Quick Take: Le Gallopin offers Thursday night five course food and cocktail pairings well worth a visit.
The reopening of le Gallopin’s beautiful old cocktail bar brought some glamour back to Paris with their collection of vintage French spirits in such a grand setting. Now they’ve taken the fun even further with five course cocktail and plate pairings that combine ‘French Bourgeois’ cuisine and cocktails made with French spirits served every Thursday to a seating of only six at the zinc bar.
This is far from your average bar snacking. Places are set with gold trimmed dishes and drinks are poured into delicate cut glass stemware. Chef Mathieu Scherrer collaborates with Head Barman Stanislas Jouenne to create a five course pairing that might include an outstanding riz de veau paired with a cognac based cocktail or pork belly alongside a rhum fat-washed with its drippings.
The evenings are themed by spirit, and run for a few months with a focus on various expressions of one brand throughout the seating. The series began with a cognac theme, followed by the current rhum theme.
With just six spots at the bar, diners have a front row seat and a warm welcome. The month’s theme is explained and the whole experience is convivial, personal, and tons of fun with lots of opportunity to interact with the chef and bartenders.. Depending on the pairing, Chef Scherrer might flambe shrimp before you or the bartender Jil Leyris might dazzle you by pouring flaming cognac between metal mugs for a blue blazer nightcap.
This pairing has a lot that sets it apart with good service, quality food and drink, plus all the little extras. It’s an evening that would be easy to do solo, as a couple or with a group of six to They’re taking August off, but will resume in September with Calvados and the five plates + five cocktails at 70 Euros. Call to reserve. Given my experience with the last two, I’ll likely be doing the same.
Le Gallopin
40 rue Notre Dames des Victoires
75002 Paris
