That is so cool. Happy everyone is loving EME! I also love Cypsele and Sota. And so amazing that you like Saalwachter, Carsten is a good friend I was just with him on Saturday in the Rheinhessen. Curious how you found about him?
I don’t love Frequency either but I have never been there when it was not dark. My issue is they don’t have any wine : )
Robert I was thinking about something while we were in Paris, apropos the energy in the city, and all these new restaurants and wine bars, and I am sure you have some perspectives. Do you think it’s easier for people to open and run restaurants (and make a living from that) in Paris vs New York? Both Cypsele and EME are not big restaurants. They make do with modest numbers of front of house staff who all work super hard. Their food is relatively modestly priced for the quality (EME 5 course lunch = EUR75).
We discussed this with one or two folks over the few days we were there, we got the expected grumbling about French bureaucracy but I have to believe the SLC here in New York is at least the equal of any French bureaucrat. We also heard about rents being high in Paris but I suspect its a much bigger problem in NY.
I was so struck by this wave of optimism all across Paris (and I didn’t even eat in the 11th!) but I don’t feel the same energy in NY though that may be because I am not spending time where the action is…..
Interested in your thoughts when you have a moment, Thanks.
It is very inexpensive to open a restaurant in Paris in comparison to NYC. I am talking 25% of NYC. However it is very hard to have a highly profitable restaurant like some of the larger high volume places in NYC. The restaurants are usually small, only do 2 turns a night and as you say if they do lunch it is expensive. The beneficiary of this is us consumers! The reason why there are so many new restaurants and the scene keep changing is that it is easy to open by either buying someone else out or to rent a place for reasonable rent. From all of my restaurant friends the biggest problem they have, like almost everywhere is staffing. It is even more complicated in France because it is hard to fire someone because if you fire them you can owe them several months of severance.
10 days in Paris earlier this month left me with a great way to dig into a bunch of new places. Some of these were calls by locals and those that are itb.
Monday 4-6:
Lunch- Le Bon Georges.
I know I’ve said I’m about to move on from them (and I will my next solo trip to Paris), but if you haven’t been it is worth going. I only went because it was my friend’s first visit to Paris in 20+ years and it was excellent as per usual. That said, it’s certainly a wine-tourism spot at this point. Not a gripe, just something to note.
Dinner- Le Saint Sebastian
Went here last year, came back this year. Still excellent. Like really excellent. This seems to fly under the radar a bit and we should rejoice in that until the inevitable happens.
Tuesday 4-7:
Lunch- Les Enfants du Marche
Nothing to add to all of the praise it’s gotten here. Go here. It’s fantastic and it was a lot of fun to take my friend here. He didn’t know what to do with the Jura chard I got, but that’s his problem, not mine😂
Dinner- Nöe
This was a decision from a good Parisian friend. And I can’t speak highly enough. This is in the 17th and well worth seeking out. The somm Jeremy is fantastic and the list is diverse.
Wednesday 4-8:
Lunch- Bon Vivant
This was in the fifth and the decision by my friend’s friend. Nice enough spot. If you’re staying in the 5th and want a place with an affordable and solid list, this easily ticks the boxes. But, I wouldn’t put much effort into going here otherwise.
Dinner- Petrelle
@todd_waldmann told me about this last September and I double checked with him earlier in March that this was where he said. So……it was killer. Quite possibly one of my best meals in Paris. It was basically all I want from a Paris restaurant.
Thursday 4-9:
Lunch- Lao Siam
Food was amazing. The wine list was in the: I have no clue wtf I’m doing area. Somehow we managed to find two clean wines on the list that were quite tasty and under €40. Even a good friend of mine who is massive into natural wine and is likely writing his MW paper on the topic said that the list intimidated him and said we hit a grand slam on the wines. Dumb luck on our parts, but I’ll take it!
Friday 4-10:
Lunch- Eels
Excellent food, excellent service. The wine list is expensive but I rolled with it. Happy I went, but I’m not sure it’s a return spot for me.
Monday 4-13:
Lunch- oh vin dieu
After a quick trip to Alsace and just chilling out for a few days, it was wine lunch time. This place is old school in all of the best ways. Somehow is under the radar and I only found it through my bookmarks tbh.
Tuesday 4-14:
Dinner- Blanc
A dear friend recommended this from two visits she had. I was deeply impressed. The food was beautiful, the wine list amazing, and the service exactly where a 2* should be. I can’t speak highly enough about it and this could end up as my meal of the year (even after an amazing visit at Enclos in February).
Wednesday 4-15:
Dinner- La Bas Montreuil
This is my friend’s local spot and yea, this fucking rocked. We let the somm do his thing and he brought us some fantastic wine. This isn’t your classic Paris bistro. Is it worth the trip? I think so if you’ve been to Paris a lot and want to explore more. I dont necessarily think it’s special enough to make the trip if you aren’t in Paris a bunch, but I certainly would never dissuade someone from it. I’d happily go back in September, but that is more because of personal connections. Still, a definite recommendation for those wanting to explore more.
I’m already compiling a list for September as I want to do second visits in a couple of spots, but want everything else to be all new. I love this city
had a stellar lunch at pilgrim in the 15th. 55 euro.
the food was insanely delicious despite looking a bit minimal. great bread too. the beef tartare was accented with a few oysters and finished with a roasted meat jus…the dish somehow tasted both intensely of raw beef as well as steak and maillard flavors. nicely balanced with lots of herbs and freshness. very memorable. the carré de cochon was quite classical, with some jerusalum artichoke puree, a perfect confit potato (heavily seasoned with dill and roasted garlic) and some other flourishes. dessert was some type of semifreddo creation with beetroot, fresh strawberry, basil and a crispy burnt caramel wafer. perfectly balanced, the beet flavor was very deft and paired well with the strawberry. another winner. pro tip: the bourdelle sculpture museum is around the corner and entrance is gratuit.
That looks like the type of lunch it is so easy to find in Paris!
i have had a lot of food in paris that looks similar, but not much that has tasted like this! maybe restaurant es is similar but i have not been there in quite a few years.
another gem for those looking for a legit roast chicken to go; check out rotisserie segar in the 5th. high quality landes fermier label rouge. very succelent!
Had dinner at eme on Friday.
I went in with very high expectations and they were exceeded.
The décor is minimalistic and unpretentious, with warm wood and stone throughout that create a cozy atmosphere. It was slightly warm in the dining room, though Mara mentioned an AC unit is on the way. They have only been open six months, after all.
Service was spectacular. Mara is warm, attentive, and impressively knowledgeable about the menu. The sommelier was equally well‑versed in the wine list and offered excellent guidance on building a thoughtful progression of natural wines. Nazareno also stepped out of the kitchen to say hello, which was a nice personal touch.
The food was utterly sensational. Clear Latin influences shine through in the use of leafy ingredients and citrus, while Nazareno’s fine‑dining background is evident in the precise execution of every element. The menu is thoughtfully composed, rooted in classic Parisian fare but diverging in innovative and unexpected ways. Quality was consistently high throughout, including the desserts, which are often a letdown for me. Portions were refreshingly well judged, enough to feel satisfied without leaving overly full.
The wine list leans natural and offers something for every budget, level of curiosity, and sense of occasion. We started with a bottle of the 2019 Anglore Tavel, followed by a fascinating Cornas Syrah, and finished with a glass of Macvin du Jura. For anyone unfamiliar, as I was, it is a fortified wine blended with unfermented juice, with a compelling mix of nutty, fruity, and savory notes.
This was without a doubt one of the most memorable fine‑dining experiences I’ve had in a long time. It fully lives up to the glowing reviews, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone visiting Paris.
Thank you for the write up. Really happy that everyone is loving EME.
