Quicktake: Visit Red house for Emperor Norton tacos and cocktails in Paris every Wednesday through Sunday. And don’t forget the 5 Euros Negronis.
Back in the early days of 52 Martinis, there wasn’t a lot of digital real estate devoted to cocktails in Paris. So, early enthusiasts had little choice but to slip into my tiny corner of the internet if they wanted online guidance on the best cocktails in Paris. Now cocktails have gone full-blown mainstream, bars are more marketing savvy, and PR agencies are pushing info to every online Paris guide. All this means that it’s no longer difficult to find a decent drink or two.
So, I often pause to ask myself just what is my value-added here. And it’s partly that I’m still on the search for the under the radar stuff that’s not being fed to the influencer machine via press release resulting in an echo chamber of what’s hot right now. You know, just real life shit happening that’s cool. Like…Emperor Norton’s taco nights at Red House.
I’ve long been a fan of both Red House and Emperor Norton and their collaborations like super bowl hot wings or the annual Thanksgiving dinner. Now that Red House has a revamped tiny kitchen, Omid of Emperor Norton is making tasty tacos there five nights a week. There is always a beef and queso birria taco as well as a mushroom-based vegan version. Plus there is a revolving taco of the week (it included kimchi on my latest visit). On Sunday’s they usually hold off on the tacos until the hot wings are gone.
You know what else I had last time I was there? Queso dip. I’m not even gonna front and say I don’t have a major weakness for that ooey gooey trashy comfort food found in ball parks, 7-11’s and jars all across America. And, Omid recently made a less industrial, even tastier version. So, I started my night with a martini cocktail and queso, before a plate of birria tacos.
I last visited with a big group of friends for tacos, cocktails and 5 Euros negronis. But it’s also the kind of place you can go solo, pull up a seat at the bar and chat with the regulars. Either way, it’s a tip you won’t necessarily find in all the usual guides. But it’s well worth noting if you want some truly good tacos in Paris. And maybe a cocktail or two to wash them down.
Red House
1 bis rue de la forge royale
75011 Paris
