Unlock Paris

Frank Gehry Retrospective - Centre Pompidou

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 11:01:00 +0000

Fondation Louis Vuitton maquette - Frank Gehry

We might as well just rename October "Frank Gehry Month" in Paris: not only is the legendary architect's spectacular, vessel-like building for the Fondation Louis Vuitton opening on the 27th October, but the first major retrospective in Europe dedicated to the his career is also opening this week at the Pompidou Centre.

The exhibition spans the Pritzker prize winner's work the world over, with 67 maquettes on display, from his debut in 1960s California right up to his iconic international projects today - including his most recent project, the afforementioned LVMH project - via the Guggenheim Bilbao, LA's Walt Disney Concert Hall, New York's IAC building and more. From room to room we see how Gehry has revolutionised architecture's aesthetics, its social and cultural role and its relationship to the city, not only via the models on display but also through over 200 sketches - which are a long way away from tightly plotted blueprints - and Sydney Pollack's 2006 film, "Sketches by Frank Gehry." A must-see for fans of Gehry's distinctive work.

Frank Gehry

8th October 2014 - 26th January 2015

Centre Pompidou

www.centrepompidou.fr

Ciel - Japanese Patisserie in Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 12:17:00 +0000

Sometimes* you can have your fill of eating flaky, buttery, creamy French pastry in gilded rococo tea rooms of the Ladurgelina calibre in Paris, but that doesn't mean you have to forego your afternoon sugar hit. The perfect foil to all that opulence is Ciel - a minimal Japanese patisserie set in a clean and airy, white space on the Left Bank, serving but one type of cake: fluffy and light angel cakes, which consist of a weightless (and butterless) sponge exterior encasing a subtle cream centre, in flavours ranging from sakura cherry, to yuzu, to earl grey to chocolate. The delectable little cloud-like cake can be eaten seated at the counter, washed down with all kinds of variations of Japanese tea, including an iced matcha latte or toasted green tea, or taken away in a beautiful origami box.

Patisserie Ciel

3 rue Monge, Paris 75005

www.patisserie-ciel.com

*sometimes, but not often

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw

Unlocking Paris with... Maheva

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 20:07:00 +0000

Swiss by birth, but Parisian by adoption, super talented fashion designer Maheva Ambresin has lived in Paris for 10 years and counting – working her sartorial magic at a selection of stylish French ready-to-wear brands and rubbing shoulders with the cool kids along the way. We caught up with the SoPi resident and gal about town at brand new boat Playtime for the first in our new series where we ask locals for their insider tips on what to do in the capital. Here’s what Maheva told us between dips in the pool and sips of Lillet on ice.

Where’s the best place in Paris for an al fresco drink?

Paris is known for its terraces but rather than being roadside or riverside, we all want a bit of greenery, a rooftop and some sun, so I’m afraid I’m going to say Le Perchoir, as, even if – victim of its own success – there are long waiting times and a slightly irritating clientele, the two Perchoir addresses remain the most beautiful terraces in Paris. I particularly enjoy sipping on a mojito granita and lying back on a sofa with my head in the clouds of Paris.

What are your favourite places for an off-the-cuff kind of an evening?

Unplanned evenings tend to happen after work, so I’ll head towards rue Saint-Anne, stopping by the Chez Moi boutique where Jean-Baptiste lives. You’re always welcome here to chat about future projects, to flick through books and admire the latest curiosities in store. Then Kunitoraya 2 is just a couple of minutes away and I can never resist dinner here – the waiters are too cute with their 100% Japanese shyness and the prawn tempura is incredible.

Concept Store Chez Moi

Most romantic place for a date?

Definitely Buvette. Try to nab the two places at the counter in the corner to the right of the entrance. The high stools allow for a bit of sexy leg flashing, the soft lighting hides all kinds of sins if your skin isn’t looking its best, and it’s all about small-sized sharing plates so you don’t look like a pig, and you can play with each other’s forks. Oh, and CHOCOLATE MOUSSE.

Chocolate Mousse at Buvette

Where is your favourite place in Paris to hole up when it rains?

In my bed in a man’s arms. Or, for an easier option, L’Avant Comptoir – even if it’s standing room only, you’ll want to stay to sample the dozens of tapas-sized dishes, washed down with sparkling rosé. If Yves Camdeborde wants to adopt me, I promise that I’ll never miss a family dinner ever again.

Wine and tapas-sized bites at l'Avant Comptoir

What’s your favourite local hangout?

I’m going to give you two as I love my hood and it’s too difficult to choose. So the first – and, sorry, but it’s not at all glamorous - is Le Paprika. I go for one thing and one thing only: the owner is Hungarian and serves his grandmother’s goulash – and even 10 minutes before closing time he’ll serve you, eyes full of pride to be continuing the family tradition. And the second is Caillebotte – oh go on, and the third is le Pantruche. I call them regularly begging for a table because it’s always fully booked. Both are lovely places, with friendly staff, delicious food and unbeatable prices.

Pink Grapefruit with Tarragon Ice-Cream at Caillebotte

Thanks, Maheva! We look forward to dinner at Pantruche with you soon (if you can can get us a table that is… Otherwise we'll settle for late night goulash). Stay tuned for the next in the series of insider tips with another local unlocking Paris for us.

La Table d'Eugène

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 09:33:00 +0000

We've been harping on about how the Northern side of Paris' 18th arrondissement is up-and-coming for a while now, singing the praises of Scandiwegian furniture shop Maison Nordik, Venezuelan areperia Bululu and hipster burger joint Le Ruisseau, to name just a few - and with the Unlock Paris HQ in this part of town, and most of our meetings held at the charming Cafe Lomi, it's an area we very much know and love. So imagine our excitement last Friday evening when we saw none other than the President of the Republic, François Hollande himself, dining at the gastronomic jewel in the crown of this neighbourhood: La Table d'Eugène. Proof that not only is this part of the 18th becoming hipsterfied - it's positively in the process of being gentrified.

Helmed by head chef Geoffrey Maillard and his sous-chef François Vaudeschamps - who have previously worked at Le Bristol, Le Plaza Athenée, Alain Senderens and Taillevent between them - the discreet Table d'Eugène has been drawing connoisseurs to rue Eugène Sue for the last five years since it opened (and is, as such, perhaps a trail-blazer for having set up in this part of town). Last September it unveiled its new decor - muted tones of beige, grey and oak - behind curtained windows cocooning patrons in its small, subtly luxurious dining room, where service is slick and the food takes centre stage. The menu is seasonal - changing every ten days - with high-quality individual ingredients sourced from small-scale producers being honored in each dish. Fixed-price dinner menus range between €55 and €99 and may feature dishes such as sea bream tartare with yuzu and daikon, or veal with truffle mashed potatoes, caramelised shallots and panfried chanterelle mushrooms, all beautifully presented and punctuated by amuses-bouches, palette cleansers and pre-desserts, and paired with wines from their superlative selection (the Pattes Loup Chablis, €48, goes down a treat). Weekday lunches are at the reasonable price of just €25 for starter+main or main+dessert, and, if you can't get a table here (book a week or so in advance) there is also a wine bar and tapas annexe, La Rallonge, just a couple of doors up, if you're looking for something more casual but still high-quality in the neighbourhood (and don't perhaps fancy rubbing shoulders with Mr Hollande).

La Table d'Eugène
18 rue Eugène Sue, 75018 Paris
01 42 55 61 64
www.latabledeugene.com

and for our little paparazzi moment....

François Hollande leaving La Table d'Eugène after dinner

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw / Unlock Paris

Bululu Arepera Montmartre

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Thu, 22 May 2014 14:08:00 +0000

Our radar is telling us that the "other" side of Montmartre - down the hill from the prime tourist photo-op territory of the Sacre Coeur - is bubbling under as one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Paris right now. We've already told you about burger bar Le Ruisseau, which is drawing local hipsters out of the woodwork, and trendy mid-century modern furniture shop Maison Nordik (check out our full round up in our piece The Other Side of Montmartre), and the area is continuing to build a solid empire of interesting, independent establishments, making this part of town a destination in and of itself. One of the area's top draws is charmingly ramshackle Venezuelan sandwich joint Bululu - the only Arepera in Paris. In the small space, with chipboard tables and recycled tin cans as cutlery holders , a team of pretty girls with flowery headscarves in their hair explain the Venzuelan sandwiches on offer: made from freshly baked, golden, gluten-free bread, arepas are a filled with various key ingredients such as avocado, tajada (plantain), black beans, cheese and beef. Also on offer are fried plantain chips, and deliciously simple Obleas for pudding - wafer sandwiches filled with sweet Dulce de Leche - and there are a range of juices, beers and lemonades to wash it all down with. Open for lunch and supper, and brunch on weekends.

Bululu,
20 rue de la Fontaine du But,
75018 Paris
Open Weds-Fri: 12-2.30; 7.30-11pm
Sat-Sun: 12-11.30pm

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw / Unlock Paris

Septime - now with a Michelin star

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Mon, 12 May 2014 13:10:00 +0000

Septime is arguably one of the best tables in Paris right now as far as we're concerned - and we're certainly not the only ones to think that: the three-year-old restaurant also features on the World's Best Restaurant list (this year at number 52), won cult restaurant guide Le Fooding's "Fooding d'Honneur" in 2012, and has now received accolade of all accolades - its first (of many?) Michelin star. Chef Bertrand Grébaut concocts fresh flavour combinations with seasonal ingredients - for example, tender bonito with tart rhubarb and aniseed notes of fennel - beautifully and simply presented (there's nary a fancy coulis-squiggle in sight), with the colours and textures of superlative raw ingredients taking centre stage. Knowledgable, non-pretientious sommeliers are on hand to explain the extensive wine list, which includes interesting offerings such as orange wine (referring to its tannic robe) as well as excellent reds and whites, by the glass or bottle. The atmosphere is - in keeping with the food - devoid of all pomp and circumstance, with a pared-back, light-filled decor featuring wood, glass and grey metals a-plenty and not a single starched white table cloth to be seen. Lunch comes in at an unbelievably reasonable €30 for three courses (with two choices for each course), or €55 for a five-course no-choice menu at lunch and €60 at dinner. So what's the catch? With all these selling points, it's not easy to get a table. Log on to their website three weeks in advance for your best chances at scoring a reservation and persevere. Also keep in mind that Grébin's new restaurant next door, the seafood sharing plate Clamato, is for walk-ins only and the the equally charming Septime La Cave is just around the corner for wine, cheese and aperitif fodder - so if you have no luck getting a table at the mothership, you can at least get a glimpse of the greatness that is Septime.

Septime

80 rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris

Tel: +33 1 43 67 38 29

www.septime-charonne.fr

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw / Unlock Paris

Tatoueurs Tatoués - Musée du Quai Branly

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Wed, 07 May 2014 10:33:00 +0000

Britain's first female tattoo artist, Jessie Knight, at work in 1955. ©Getty Images

Paris' museum of indigenous art, the Musée du Quai Branly, presents Tatoueurs Tatoués, an exhibition devoted to the practice of tattooing, with over 300 historical and contemporary works from all over the globe on display. Curated by Anne & Julien, founders of the art magazine Hey! - and in collaboration with France's most revered tattoo artist, Tin-Tin - Tatoueurs Tatoués traces the history of body art from the ritualizing decorations of traditional societies, to a means of marking criminals, to a form of sideshow spectacle, up to its present day ubiquity. On show are a vast variety of exhibits, from samples of tattooed skin (such as a swatch from 18th century Indonesia), to archival photos of the tattooed and the tattooers (such as Britain's first female tattoo artist, Jessie Knight, born 1897), tools (including Thomas Edison's 1877 stencil gun) and tattooed silicon body parts and canvases of fantasy projects created especially for the exhibition by 30 master tattooers from across the world. The exhibition also covers the art of tattooing by region, documenting the history, role and style of tattooing in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

Tatoueurs Tatoués at the Musée du Quai Branly

37 Quai Branly, 75007 Paris

Open Tues-Sun, 11am-7pm (until 9pm Thurs-Sat)

Until 18th October, 2014

"Volume" tattooed especially for the exhibtion by Filip Leu

Bamboo and ebony tattoo tools from Japan - 20th century

Tattoo artist Freddy Corbin

Letters between Sailor Jerry and Ed Hardy

Old Man Tattooing a Back, Anonymous, France, 18th Century

"Volume" tattooed especially for the exhibtion by Tin-Tin

Plates made for Alexandre Lacassagne, France, early 20th century

France's most revered tattoo artist, Tin-Tin, was the artistic consultant for the exhibition

Artisan - Cocktails and Small Plate Dining in South Pigalle

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 17:19:00 +0000

You know how much we love small plate dining here at Unlock Paris and you might have noticed that we're partial to a cocktail, too. And then there's our penchant for the area that we like to call SoPi (that's South Pigalle, to you) with our tongue firmly lodged in our cheek. Well, as luck would have it, Artisan ticks all of our boxes: located just behind the trendy rue des Martyrs in the 9th arrondissement, this cosy establishment serves a range of expertly mixed cocktails alongside tapas-sized dishes to share - perfect! Counter seating and a no-reservations policy create a laidback atmosphere - pitch up, pick a bar stool and order as you wish from the concise menu. Seasonally varying dishes include delights such as a jazzed-up croque monsieur with cured ham and mushrooms (€8), delicate root vegetables with hard-hitting horseradish (€7), langoustine ravioli in a sea of seafood emulsion (€10) and the pungent truffled brie (€10). For pudding, you can't go wrong with the creamy rice pudding with salted caramel and lime (€6) or the lemon creme brûlé with apple petals (€6) - both to be devoured with groans of wide-eyed pleasure. On the drinks menu are cocktails such as Be Sage (Bourbon, lemon juice, sugar, sage and Amaro, €13) or the playfully-named Are U Nuts (walnut-infused Cognac, white vermouth and chocolate bitters, €13) as well as a carefully chosen selection of wines (from €5 for a glass of Coteaux du Giennois). The high quality of the food combined with the casual dining format, coupled with a laidback yet softly-lit setting, makes Artisan a destination that's just as suitable for a romantic date as a dinner with friends - all in all, it's a winner in our books.

Artisan

14 rue Brochart de Saron, 75009 Paris

Open Tues-Sat, 7pm-2am (kitchen closes at 00.30); Sunday midday-4pm for brunch.

No reservations.

photos copyright Kim Laidlaw 2014.

Le Ruisseau - Burgers in the 18th arrondissement

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 10:08:00 +0000

Paris' love for burgers is showing no signs of abating, with burger joints continuing to pop up all over the capital, even as far a field as the new, tasteful Le Ruisseau in a rather quiet corner of the 18th arrondissement. This part of town - on the other side of Montmartre, away from the picture-perfect Amélie-style photo ops - is rather residential but has lately been showing signs of slowly but surely becoming a destination in and of itself (see our piece on The Other Side of Montmartre) with a trendy Scandiwegian furniture shop, a connaisseur-approved coffee bar and a super-stylish garden concept store all part of the neighbourhood's draw. Le Ruisseau - helmed by chef Alban Jousse, who was trained at Michelin-starred restaurant, Laurent - is bringing more local hipsters out of the woodwork to hang out in its pared-back setting and chow down on one of its many top-notch burgers (including a goats cheese burger, a BBQ burger, a tartare burger and a mighty fine veggie burger - prices from €12), served with homemade chips and a green salad, and washed down with Brooklyn Lager on tap, a cocktail (Mojito, Gin FIzz, Americano... €7.50/8) or wine by the glass or bottle (from €4 for a glass of Chinon Rouge). For those who can't choose between all the burger options, a pair of mini burgers of your choice can be ordered so two flavours can be sampled. And for those all burgered out, there are also other delights on offer including a chicken club sandwich, steak tartare and a Caesar salad. Save some space for the desserts (from €5.50) which include a global round up of sweet favourites from cheesecake and tiramisu, to fondant au chocolat and apple sorbet in Calvados. A welcome addition to the 18th.

Le Ruisseau

65 rue du Ruisseau

75018 Paris

Open Tues-Sun lunch and dinner; Sun brunch.

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw / Unlock Paris

Café Marlette

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 22:58:00 +0000

Created by sisters Margot and Scarlette, Marlette (see what they did there?) began as an organic food brand selling bread and cake mixes (stocked at choice Paris addresses such as Claus and Causses), and has now branched out to include the freshly opened Café Marlette, serving breakfast, lunch, brunch and snacks. The charming space on the trendy rue des Martyrs - with a pared back, bright and breezy decor of bare-brick walls and comfy window seats strewn with cushions - provides a convivial backdrop for laidback daytime dining. On the menu are simple, organic and healthy options at reasonable prices (from €7.50), including sandwiches (such as the delicate yet filling goats cheese, honey and raisin baguette), seasonal salads, soups and sweet treats fresh out of the oven such as cookies and scones. These can all be washed down with superior coffee supplied by Paris coffee masters, Coutume, organic tea from Lov or organic wine for those who wish to indulge. Brunch - featuring a selection of breads and jams, granola, compote and more - is served on the weekends (€25) and the Marlette bread and pastry mixes, from whence this story all began, are also on sale.

Café Marlette

51 rue des Martyrs,

75009 Paris

www.cafemarlette.fr

Open: Tues-Fri, 8.30am-7.30pm; Sat, 10am-7.30pm; Sun, 10am-6pm

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw / Unlock Paris

Chez Moi, Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 14:53:00 +0000

Chez Moi, Paris is a brand new boutique in the capital's first arrondissement, based upon the concept of an apartment - complete with bathroom, sitting room, dining room and bedroom - in which owner Jean-Baptiste Charpenay-Limon lives, eats and sleeps, and in which everything is for sale. The clean and sleek space, kitted out with a wooden runway leading from the front of the shop to the sleeping quarters, designed by Freek architects, is a backdrop for a sharp selection of artworks, homeware, magazines and journals (including Self Service, Purple, Roven), wine, furniture, clothes, accessories and more. There will also be food and drinks served in the near future, to offer a total homely experience. The idea is that you come and hang out with JB and his friends (and their cute dogs, on our visit), admire the decor, and leave with some of it under your arm. Come on in and make yourself at home.

Chez Moi, Paris

25 rue Hérold, 75001 Paris

www.chezmoiparis.com

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw / Unlock Paris

Tsubame

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 10:27:00 +0000

We love SoPi (South Pigalle, dontchaknow), we love Japanese food, we love small plate dining and we love bento boxes - ergo we absolutely fricking adore new Paris restaurant, Tsubame, which combines all of these elements in one neat package. On a corner spot on the sloping roads leading down from Pigalle, the simple, no-frills setting is the backdrop for a bento-box lunch spot, serving fish, meat or veggie options (inlcuding breaded pork served on rice with lotus root and spinach on our visit) in the daytime, and an izakaya - essentially a Japanase tapas bar (and a nascent Paris trend) - in the evening, with small plates to share, washed down with Nikka whisky, wine, sake or tea. Don't miss the distinctive black sesame icecream or the original matcha creme brûlée for pudding.

Tsubame

40 rue de Douai

75009 Paris

01 48 78 06 84

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw / Unlock Paris

Isakin

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 14:58:00 +0000

Freshly opened streetwear boutique Isakin, tucked away on a Montmartre street shared with the APC surplus store, is the brainchild of two superfly ex-record label execs, Alex and Thomas. Counting the likes of French rapstar Oxmo Puccino among their friends, the skateboarding, hip-hop-loving duo have drawn on their marketing and art direction expertise - as well as their solid network - to create this small gem of a shop, stocking a range of young labels mostly from France - many even from the 18th arrondissement itself. On the racks are cork-lined caps from up-and-coming brand CHMPGN - its name a vowel-less hommage to the fizzy wine region in which it was founded; threads from Paris label Poyz and Pirlz, set up by a collective of hip hop DJs; cheeky tees and caps from local label EyexCon (many of which are emblazoned with the word crapule, meaning scoundrel); and sweatshirts from neighbouring designers Paris Nord. Cult items have already emerged: Disney-style Sacre Coeur logo t-shirts, Belleville Hills sweatshirts and the shop's own creation of tops with "Barbès parle Arabe" (meaning Barbès - the area around the corner from the boutique - speaks Arab). The shop exclusively stocks menswear but Alex explains that, following the success of many items with customers' girlfriends, they are now putting an accent on how girls can style these male garments to look sharp, too.

Isakin, 9 rue André del Sarte, Paris 75018

www.isakinparis.com

all photos © Kim Laidlaw

Restaurant Caillebotte

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 17:08:00 +0000

The team behind much lauded South Pigalle restaurant Le Pantruche has reinforced its 9th arrondissement foothold with the opening of neo-bistro Caillebotte, just off the trendy rue des Martyrs. The light and airy space - featuring marble table tops, blond wood and an open kitchen - serves as a suitably bright and breezy setting for the refreshing cuisine on the seasonal menu: featured are starters such as smoked tuna with mustard broccoli, seaweed biscuit and siphoned piccalilli (€11), mains such as plaice in burnt breadcrumbs, with cauliflower mousseline and parmesan broth (€21) and desserts such as pink grapefruit with tarragon ice-cream and white chocolate crunch, or chocolate mousse with corn crumble and black olives (€9). These innovative and carefully composed dishes are also available on the fixed-price menu (€35 for starter, main and dessert), and the incredibly affordable lunchtime menu featuring the dish of the day comes in at €19 for starter/main or main/dessert. A dynamic addition to the buzzing SoPi neighbourhood.

Caillebotte

8 rue Hippolyte-Lebas

75009 Paris

+33 1 53 20 88 70

Open Mon-Fri, lunch and dinner

all photos © Kim Laidlaw

Henri Cartier-Bresson at the Centre Pompidou

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 14:09:00 +0000

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Crowd waiting outside a bank to purchase

gold during the last days of the Kuomintang,

Shanghai, China, December 1948. © Henri Cartier-Bresson/Magnum Photos,

courtesy Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson, First paid holidays, banks of the Seine, France

1936. © Henri Cartier-Bresson/Magnum Photos,

courtesy Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson

Paris' Centre Pompidou presents an extraordinarily thorough retrospective of French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson's oeuvre, with more than 500 works spanning the artist's 70 year career. The chronological exhibition starts with the period in which Cartier-Bresson fraternised with the Surrealists and began his work as a photographer, followed by the era marked by his political engagement and his work for the Communist press, and leads on to his photo-reportage work and the creation of the Magnum Photos cooperative. Bringing together this wealth of work - which includes photographs, films, drawings and documents - the retrospective aims to show the many facets of Cartier-Bresson which, united by his eye for composition and ability to capture a singular moment, made him one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century.

Henri Cartier-Bresson, 12th February - 9th June 2014

Centre Pompidou

Every day except Tuesday, 11am - 9pm.

www.centrepompidou.fr

Léngué - Japanese Tapas in the Latin Quarter

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 16:58:00 +0000

There has been something of a small-plate trend over the last couple of years in Paris, but the concept is neither new nor uniquely European. Trying out (and loving) new South Pigalle Japanese tapas joint Ito led us to rediscovering established Left Bank restaurant Lengué, which is also an Izakaya - a Japanese drinking specialist serving small sharing plates - with ex-Robuchon chef Katsutoshi Kondi heading up the kitchen. The intimate space with wooden ceiling beams and bare stone walls is on a little hidden-away street - an alley of calm between the tourist traps of the Latin Quarter. On the extensive menu are bite-sized delights such as sweetly succulent Dengaku aubergine fried in miso, light and fluffy omelette, finger-licking good sesame chicken wings, and sautéed squid with ginger (prices range from €5-12 per dish), to be washed down with Japanese beer, Nikka Whiskey, sake or plum wine, and to be rounded off with refreshing mochi icecream or matcha tiramisu. Be prepared to re-order several times throughout your meal as the dishes are so delicious it's hard to resist trying more and you'll surely become intrigued by whatever your neighbours are eating... Book ahead and come with a big appetite.

Lengué
31 rue de la Parcheminerie, 75005 Paris
Open Tues-Sat, 12-3pm; 7-11pm.
Tel: 01 46 33 75 10

Café Kitsuné

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 16:20:00 +0000

Not content with being a highly covetable clothes brand and super cool record label, Paris-based hipster-favourite Kitsuné has added another string to its bow with the opening of Café Kitsuné just around the corner from its flagship store, in the picturesque Palais Royal Gardens. The small, standing-room only space in this refined square in the capital's first arrondissement - neighbouring luxury brands such as Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney - is in keeping with the brand's high-quality esthetic: marble counters, moulded ceilings and clean white walls are the stage for a sleek and shiny Marzocco coffee machine and plenty of fox-embellished merchandise ("kitsuné" means fox in Japanese). On the menu are Brazilian coffee roasted by the Workshop Coffee Co. in London - expertly made by the charming baristas in incarnations of espresso, latte, capuccino etc. - a concise selection of top-notch teas, creamy smooth hot chocolate, super-healthy juices from Bob's Cold Press and sweet gluten-free goodies from Noglu. All to be enjoyed standing at the counter with it's superb view onto the square or to takeaway for a stroll through the charming 17th century Palais Royal gardens and a spot of decadent window shopping.

Café Kitsuné

51 Galerie de Montpensier

75001 Paris

Open Mon-Sun, 8.30am-6.30pm

all photos copyright Kim Laidlaw

Holybelly Café

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 16:36:00 +0000

The cornering roads of rue des Vinagriers and rue Lucien Sampaix in Paris' 10th arrondissement may now officially be declared one of the hottest crossroads in Paris thanks to the recent openings of trendy fish and chip shop The Sunken Chip, sleek bakery Liberté and also charming new cafe Holybelly. Inspired by their time in coffee mecca Melbourne, Sarah and Nico opened this cosy cafe just behind the Canal St Martin back in October, serving not only seriously good coffee but also a solid breakfast and lunch menu with which to soak up your cup of joe. Seasonal delights such as kale and beetroot salad or a soup of the day feature on the menu alongside the splendour that is eggs, pancakes, bacon and bourbon butter, and can be washed down with top-notch filter coffee, cappuccino, lattes and more made with blends from coffee holy lands such as Guatemala and Ethiopia. A friendly neighbourdhood joint that it's actually well worth crossing Paris for.

Holybelly

19 rue Lucien Sampaix, 75010 Paris

Open Mon, Thurs, Fri: 9am-6pm; Sat-Sun 10am-6pm.

Restaurant Richer

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 13:49:00 +0000

One of our favourite discoveries of 2013 was laidback restaurant Le Richer, from the same team behind slightly more upscale address L'Office (and we're not alone: L'Express Styles agrees it's one of the best Paris restaurants of the year and Le Fooding has awarded it the accolade of best bistro in its 2014 Paris guide). The corner space in the capital's 9th arrondissement, with exposed brick walls and large oval mirrors, houses an unpretentious neobistro serving well-executed lunch and dinner dishes, (such as a trout tartare starter served with cauliflower and tomato and citrus mousse, €10) as well as breakfast, pre-dinner small-plates (check out the smooth and creamy burrata), artisan beers on tap and a selection of well-chosen wines. Richer ticks many boxes: inventive cuisine, seasonal food, relaxed atmosphere, friendly service, reasonable prices (around €35 for two courses), open daily and no need to book in advance (walk-ins only). It's a great option for when you need good food and a good vibe at a moment's notice. We like.

Richer

2 rue Richer, 75009 Paris

Open daily from 8am-1am

COLETTE x NOEL x THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 23:44:00 +0000

(photo Linus Ricard)

Quirky creative team The House That Jack Built will be working their magic this Saturday in Paris at concept store par excellence, Colette. In collaboration with Santa Claus himself, and his giant Christmas tree ornaments, they invite you to join in the fun and frolics of their glittering, larger-than-life photo booth. The supremely inventive duo behind The House That Jack Built will dress you up in Christmas accessories so that you can have your photo taken by Fuji and walk away with instant, seasonal (but also super-cool) memories. There will also be real-life drummer boys on hand to create a festive, fairy tale mood.

Saturday 21st December, 2-6pm

Colette, 213 rue St Honoré, 75001 Paris

Beaubien

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 14:58:00 +0000

New multibrand menswear shop Beaubien is bringing high quality, independent casual brands from all over the world to its charming Northern Marais boutique. The store's founder, Julien Bouzereau - formerly part of the Parisian casual/cool clothes label par excellence, Kitsuné - has chosen a tight selection of luxury streetwear threads, with an attention to detail and fabric (think cashmere, chambray, soft fleecy cotton), from brands from France, Denmark, Japan and the US - some of which aren't stocked anywhere else in Paris but here. Featured in the minimal shop (complete with vintage 50s furniture) are basics such as sweaters, knitwear, trousers, parkas, sneakers and t-shirts from hard-to-find labels such as Peter Jensen, Battenwear, Dana Lee and Libertine-Libertine, as well as on point accessories such as Timex watches and backpacks from Bag'n'noun, to dress the stylish but subtle modern man from head to toe.

Beaubien

21 rue Notre Dame de Nazareth

75003 Paris

Open Mon-Sat

Ito

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 16:12:00 +0000

We've said it before, and no doubt we'll say it again: South Pigalle is the place to be in Paris right now, and the recent arrival of casual Japanese canteen Ito only confirms that sentiment. The tiny, inconspicuous restaurant in the SoPi neighbourhood, helmed by chef Victor Magsaysay, serves serious Japanese tapas, with a concise menu of ten small dishes featuring delights such as tofu-stuffed shitake mushrooms, finely cut Chahan cauliflower with ginger and black sesame, succulent dengaku aubergine with red miso and chilies, and a beautifully presented yuzu-black sesame red berry cheesecake for pudding, all to be washed down with Japanese beer (Kirin, Asahi), dangerously delicious Umeshu plum wine or sake or whiskey from their extensive drinks list. Prices are €19 for three plates, €25 for four or €65 for ten (count on having three to four plates per person).

Ito

2 rue Pierre Fontaine

75009 Paris

Reserve by email: reservations@itoeats.fr or phone (from 6pm) 09 52 91 23 00

Open Mon-Sat, 8pm-2am

Liberté - Patisserie Boulangerie by Benoît Castel

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 12:33:00 +0000

Hot off the press and fresh out of the oven: brand new bakery Liberté opened its doors just last week on the corner of up-and-coming roads rue Lucien Sampaix and rue de Vinaigriers just next to the Canal St Martin in Paris' 10th arrondissement and has already been drawing in the crowds daily with its swanky interior design and superlative breads and cakes. Following the creation of Left Bank boulangerie-patisserie Josephine Bakery, master pastry chef Benoît Castel - who formerly created delights for luxury Parisian food hall La Grande Epicerie - has now opened his second address in the capital in the ultra-trendy, super-edgy Canal St Martin neighbourhood, a couple of doors up from our favourite fast food joint The Sunken Chip and just round the corner from new café Holybelly. The decor is stylishly modern and breaks the tradi/cosy local baker shop mould, with a sleek and massive marble counter contrasted with delicate tiled floors, brut walls and bare Claude Leveque-esque neon lights. On sale is a beautiful array of sweet things including refined lemon meringue tarts, rum babas each with their own pipette of rum, deliciously fragrant cakes and biscuits (the fruit financier is a winner) as well as top-notch croissants, excellent bread and lunch options including sandwiches and salads.

Liberté

39 rue des Vinaigriers

75010 Paris

Open Tues-Sat 7am-8pm

Rapha Europe City Cycling Guides

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 16:43:00 +0000

Supremely talented, cycling-mad mates Max Leonard and Andy Edwards have united their day jobs (writer and graphic designer respectively) with their passion for travelling on two wheels to create this beautiful box set of city cycling guides, in association with every bike enthusiast's favourite brand, Rapha. The nine pocket-sized books each deal with a different European city, detailing the best places to cycle and the best cafés and restaurants in which to refuel (and superlative shops, galleries and museums, too), neighbourhood by neighbourhood, and have all important sections on essential bike info, racing and training, and a suggested day-long itinerary. Paris - the hallowed cycling city in which the holy cycling grail of the Tour de France culminates - is, unsurprisingly, one of the chosen destinations for the guides (and to which Kim, your trusty editor of Unlock Paris, proudly contributed) and so fittingly hosted not only a launch party last week at chic cycling shop En Selle Marcel but also a Rapha-organised bike ride from the Champs-Elysées to Longchamp to celebrate the books landing in store. The box set - a perfect Christmas present idea - is out now for £25/€30.

City Cycling Guide Europe - Rapha (Thames & Hudson). Available to buy online now at the Rapha store.

Maison Nordik - Mid-Century Scandinavian Design in Paris' Montmartre

noreply@blogger.com (Unlock Paris) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 13:26:00 +0000

Frenchman Gregory Donatien and his Danish wife Louise Vyff have united their stylish cultural heritage to create Maison Nordik, a new boutique in the foothills of Montmartre selling mid-century modern Scandinavian furniture and home accessories, bringing clean Nordic design to the north of Paris. The two-floor, 100m2 space showcases carefully sourced pieces - Arne Jacobsen tables, HW Klein chairs, Svend Middelboe lamps - that the couple seek out in Denmark and ship over to the shop, selecting only items that are in tip top condition. Mixed in with the pristine vintage furniture are equally covetable accessories such as graphic knitted cushions from contemporary brand Lucky Boy Sunday or iconic design items such as Finnish architect Mogens Lassen's geometric candle holders. The shop also sells its own brand scented candles in fragrances such as tomato leaf and fig that are, in keeping with the rest of the shop, of a superbly high quality. A great addition to the 18th arrondissement.

Maison Nordik

www.maisonnordik.com

159 rue Marcadet, 75018 Paris