Chair de Poule

Time Out says

Mon Jul 9 2012

This is one of Time Out's 100 best bars in Paris. Click here to see the full list.

The only shivers you’ll get at the Chair de Poule [goose bumps] are those of pleasure – both from their electric cocktails and from their menu, which fuses all sorts of exotic ingredients in high-class tapas. Order a whole bunch of things to share and you’ll be able to taste everything from baba ghannouj (puréed aubergine with spices) to oysters, then salmon tartare with mango and sesame, pork with miso, sea bass tartare with pomegranate and pain perdu with figs. As you can imagine, the fork fights for the last scraps can be quite dramatic.

Natural or organic wines are available à la ficelle (you only pay for what you drink), which is a great opportunity to discover some independent vineyards, and locals and Brits (friends of the cheerful proprietor) rub shoulders here. Happy hour is the time to try imported beers or indulge in a Pimms on the terrace. The design inside is fun and retro, with psychedelic curtains from the 70s, an old Piaggio scooter parked in the dining room, and the loos papered with kitsch posters and cute vintage adverts. Some evenings they put on a gig or a DJ to warm up the atmosphere, though it’s always already very jolly. Brunch on Sundays.

By CC/EH