I’ve already been to Frenchie Bar à Vins (and have even written about it on the blog), but seeing as the wine bar has recently undergone renovations (and a menu makeover), I decided to write about it again… And seeing as I returned to celebrate some very exciting news, it seemed only fitting that I feature it.
Frenchie Bar à Vins was where my aunt and I celebrated my new literary agent!
With wine.
This was my first time returning to Frenchie since the renovations. The interior of the wine bar is now quite a bit more luminous, which I’ll admit I’m a fan of, as it makes photographing the delicious plates a bit easier.
The menu also got a bit of a makeover: whereas before, one could choose from a longer list of small plates to share, the new menu is more diminutive: divided into sections like “vegetables” or “baked,” each of which features two or three plates. The result, however, is the same: we ended up ordering two “small” and one “vegetable,” and everything was just as delicious as I remember it being before.
This smoked Banka trout was my aunt’s first experience with morel mushrooms. Meaty and rich, they were a delicious counterpoint to fresh spring peas and mint. The salmon itself was perfectly prepared: rich and fatty, it came apart when we just barely touched it with the tines of our forks.
These artichokes were perhaps the best example I can think of of a dish that uses meat as garnish rather than the main event. Tiny purple artichokes were roasted and served with Bigorre pork belly: the sheets of fat and tiny cubes of meat offered two different textures and flavors, and the combination of Bigorre, Parmesan, and artichoke really brought out the nuttiness of all three ingredients.
The star of the night, at least as far as I’m concerned, was this Scotch egg. Not only was it perfectly cooked, but the pairing of the egg with a kimchi aioli and spiced cabbage slaw really cut through some of the fattiness that the traditional egg can have. I loved this dish.
While for many, the restaurant across the street is the true winner of the Frenchie family, for me, the wine bar will always have a special place in my heart – and it’s my go-to for important celebrations!
Frenchie Bar à Vins - 6 Rue du Nil, 75002