which I didn’t bother changing, since I haven’t changed from the house on any of my other martini excursions (and somehow I like that consistency). It came, just as I ordered, nice a cold and with an olive. But, for 19 Euros, I pretty much expected it to come just as I had ordered. My fellow drinkers had a couple of froufy fruity drinks. I don’t remember the names, but they were basically hyped up fruit juice with lots of fancy cut and splayed fruits and accessories. They also brought a small selection of upscale munchies – this is not a peanuts-in-a-ramekin bar – you get little dips and pizza-like bites.

The service was top notch. I was talking to the waiter about martinis, telling him I was on a quest for good ones. His first question: “have you been to the experimental cocktail club?” (So far this still remains my top choice for an excellent price/quality value)

I can be a sucker for cute little gimmicky things – like their bloody mary ‘degustation’, which is three small bloody marys made with red, green and yellow(?) tomato juice. I probably would have tried that for my next drink(s), but neither of my drinking partners wanted to stay for the usual second round. Even with the uber-chic ambience, they didn’t feel like the price was worth the experience.

And, personally, while I don’t have a problem with paying a little more for the whole package, the Murano is a little too out of the way for me and a little too expensive to trek all the way there for cocktails on a regular basis, even if they were nice. (, if you’re a big vodka fan this might be your place as they specialize in it and have a really wide range.