Most people don’t come to Paris looking for spicy food. French food is many things, but spicy is not one of them. In fact, most of the French people I know find even cinnamon to be too spicy: when it comes to heat, it’s mustard or bust. Chile heat is unfamiliar and, generally speaking, just too much for the French palate.
But when you grew up in a city that offers so many cuisines that love heat, from Indian to Mexican to Chinese, it can be tough to wait for trips back for some sizzle. And for that reason, I’m so grateful for Deux Fois Plus de Piment.
Deux Fois Plus de Piment is a Szechuan restaurant on a little street in the 11th arrondissement. It’s nothing fancy, with just a handful of tables and laminated menus, but it delivers on the promise of its name: literally, “twice the chile.”
Most of the dishes on the menu can be ordered on a scale from zero to five, in terms of heat. I originally ordered a four and was negotiated down to a three, which for this spiced-and-fried potato dish was still a little bit too hot for me – and I’m a huge fan of spice.
To be fair, a three on the kung pao chicken was far more manageable: the slightly sweet sauce and fresh scallions balanced out the heat perfectly. This was one of my favorite dishes of the night.
I also loved this beef with leeks and vinegar: it was well-balanced and pleasantly vegetal.
Whatever else you order, you can’t miss these dumplings (known as “ravioli,” in French) with a sesame-scented sauce and a sprinkling of peanuts.
While this spot is tiny, they do also deliver, which makes me “twice” as likely to dig in on a regular basis.
Deux Fois Plus de Piment - 33, rue Saint Sébastien, 75011