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Corner Cafe Cocktail Adventures: the Pigs

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The Pigs
156 avenue Ledru Rollin
75011 Paris

I like the cocktail crowd. I find many bartenders, while enamored with and respectful of their craft, to be an approachable, friendly lot who enthusiastically engage with the less knowledgeable but curious. However, the learning curve for cocktails can be steep and people or establishments can go from friendly amateur to intimidating snob in short order – and some of Paris’ bar crawlers have been complaining of exactly that. Thus the new wave of bars espousing more all-encompassing door policies and easy-going attitudes.  Enter, The Pigs, which has taken cocktail democratization to a whole new level.

On first glance, The Pigs, seems to be a standard café, with a varied customer base filling the box-standard terrace tables while smoking ciggies and sipping demi beers. But, step up to the bar and you’ll find something a little different from the traditional corner bar fare.

The menu includes the usual brews and wines plus a list of 8 or so house creations. There was no dry vermouth, so I ordered an MG Tequila sour from the friendly barman, David, which was nicely prepared with a cheeky sprinkling of Piment d’Espelette. As I was sipping my drink, I watched someone write up the new cocktail menu on a chalkboard, which comprised some rather unusual drinks for a typical Paris café at 7.50 to 9 Euros – including one cocktail with cuttlefish ink!

Turns out the person writing up the new menu was not only one of the owners but a barman I had met previously when he made his debut in Paris at the Silencio bar. After a stint at this ultra-trendy venue, Nadir decided to seriously democratize the Paris cocktail scene and branched out with a friend to open the Pigs. He created a menu, in a low-key, typically French locale, while still employing some sophisticated cocktail practices.  All syrups and sprinkles are made on site, higher quality mixers like Fever Tree are available and cocktails are straw-tasted. Perhaps that last item is not the be all end all, but I got a kick out of seeing that happen in such a popular place.  And, I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of these practices alongside the mixed crowd including twenty-something frenchies ordering half-pints of beer on tap.

In an effort to further bring cocktails to a more approachable level, he’s filled the speed rack with something beyond the bottom shelf without being excessive.  The house rum is Havana Club, tequila is Ocho, whiskey is Jamies, etc. Apparently, his aim is to create cocktails using accessible rather than special ingredients.  However, the back bar – available for customers who want to expand their cocktail knowledge after sampling the mid-range tipples – includes more surprising products like Nikka Whisky and Botanist gin.

Obviously in a place like this, I expected mojitos to the number one ordered drink.  So, of course, I asked if they were.  I was told that when costumers ordered a mojito they were directed back to the menu of house creations – so it’s not a place to order the classics. But according to Nadir, that’s not the aim here.  And, I witnessed this first hand when one of the demi-sipping regulars asked for a Pimm’s Cup (which I also found amusingly out of place in this venue) and Nadir steered him to something else on menu.

Also of interest, the Pigs offers up a lunch menu. But in the evenings they discontinue that for more bar-friendly French fare like rillettes or croustillante de camembert (which was the perfect belly filler for me on a night when I was checking out more than one venue). On the weekends they also do a nicely priced brunch. But, what will probably draw the majority of the locals is their very generous happy hour that includes pastis at 1 Euro!

Overall, I really enjoyed chatting with the folks behind the Pigs.  I like their MO, appreciate their efforts to spread the cocktail love and really dig seeing something more than a few dusty bottles of bottom shelf in a venue of this type. I won’t make this a regular because it’s a bit out of the way for me, but it’s a prime example of how the new scene is affecting Paris and it’s the first place that has really taken a certain level of cocktailing to the common bars.  And for that I say: respect.

 

Good Times Cocktail Adventures: Red House

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Red House
1 bis rue de la forge royale
75011 Paris
01 43 67 06 43

A renewed dialogue on customer service in the cocktail industry has been happening over the past few years. The idea of placing more importance on the cocktail than the customer has resulted in a growing number of grumbling guests and some amusing viral videos. But, the conversation is happening on both sides of the bar, with the topic cropping up more in forums, drinks seminars and industry discussion focusing on giving the customer what they want.  As a result, some of Paris’ newly opened bars are building their business on claims of great drinks minus the attitude.  It seems, “speakeasy-fatigue” is leaving customers looking for a bit fun over fancy.

As a customer, I get that.  And, when I’m looking for a bit of fun over fancy, I head to the Red House. This latest addition to the Cheap Blonde group (Stolly’s, Bottle Shop and the Lizard Lounge) has been pulling in a nice and diverse crowd since opening about a year ago. At the helm, Joe puts a lot of personality into the place, with its longhorns overseeing the bar and a solid list of 17 or so classics and house creations.  In this House, you can order a shot, a beer or a rum and coke without judgment – but you can also order a martini which will be made competently.

Red House’s appeal is more large-scale than upscale.  And while they’re not necessarily courting the cocktail crowd, there is enough here to keep someone like me entertained.  The spirits selection is smaller than in most of the city’s best cocktail bars, but it goes beyond the bottom shelf basics that you’ll find in most of the city’s laid back watering holes.

The casual beer crowd will be happy to take something on tap, while the more demanding drinker will notice the bar shelf devoted to bitters, the selection of cocktail books, and solid spirit selection.  Gins include Beefeater, Tanqueray, Hendricks’s, Hayman’s and Bombay Sapphire.  Vermouth’s include Martinis, Noilly Prat, Dolin and Punt e Mes.  What makes Red House different from more cocktail-centric bars is that they have a little something for everyone as opposed to a lot of something for a few.

I’ve visited on more than one occasion and have had the chance to sample a lot of their selection including juleps, aviations, negronis, Joe’s barbecue-infused booze, the exceedingly popular Wild West Side (tequila, lime, cucumber and pepper) as well as the aforementioned shots, beers, and rum and cokes. On my most recent visit, I kicked things off with a stirred Tanqueray/Noilly Prat with a lemon twist.  Another big selling point: occasional themed nights such as New Orleans or tiki parties and a happy hour when prices drop to a very affordable 5 Euros.

I’ve taken friends in who have become repeat customers as a result not just of the good drinks at 8 Euros but because of the down-home, good times attitude that permeates the place.  When I ask industry folks about their favorite bars it’s often not the latest on the cocktail lists, but fun dive bars and laid-back neighborhood locals.  And, the last time we were there, a few celebrities were among the customers partaking in the casual party vibe. And that goes to show that while a sophisticated cocktail soirée can be sublime, everybody – from your average customer, to cocktail fanatics to the downright famous – loves a good time. And that’s what Red House does right.

Tiki Cocktail Adventures: Tiki Lounge

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Le Tiki Lounge
26 bis rue de la Fontaine au Roi
75011 Paris

Since 1931 when Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt aka Don the Beachcomber set up the first tiny tiki joint in Hollywood, this kitschy culture has been injecting a bit of South Pacific fun into cocktails and given birth to some of world’s most notorious rum based drinks like the mai tai and the Zombie. Tiki style bars and drinks have experienced a resurgence over the past several years with hotspots like PKNY (New York) and – my favorite – Smugglers Cove (San Francisco) garnering international attention for their transcendent tiki drinks. This month Paris has finally taken to the trend with its first dedicated tiki bar: Tiki Lounge.

Tiki Lounge is kitted out with all the appropriate decor details: masks and carvings, creaky rattan furniture, and ceramic mugs. Blowfish lamps hang from the ceiling alongside glass floats. On the night of my visit, a few customers sat at the small thatched bar chatting with the friendly owners while south seas sounding music – with a bit of Tom Waits thrown into the mix – played in the background.

Thanks to the tiki theme, the menu diverges from the usual multiple vodka-based choices and features mainly rum. While they do offer a few things like caipis, mojitos and cosmos, the nine tiki options are front and center. All but two are rum-based, with the exceptions being a Waikiki Breeze with tequila and an Eastern Sour with whisky. Most of their classic tiki cocktails like the mai tai, missionary’s downfall and pina colada mainly adhere to simplified standard recipes. Drink prices are 8 Euros and drop to 5.5 Euros during the 18h – 20h30 happy hour.

I started with one of tiki’s most familiar and debated drinks: the mai tai (theirs contains two types of rum, orgeat and ‘citrus.’) While this isn’t the exact recipe I might use, I was pleasantly surprised. Based on experience I was preparing for an overly sweet alcohol masking mix. But, you could taste the rum through the light touch of orgeat and citrus and I enjoyed it (espeically at happy hour price). They also offer their own “Tiki Lounge Mai Tai” which includes pineapple juice and grenadine. I was less impressed with the tequila based Waikiki Breeze and I was really hoping one of my drinks would have come in a coconut shell or tiki mug. While we were sampling, the crowd was growing and an hour or so later, the place was busy with a hipstamatic young crowd who were probably grooving on the themed vibe as much as (or more than?) the drinks.

Thanks to the friendly atmosphere and novel (to Paris) ambience, I enjoyed my visit. However, I think there are some areas where they could amp things up the drinks front. I’d like to see their current offering of 5 rums bumped up. I think a more extensive offering of tiki drinks diverging from just the most popular ones could be interesting. And, just for fun, I’d like to see their bar munchies move from crisps, carrots and dip to something more theme-appropriate.

From a strictly drinks perspective, the Tiki Lounge can’t compete with some of the internationally known big boys of tikidom or even some of the bars in town like Prescription or Curio who occasionally feature a tiki option on menu and have the range of rums and necessary ingredients to pull them off with aplomb. But for nightcrawlers seeking the whole tiki experience – deco and all – this is currently the only place in town to get it. It may be just baby steps, but it is a valid start to the tiki trend in Paris.

Vintage Cocktail Adventures: l’Entree des Artistes

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l’Entree des Artistes

8 rue de Crussol
75011 Paris

The Paris cocktail scene has
done a lot of growing up over the past 4 years. We’ve gone from a handful of successful forerunners to a nicely growing network of drinking options. Paris bar talent is expanding internationally with the ECC setting up shop in both the UK and the US. And we’re seeing international cocktail trends showing up in bars here locally – the latest of which is aged cocktails. The first mixology maostro to experiment with bottling a premixed cocktail and leaving it to age was Tony Conigliaro at 69 Colebrook Rowe in London. Jeffrey Morgenthaler followed up with more barrel aged cocktail trials in Portland, Oregon. And now, Paris locals can weigh in on whether or not a few weeks of storage can improve the taste of their tipples at the newly opened l’Entree des Artistes.


The team behind this laid-back locale, hit the ground running with pre-opening anticipation on the part of Paris cocktillians. Fabien, having honed his skills at Prescription Cocktail Club, teams his bar skills with Edouard, who handles the wine side. The result: a relaxed, low key, pint-sized cocktail bar with a significant food and wine list as well.

I stopped in last week with a few friends to form my own opinions on the ‘vintage’ drinks. My friends were surprized when i led them to the place telling me it used to be a ‘divey’ bar where’d they’d hang out for cheep beers. It’s been renovated, but not so much that it’s lost the laid-back local frenchie feel. The casual space is enhanced with well chosen touches like the antique cash register and swank bar accoutrements. Also, on my visit, I ran into Thierry Daniel of Liquid Liquid/Cocktail Spirits doing his own sampling, which is a good sign that the drinks are worth trying.


I tried a negroni and a vieux carre, both of which had been aged in barrels for 6 weeks. The aging brings a mellow and interesting melange of flavors that i think make them worth the 14 – 15 Euros price tag. However, patrons looking for something a little less invasive on the pocketbook, can play with their impressive menu of cocktails at 10 – 11 Euros each. And the standard cocktail menu offerings are no less interesting with options like the Mon Vieux Tabac (Peychaud’s bitters, Bob’s Bitters licorice, tabacco liqueur, Carpano Anica Formula, Cognan Grosperrin and Rittenhouse Rye 100). Clearly this is no mojito mecca. Given the care that’s going into these drinks, l’Entree des Artistes currently rates as one of Paris’ best values for money in cocktail options.


I see a bright future for these boys amongst the serious cocktail crowd as well as residents looking for a refreshing change of pace from the so many just so-so bars in the Oberkampf area. And, while I like to see local bars bringing in already established cocktail practices, I’m also looking forward to spending more time there to explore what they can bring to the cocktail trends themselves.

Random Cocktal Adventure: the Bottle Shop

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The Bottle Shop

5, Rue Trousseau
75011 Paris
Tel: 01 43 14 28 04

I’m eating take-out Chinese for lunch right now. Take out Chinese is definitely not my favorite lunch, but occasionally it fits the bill: convenient, quick, cheap & filling. So while I wouldn’t recommend this place to my culinarily-demanding foodie friends as a must-stop destination, sometimes it’s exactly what I need at the moment. Which brings me to my blog (a bit of a reach, but I’m getting there…)

Some 52 Martinis readers have been sending mails asking why I don’t hold a higher opinion of their favorite bars. And, here’s the skinny: 52 martinis is about cocktail bars in Paris. Even if I don’t rate the cocktails highly doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t like the bar, the bar staff or the clientele. I try to keep it positive and note if there are other aspects of the bar that would draw in friendly folks. As a result, I’m sometimes hesitant to rate popular and long-standing drinkeries like the Bottle Shop because I’ll likely get a few more disappointed emails. So, let’s try some preventative spin here: While I wouldn’t send my cocktailian friends to the Bottle Shop for drinks, sometimes it, too, fits the bill.

A few weeks ago, I made my first visit to this lively little place. But, I’m very familiar with Stolly’s & the Lizard Lounge, which along with the Bottle Shop form the CheapBLONDE trinity – a veritable Paris ex-pat institution. I’ve had many fun nights at these two busy spots filled with Anglos and Anglo-friendly clientele. All three have cracking personalities and a fair number of drinks on offer. The staff is lively and friendly & I’m a big fan of the club sandwich at the Lizard Lounge for a chilled out Saturday afternoon bar-food lunch.

At the Bottle Shop, I ordered a martini from the cute and friendly barman, Joe. He mentioned that he liked his martinis with a few drops of bitters in them. I, too, like this. “Do you have bitters?” I asked. “This is a serious bar!” he replied. (Ah, Joe, you had me at ‘bitters’) So, I ordered Wendy and myself each a martini and had him throw in a couple drops of Angostura. The finished product was two very pink martinis as a result of a bit more bitters action than I would have used myself. But, in general, they were decent martinis, in cold glasses, served with a smile. Cocktails go for 7 to 8 Euros, with a 4.80 Euros happy hour running from 17h00 to 20h00.

These boys are good fun behind the bar. They chill up the glasses with a bit of ice and build some decent drinks. Overall, I consider places like the Bottle Shop to be part of my “Category I” of cocktail bars. These are bars where you will leave neither overly impressed nor depressed by the drinks. While the menu doesn’t feature anything truly inspired, I’m always pleasantly surprised to find mixed drinks that are above Parisian standards. I wouldn’t make a special trip to tipple here. But, on the other hand I wouldn’t be averse to stopping in for a drink with a good portion of fun on the side. In fact, the evening Wendy, Nicky & I were there, we stopped back in to cause some more mayhem after our dinner at a nearby restaurant.

So, just as Chinese take out’s not my favorite haut gastronomy experience, sometimes for other reasons, it hits the mark. So, it is with the Bottle Shop.

Wednesday Cocktail Adventures: Panic Room

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Panic Room
101, Rue Amelot
75011 Paris
Tel: 01 58 30 93 43

We entered through a dingy front entrance that recalls the backdoor of a rockin‘ music club rather than a sleek sophisticated cocktail venue. But, no matter we are on the hunt for great mixed drinks, not necessarily upscale fancy decor.

Once inside the empty bar, the music blared at an almost uncomfortable level as we ordered our first round. While the Panic Room seems to have a fair number of bottles on their shelves, there was no dry vermouth, meaning a martini was out of the question.

I ordered a Fraislic (gin, fresh strawberries & basil) off their reasonably priced 8 Euros cocktail menu. Matt, Violaine & Wendy also ordered off the house menu, which comprises about 10 special creations. On the classics side, you’ll find such standards as ti punch, cosmo, mojito (no surprise there) and long island ice tea. The general consensus was that the drinks were okay. Most were overly sweet for our taste and there was a sigh of relief when we found out we were getting happy hour prices of 5 Euros a drink.

The Panic Room offers up a few twists, that might make one think they’ve stumbled into a cocktail bar with more potential. They feature Hendrick’s as well as Kubler Absinthe (which I personally am a fan of). The cute, young barman shows lots of spunk and confidence, and perhaps with a few more year’s training might turn some of his cocksure attitude into serious cocktail savvy. The 2nd in command behind the bar was practicing rounds of free-pours with a water filled vodka bottle. It’s one of these places that clearly caters to a “cocktail” crowd – just not exactly the level of cocktails I’m looking for.

So, while I personally won’t head back here for cocktails, a young, boisterous crowd seeking sippables with a kick at nice happy hour prices will probably enjoy the vibe here.

Wednesday Cocktail Adventures: Baron Samedi

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Le Baron Samedi
12, Rue des Goncourt
75011 Paris

I’ve been having a little motivation problem for the last few weeks. I can’t seem to get on top of a growing list of things to do and could really use a swift kick in my, um, shaker to get on with things. But, it’s hard to motivate when last Wednesday’s cocktails were so thoroughly uninspiring.

Spotted by Locals, tells me that the Baron Samedi likes to compare itself to “‘a Louisiana cemetery where you drink spiced rum whilst dancing to Desmond Dekker‘, but in reality it is a chilled venue where you feel instantly at home, especially during happy hour when the music is low and you can relax on the Chesterfields.” Sounds cool, n’est-ce pas?

I arrived at this “chilled venue” and found a warm and dingey bar with a welcoming bartendrice and a list of 15 or so cocktails up on the blackboard. The intentionally grungy flyer and newspaper-covered walls give the impression that this place has been here for decades rather than just a year or so. The two tables in the back were covered with green felt cloths and clearly ready for several folks to sit down to a bit of poker. A few large and comfy sofas grouped around a low table in the front looked like the spot for us to congregate.

There is no dry vermouth in the house, so I went for a Planters Punch and Matt ordered a Pina Colada. And, that was the end of cocktail sampling in this friendly little spot. Both were watery and completely uninteresting. Usually we might try for a second round, just in case. But, this time neither of us ordered a second and the rest of the people joining all stuck with wine on our recommendation. The wine was fine – drinkable, but nothing I’d drink given any other choice. Drink prices hover around 5 Euros here, a bit more during non-happy hours.

While I’ve been known to try my hand at a few rounds of poker, I’m not an avid player. However, the people playing were engrossed in their games & I really like it when bars offer something more in the way of things to do while drinking. Those interested in joining in a hand need to sign up online and play is for prizes not cash. And I like that it encourages interaction with the other clientele and provides a bit more entertainmentthan just standing around the bar knocking back sub-par drinks. And, indeed, there was a lot of friendly interaction with the patrons and it seems like the Baron Samedi brings in a good number of young regulars. I give them kudos for great activity planning, I just can’t get rave about the drink choices.

If you’re happy to stick with beer and are looking for a place to practice your game, head on down. But, for cocktails….totally unmotivating. I can’t even be inspired to come up with a bad poker pun to end this on!

Wednesday Night Cocktail Adventure: Oxyd

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Oxyd Bar
26 Avenue Jean-Aicard
75011 Paris
Tel: 01 48 06 20 81

Sure first impressions are important. But, they’re not enough to hold your interest if you find yourself disappointed with what’s behind that flirty glance. And, let’s face it: we’re looking for serious relationships here at 52martinis, not just passing fancies!

When I first arrived at Oxyd, a bit earlier than the rest of the crowd, I was pleasantly surprised to find this offbeat little oasis in an area with no shortage of run of the mill bars. The nice weather guaranteed a happy crowd on the good sized sidewalk terrace and inside the ambience was ratty-tatty hip flea market with cushy large sofas and arms chairs stuffed into corners making snug little spaces for friendly groups. The many tables in the center up the odds of finding at least a seat if the cozy corners are full. A well worn antique piano gives it a mustily agreeable “I’ve just stumbled into my grandma’s attic” touch. I was told they have fun music in the evenings and project films on a screen on one wall. Tajines are served in the bar and the adjoining restaurant. So far, this place seemed possibly big, interesting and varied enough to provide a promising night spot for large crews looking for a good time in a lively environment.

The drinks menu features the standard beers, wines and softs and offers a few pages of cocktails arranged by spirit running between 7 to 9 Euros. The small scruffy bar was lined with several house made rhums arrangés (infused rums originally created in places like Madagascar and Reunion Island) and the menu featured several rum-based drinks. But the sparse, dusty bottles of low grade spirits behind the bar hoarsely croak: “this is not a cocktail destination.”

Perhaps seeing me eye the selection, the “barman” announced “I’m not the barman. I can only do beer and wine.” No problem, I told him. I was in no rush so I said I’d wait for the barman’s arrival. Did he have an idea of when he was coming? No. Obviously, from a cocktail standpoint, this didn’t impress. But, I did feel a bit sorry for the guy back there who had no idea what he was doing and minutes later announced to the next customer that not only were cocktails out of the question, but he couldn’t do beer either. Tea or coffee were the choices since he couldn’t manage to pour a draft beer without a flurry of foam. This was clearly not his job. The barman eventually arrived, but in this place void of vermouth, I was out of luck for a martini. I asked him what he recommended in the way of rum drinks. I got an okay mojito and followed up with a very poor planteurs.

I thought, perhaps, their rhum arrangé might be interesting. Maybe those laboratorical looking glass jars with their handwritten labels contained some enlightening elixir. Maybe someone here was a well practiced master when it came to infusing rhum with tasty complimentary flavors. Sure, maybe. I still wasn’t willing to risk it. Instead I talked Matt into taking one for his cocktail. Good call. He got a tiny glass tea cup of what tasted like iced Theraflu. Theraflu is good for colds, not cocktails.

One might think I would have left. But, last week’s cocktail adventure was a bit unusual because it dovetailed into a big group outing for some friends who were in town and plenty of folks who wanted to see them. So after an hour or two of tasting and testing, suddenly our group grew beyond Wednesday night cocktail adventure proportions to 25 or so party people looking to get out, catch up, eat and drink. We had reserved the small alcove, but our group spilled out around the bar, onto the tables and into the street.

And, this is where this bar worked well. For a large group of people, there was plenty of space to mingle, relax in a comfy corner, order something off the food menu or head outside for a bit of air. When the owner arrived later in the evening, the feeling in the bar lifted for the better and he immediately set about visiting tables, checking on customers, lighting candles and placing out little dishes of peanuts.

While I can quite confidently say that their cocktails are crap, fortunately our lot had enough high spirits of our own to turn a sour cocktail adventure into a frolicking good night anyway.

Wednesday Cocktail Adventures Part II: 4 Elements

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4 Elements

149, Rue Amelot
75011 Paris
Tel : 01 47 00 34 11

In search of something positive from last Wednesday’s Cocktail Adventures, I’m posting on our follow up bar to Hotel du Nord. After our hasty and coerced departure, we followed Jodie to a place recently opened by friends of hers.

Not surprisingly, considering one of our group knows the owners, the atmosphere at 4 Elements was more welcoming and the bar staff friendlier. Even better – they seemed to be upbeat and friendly with all of the clientele, friends or not. The deco at 4 Elements is affordable-modern stippled with brightly colored illuminated plastic bits and pieces & video screens. I had a potently drinkable ti punch. While not the best of the cocktails I’ve sampled in Paris, their drinks are acceptable and affordable at 8 – 9 Euros/drink. In addition to the drinks, 4 Elements has a few offerings which might be of interest to Parisian barflys.

The concept here is – not surprisingly – the four elements. We were given a tour of the place and shown each section corresponding with an element. “Fire” is represented by the main part of the bar, where DJ’s play different types of music each night, hot dogs are occasionally served (but not this night), and a small bar is lined with what appeared to be friendly regulars. Presumably things get hot here. Beyond the bar, you enter a calm, cool and quiet room with comfy chairs with a spot to rest your drink. This is the “Earth” space and serves as their “chill out” room. If this bar got a bit too hectic, I’d happily kick back in this space and enjoy the zen atmosphere. Water was represented by the restrooms, but the only really outstanding part about this “element” was the communal wash basin. And, finally, which may be of some interest to a few, we checked out “Air.” Since the smoking ban, 4 Elements is one of the few bars in Paris which has an actual authorized indoor smoking area. This small space is decorated in light blues and invokes a bit of a fairy tale feeling. For a smoking space, it wasn’t overwhelmingly smokey, however with only a handful of people in there, it was hard to know what it’s like when it gets busier.

Overall, the drinks were average at around 8 – 9 Euros a piece. However, the chill out space & the smoking area do give 4 Elements a bit of a something extra over the average Paris bar. If you’re thinking about stopping by, you might want to check out what music night it is beforehand. I probably wouldn’t make a trip back here for just the drinks, but I think this nice bunch deserves a shout out for their interesting concept and friendly vibe.

Bakara Lounge

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Bakara Lounge
61, Rue Jean Pierre Timbaud
75011 Paris

Tel : 01 48 07 17 04

The closest you’ll get to a real martini from the Bakara Lounge is their website, which features a prominent photo of a martini complete with appropriate glass and olive. However, their bartender now knows how to make one. Sort of. After explaining to the unconvinced barman what I wanted, I got this with 4 parts gin and one part Martini vermouth.

Definitely in the lower rungs of my martini tests, but regardless ofthe stateof my first round, I always manage to have a good time on Wednesdays.

Bakara Lounge is a large restaurant & bar full of red tones and friendly staff. The many tables and chairs were convenient as we had more people than usual for this week’s taste testing and it’s a place where it’s easy to pack in a slightly larger group. We’ve been trying to track down some decent happy hour cocktails lately, so I wanted to give their 4.50 Euros/cocktail happy hour (from 5 to 8pm) a try.

Their cocktail menu offers a range of so-so cocktails (Sea Breeze, White Russians, Bloody Mary’s, etc) at 6 Euros for non Happy Hour prices. Red Bull fans might enjoy one of their five specialty Red Bull cocktails such as the Bad Bull (Vodka, Amaretto, Pineapple juice & Red Bull). However, one of our group tried to order one of these featured cocktails and they were out of enough of the key ingredient to make it. Perhaps since the legalization of Red Bull in France a year or so ago, there’s been on a run on this hyper-caffeinated beverage making it scarce? They suggested substituting Perrier, which – presumably – does not “give you wings”, so our friend passed.

Following first orders, most of the group stuck with the mojitos which were of decent quality. Little dishes of peanuts eventually arrived on the table. And, although I didn’t try one myself, another member of last night’s group is a big fan of caipirinhas and passed a pretty mediocre judgement on those that were served here. We spent a couple of fun hours here chatting and sipping. However, there’s just not a lot that would get me back to Bakara anytime soon. The drinks were average to below average and the general quality level pretty typical for Paris. But, in the bar-laden Oberkampf area there are just too many places to choose from and you’d have to have a serious draw to get the crowds away from the multitude of other choices.