Uptown has caused a bit of a stir in this predominantly residential neighbourhood – in a good way. Its pretty bright blue frontage is like a beacon calling locals to its little heated terrace, and inside is a warm welcome and great food. Huge wooden tables rest on old sewing machines, while the vintage tiling on one side is offset by smart new flooring on the other. It’s all a bit crowded, but charming.
The speciality here is sharing plates, with a Japanese accent. Things like confit kisoa pork, scallops marinated in sake and hare tortelloni make up a short but ambitious menu. At €9-€15 per portion it isn’t cheap, but the ingredients are top quality. Surprisingly, the wine list seem to have everything but French wine – Australian, Argentinean, Californian, Chilian, Japanese and Syrian instead – which makes a nice change. If you’re more into cocktails there are five bang-on house mixes at €11 each. Sundays bring brunch, with pastries and hot dishes plus a mimosa for €25.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the only problem with Uptown is how busy it gets – you’ll need to reserve ahead to have a chance of getting a seat past 7pm, even on weeknights.
TRANSLATION: ELLEN HARDY