April 2006
Paris ’06
by Cynthia Sin-Yi Cheng
LES ENFANTS ROUGES
90, rue des Archives
75003 Paris
01.48.87.80.61
During my visit last November, some Parisian friends booked dinner on a Friday night at Les Enfants Rouges. I had no idea what to expect when they told me they were taking me to a wine bar, since at that point I hadn’t been to many in Paris.
Boy was I in for a treat! LER is right on rue des Archives, in the heart of the Marais yet tucked inside a long courtyard so that it’s a bit of an insiders’ spot. When you enter, you face a cramped bar where you will find the infamous Dany (previous owner of the well-known Montmatre bar à vin, Moulin à Vins), her husband and their daughter manning the scene.
Dany has impeccable taste in wine. Her list is succinct and hand-written on a small chalkboard, at which I sometimes don’t even bother looking since she will tell you about her latest finds with enthusiasm.
This time, I dropped by at lunchtime to meet up with a filmmaker friend who is working on a script at the Cinefondation-Cannes Festival Residence. While waiting, I asked Dany for a sparkler. She was thrilled! She told me few people ask for it, but she had a good one to share. It turned out to be a Mauzac Nature from none other than Plageoles (€4). Either Mauzac is catching on or Plageoles is very popular right now. I liked it! Fragrant like a Granny Smith apple, it was extremely dry and lightweight. A perfect daytime apéro.
Kit arrived, and we both ordered the €16 menu déjeuner. I had the salade de poireaux tièdes aux herbes (Warm Leek Salad with Herbs), followed by a braisé de joues de boeuf vigneronne (Braised Beef Cheeks in Wine). We started with a 2004 Vin de Pays de L’Ardèche. Wines from the Ardèche region were another neat discovery during my trip. Friends were serving it at dinner parties, my favorite restaurant served it with its daily menu and LER had a stellar one from none other than the top Northern Rhône producer, Dard & Ribo (€4). The blend was Syrah and Gamay. Next, we continued with a 1999 Domaine de Causse Marines “Duras” (€4,5). Known for inverting the names of his wines, the producer labeled this one “Rasdu.” Who would have guessed? A 1999 that tasted juicy like a just-released vintage. This is what keeps fans coming back: Dany knows her wines (and all the producers and clients personally).
And oh! Going back to the little touch at the end… At LER, the coffee comes with a piece of Speculos (the gingerbread cookie of every French childhood). At Les Enfants Rouges every visit is good till the last drop.
