Welcome to a new series bringing you quick news updates from Paris in everything from food and shopping to culture and urban development.

 

CREAM IS NO MORE 
Belleville’s popular coffee shop Cream has closed its doors. It has been purchased by roaster Belleville Brûlerie and, according to a quick exchange with their communication director, will become some sort of a tasting space-slash-coffee shop hybrid. We’ll see when it opens in September.

50 rue de Belleville, 75020

THE BEAST HAS A BIG BROTHER
Founded by Thomas Abramowicz (see the food chapter of “The New Paris”!), the city’s best barbecue now has a bigger sister. The Beast 2 is located on rue de Belleville, right next door to cocktail bar La Commune (also in The New Paris) and has all the much-loved dishes and sides as the original location but now with fish, vegetarian, and salad options. They also have a short but sharp cocktail offering and, in addition to The Beast brew by Deck & Donohue on tap, the D&D IPA. But the real surprise here is what awaits downstairs. Son of a Beast is a separate restaurant with a Chinese tasting menu. Thomas wanted to explore how barbecue could be incorporated into other cuisines (subtly) and he begins with star dishes from Chinese cooking. He worked with illustrator-cookbook author Eliane Cheung who consulted on the menu to ensure dishes like Cantonese pork ribs, dumplings and steamed sea bass were true to tradition. Smokey flavor reaches a crescendo midway through the menu but never outshines the other flavors. An smartly selected natural wine pairing is available.

Son of a Beast seats 19 and is available upon reservation, more information here.

78 Boulevard de Belleville, 75020 
Métro: Couronnes (line 2) or Belleville (lines 2 and 11)

CONTEXT TRAVEL: NEW PARISIAN PALATE TOUR 
How do local residents eat and shop for food today? Those based in the North Marais don’t have to look or travel far for a constellation of standout grocers, patisseries, canteens, and coffee shops from some of the city’s most talented artisans. Context Travel now offers a tour called The New Parisian Palate that shines a light on this dense concentration of quality food haunts in the neighborhood and I had the pleasure of being a guest to follow along (for each of the tastings, too!). I think what struck me most is the realization that we, as Parisians, have never had it better. There is so much excellence around us that it is becoming all the easier to make recommendations to visitors looking for specific food experiences, in and out of the Marais. But this neighborhood in particular has undergone tremendous change so it came as no surprise that Context would create a tour that concentrates on its greatest assets, from the Marché des Enfants Rouges to Poîlane and the arrival of Cali-style health food at Wild & the Moon.

You may ask, why would I care or want to visit a juice bar or vegan canteen while I’m in Paris? Because Paris is far more than its Gallic culinary heritage and Parisians are drawn to an array of food styles. This is one of the points I tried to highlight in my book – why should locals be limited to coq au vin, jambon-beurre sandwiches, and quiche lorraine (to play into the cliché)? They shouldn’t and  if you wish to better understand what a pocket of the Paris food scene looks like and how Parisians are actually consuming today, this is the experience to book. Be sure to come hungry!
Visit Context Travel for more information.

LEBANESE ICE CREAM AT BACHIR
Though my stomach doesn’t tolerate the copious quantities of ice cream I used to be able to ingest (RIP gut of steel), I can’t forgo a scoop or two during the summer. Une Glace à Paris is a perennial favorite but I’m eager to get out and try Bachir since reading about it on David Lebovitz’s blog. About the standout option Glace achta he writes, “the ice cream is special because it’s made with mastic, a resin that gives the ice cream a light pine flavor, and chewier texture than custard-based ice cream.” SOLD. All of the ice creams are organic, whipped cream is free (I can live without other toppings but I’m a sucker for fresh whipped cream), and you’re supporting a family-run business with a long history in ice cream making in Lebanon. I say, this is a welcome addition to the ever-so-slowly developing ice cream offering in Paris.

58 rue Rambuteau, 75004
Métro: Rambuteau (line 11)

This series is inspired by my book “The New Paris”. Pick up a copy ! 

[bwwpp_book sku=’97814197240390000000′]