« A year in a French market: Grey Paree | Home | Recipe for happiness: Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, NYC »
French food news: Cocktail hour in Paris
By Ann | May 15, 2009
Bonjour, mes amis and happy Friday! So, another week, another edition of French food news — what’s going on in the food media this week?
With the days growing longer, cocktail hour has been extended. Le Figaroscope has a very useful article on the best places for an apéro dînatoire, or pre-dinner drink. (Side note: Ah, apéro dînatoire… is there a more enticing French phrase?) Criteria seems to be based on the best places to snack and drink “en toute liberté.” Among the most interesting (to me):
Café Reale, located in the Tuileries, where you can nibble on antipasti (grilled veg; Italian ham) accompanied by a glass of prosecco or Piémonte red. Le Fig says: Snuggled in greenery, this restaurant/tea salon has a sumptuous terrance shaded by chestnut trees.
Les Voisins – You might have guessed from my rapturous ravings about the food in Spain that I LOVE tapas (in case you missed them, see posts here and here). Alas, I have not yet found a good venue in Paris. Well, perched next to Canal St-Martin, Les Voisins sounds like a real possibility. Le Fig says: The small plates transform easily into a complete meal (fresh anchovies, serrano ham, grilled calamari, manchego cheese, shrimp)…
Afaria – The bar of a Basque restaurant in the 15th; the dining room is arranged around one giant table. Le Fig says: The counter is packed. You’ll find chef friends of the chef and a colony of bons vivants, rather young, with their joie de vivre overflowing to the sidewalk tables. Enjoy the white sangria, shots of raspberry armagnac and very generous tapas that start at 6€. Beware: Reservations are more or less indispensable.
For more spots, and all addresses, check out the article here.
Okay, mes amis, I’m going to wrap up this post here. Must admit to feeling a leetle bit hangdog today (one too many apéros last night with visiting friends was fun, but not conducive to creativity). Plus, my Netflix disk of Gossip Girl beckons…
Happy Friday and happy eating!
Topics: In the news |
One Response to “French food news: Cocktail hour in Paris”
Comments
« A year in a French market: Grey Paree | Home | Recipe for happiness: Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, NYC »
May 16th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Oh, how I adore cocktail hour! I am surprised the article did not mention the Cafe de la Mairie at Place St Sulpice, where the people watching is so good you don’t need snacks. Even if apero snacks are basically my favorite food. To be wistful for a moment, I confess my favorite place for an apero dinatoire is at home with chilled champagne, some cashews or Picard hors d’oeuvres, and close proximity to CTB.