West Palm Wine Co. Paris Black Book Part 1: Where to Eat

Every year we head to France to explore natural wine and cheese shops, bars and restaurants. We meet up with wine makers and importers to taste fresh vintages and find new bottles to stock in our shop. We agree with Hemingway... "Paris is a moveable feast." 
 
(Pictured above we are at the Butcher of Paris in Marche des Enfants Rouges in Le Marais. Our go to favorite restaurant with bar seating in the market is Les Enfants Du Marché!)
 
Part 1 of our Paris black book emphasizes the pleasures of the table. 

Breakfast There are thousands of incredibly delish traditional bakeries across Paris. French Bastards stands apart. There are locations in the 2nd, 7th, 8th, and 9th. With a dash of irreverence, they do the classics with a twist. In a riff on the très French Jambon Beurre, the loveliest crème fraîche and spicy mustard cabbage slaw is added. Eat the sandwich while walking, like New Yorker’s eat slices.

La Tour D’Argent has been around since 1582 with panoramic views of the Seine and the recently revived Notre Dame. Most well known for their very traditional, fancy, classy French food and encyclopedic wine list offered during lunch and dinner service. Insider’s tip: You can have a little breakfast in the first floor bar without a reservation in a laid back atmosphere. Friends and I ordered a baguette and butter, and a 2014 Gerry Chambertin from Trapet! Mind blown. The most minimalistic meal yet possibly the most memorable in my 43 years. The wine and the friends and the crystalline sunlight didn’t hurt. Context matters, it makes the sweet even more delicious.

Lunch Tiny, tiny neighborhood spot Sur Mer in 10th has a seafood-driven menu and playful wine list. If you can snag a seat at the bar you will be face to face with the chef. So fresh it feels as if the oysters literally came from sea to table. 

Dinner Possibly our favorite local spot in the 11th (and right next to Source Fromagerie, the epitome of a cheese shop) is Le Servan. This is a Michelin star-worthy restaurant with everyday prices. Wines by the glass are extensive and wonderful at $6-8 a pop! Casual Neo-classical French vibe. Very low key and the most adorably hip servers. I ordered their venison tartare and my life was forever altered — in a very good way.

Bruto's is one of the few restaurants in Paris open for dinner on Sunday, when they offer a menu of roasted chicken served with fries and a bitter green salad. I went there around 3:30 for an early dinner. The epitome of cozy.