Just landed Hong Kong yesterday afternoon and have to get ready for a business trip to Montreal today T_T This is my shortest turnaround to date yet. (Call my boss intense...) Anyways, since I am jet-lag and unloading the pictures I have taken during my vacation, I decided to do a quick post on Frenchie Bar a Vins, which is one of the best meals I had on vacation.
Frenchie Bar a Vins is a sister company of Frenchie, which is one of the hardest restaurants to get a reservation in Paris. Thus, the wine bar offered an alternative to travellers like myself, who wanted to sample good French food but can't get a reservation. To top it off, it is very affordable. In fact, I found France very affordable, unlike England...
Lucky for me, most French does not like to wait, no matter how short the queue is. (Perhaps there are too many good restaurants to choose from?) I arrived at 6:45pm as many fellow foodies suggested. There was a queue already but I am determined. The wait wasn't too bad, 20 mins tops (only because the restaurant opens at 7pm) but if you missed being seated the first round, you may wait hours before you are seated.
French love their wine and it is so cheap to drink wine here it will be a sin not to. (It is seriously cheaper than water.) I also like the way wine is ordered here. You tell your server how you like your wine (light --> full bodied, red/white/rose) and s/he will bring you some to taste. If you don't like it, s/he will bring you something else. So don't ask me what I drank, I know I like how the wine tasted in my mouth but other than red, white, and rose, I don't have a clue.
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| For all I know, this is a light-medium body red. |
The menu rotates quite often but you can't go wrong with any of the selection. The menu is quite short but you can't eat much if you are going there alone anyways.
I highly recommend the Foie Gras Royale, perfectly seasoned and very creamy and velvety in texture. Order it if you see it! Despite the fear of cholesterol, I ate the whole thing - wiped everything off with bread! The other dishes were very yummy as well but didn't hit me like the foie gras did. This plate remains the best foie gras I had this trip, only rivalled by the pan-fried foie gras I had at Le Laurent.
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| foie gras royale |
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| pork cheek confit with creamy mashed potatoes |
My trip totally dispelled that myth that Paris people are rude and stuck ups. In fact, the people I met in Paris were by far the most helpful and friendliest bunch. (It is also much safer than I expected it to be. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Chicago.) I met a fellow traveller here and we enjoyed ourselves so much we decided to share some plates! That's another reason why I love wine bars and tapas. Small plates, casual atmosphere, good food but won't eat up your entire day, and an opportunity to talk to and meet new people!
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| squid ink tagliatelle with chorizo and olives |
Keep in mind French food are heavy so always bring antacid with you. I have been walking crazy all over Paris in an attempt to keep the damage to a minimum...
5 Rue du Nil, 75002 Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 40 39 96 19
Hours: Weekdays 7pm till late
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