We ate recently at Verjus, La Bourse et la Vie, and Heimat and definitely recommend the first two. Heimat was good, but below the other two.
Also ate at wine bars near Canal St Martin … La Verre Volee (superb boudin noir and Hermitage Dard-Ribo) and La Cave a Michel (excellent Cornas of Matthieu Barret)
le verre volé
no formal wine list
but they have some goodies
Our 4 days eating our way thru Paris went something like this:
Off plane and walked thru the Marais in the 3rd and ended up at Cave Paul Bert for a few natural wines (not so memorable although a Muscadet paired well with some oysters) and pretty good bar snacks. Asked if they could get us into the bistro and they did. Pommes Frites and a bottle of Y.Amirault Bourgueil LPC 2011 hit the spot.
Day 2 we had dinner at La Cagouille - a very local seafood place that others had recommended. We were only tourists on this night with a few business diners and the rest locals. Nice feel to space and very friendly service. 2014 Francis Boudin Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume was a nice wine with fried bait fish and a dorade fillet stuffed with a very mild tapenade. Overall a great dinner and would recommend.
Day 3 we had lunch at David Toutaine - WOW!! This was unexpectedly great. Very elegant dining room - we were seated downstairs in a very small L shaped room with fabric on ceiling to help with acoustics (I guess). Tasting menu with 3 courses but ended up being about 6 - 7 with amuse bouches and other surprises. 2008 Pierre Morey Mersault was a tad woody but made a great lunch wine and paired wonderfully with all dishes. $57 euros for 3 course and I highly recommend. I believe they said they have 1* but would expect them to move up soon as they were hitting on all cylinders at lunch.
Day 4 we had dinner at Passage 53 - we tried to walk here from our apartment and got really lost so ended up Ubering and getting there 30 minutes late - no problem though as its only 1 seating per night. Tiny restaurant with 18 seats total in another elegant space. Center of the restaurant had a tiny circular staircase that led to the upstairs bathroom and emptied smack in the middle of the kitchen. Was actually very cool and all chefs were very friendly and chatty. Tasting munu only and was so very special on this night. Probably 8-10 courses plus we opted for optional caviar course (+50 euro) which was a spoonful of beluga caviar over a parmesan crisp ontop of a single butter poached gnocchi - 3 bites of heaven! Wine program is interesting as they push by the glass but not pairings per say. Bollinger champagne with the caviar was perfect, 2013 Pierre Morey Mersault (coincidence) was much more balanced than 08 day before, a spectacular Condrieu that I can’t remember producer which was the best viogner based wine ever for me, and a 2008 Serafin Gevrey Chambertin which was rockin and ready to go. So elegant and earthy and paired wonderfully with meat courses. You can have any or all of the above wines with whatever dish you wanted but worked well in the order served. About 20 euros per glass and the glass ware here was fantastic - all glasses paper thin. Only saw 1 other table order a bottle of wine and waiter left restaurant and came back with it 10 minutes later. Highly recommend this place.
I didn’t plan on the restaurants getting better and better but it did work out that way with Passage 53 being up there with best meals of our lives and priced accordingly - 550 euros inc wine, caviar for 2 of us.
One day we stumbled upon the Jewish corridor of the Marais and happened upon the famous falafel place (can’t remember name?) that Yelps as #1 restaurant in Paris. We really didn’t want to try because it seemed like such a tourist trap but it was around lunch one day so we circled back and my wife and I split the falafel gyro. OMG one of the best things i have ever eaten. Pita was like a cloud, falafel fried to perfection, amazing quality ingredients. Worth it if you are near this part of town for any meal. Very organized management and they get you through the massive line quick. Best 6 euros we spent all week.
I LOVE PARIS
Michel,
Thanks for the list. I will be spending a week in Burgundy this summer with a couple of days in Paris. I followed your list for Rome a few years ago to great success, so will take this one with me to France.
Glad I found this string…heading over to Paris for a long weekend to celebrate our 10th Anniversary. Was going to hit Willie’s, just because I have heard so much about it, but wasn’t sure where else to go. This is fantastic. Thanks!
Hi,
I like in paris a small restaurant called l’adresse (rue du monthabor 75001)
Near louvre and tuilerie. French typical foods not so expensive 35-40€
hitting David Toutaine in May. Any thoughts?
One more. When in Spain, eat as much jamon Iberico de bellota as possible and when in Paris eat as much roast bresse chicken as possible. Le Coq Rico in the Montmartre section of Paris (really fun area, sort of like what Greenwich Village used to be a long time ago) makes the most amazing roasted birds. An Antoine Westermann restaurant. Also a pretty good wine list.
Coq Rico is great–they have several types of heirloom birds, not just Bresse–and the mushrooms and the fries are amazing. Been there twice, right near Sacre Coeur.
out of this world terrific. great space, intimate.
he’s currently working at the 20th street location - much closer for you, and me. 
A big +1 on Le Coq Rico- really enjoyed last time I was in Paris. We did order a full bird for 2 people, which was way to much, but great. Nice list- that was not too expensive
Ditto above - you’ll love it Alan - Tami and I were there 3 weeks ago, had lunch (3 course 55 euros) and was amazing. 1* but they deserve at least another, inventive food, intimate seating, nice list. Loved it. (check out post 47 above)
Ate at Le Coq Rico last week. Terrific chicken.