Paris • Cocktails • Bars

Curieux Spaghetti Bar
14, Rue Saint Merri
75004 Paris
Tel : 01 42 72 75 97

Okay, I was attracted by the website. Under the heading “Ask my barman” reads: “classic martini.” I assumed that meant they know how to make a martini. But, the night I went apparently that meant “just TRY and ask my barman” Our conversation went something like this:

“Un vrai martini” (this seems to be what a lot of French bar staff understand to be an American-style martini – and I’ve said this before: I’m not knocking a standard French apero of sweet vermouth, it’s just not what I’m seeking out on my Wednesday Cocktail Adventures)

“rouge ou blanc?”

I tried again “martini traditional?”

“rouge ou blanc?”

“Classique martini avec gin”

The lights went on.

The Curieux Spaghetti Bar seems to be THE place to go if you’re male, just out of your teens & ready to get your gay on while bouncing around to loud dance music. And, while I can enjoy a hip, trendy, Marais establishment, it’s not a real cocktail scene. My martini with Gordon’s was drinkable – but not through the big straw they served it with.

I don’t really want to bag on this place, because everyone seemed to be having a great time. But, I had a couple of issues. For one – it wasn’t a fabulous cocktail. For another, it felt like a restaurant (nay, eatery) that you would find in a train station. (Something about the big, bright menus that gave that impression.)

Matt arrived later and we both ordered mojitos, which are heavily advertised on their website and drinkably okay. They were big mojitos, served with lots of sparkling water & probably sure to please a less demanding cocktail crowd at the happy hour price of 6 Euros. They had several variations such as the cranberry “maxi-mojito” that Matt ordered (somewhat refreshing) and the chocolate “maxi-mojito” which I ordered (way too sweet).

My overall impression: it’s right around the corner from the Pompidou – don’t avoid it if you want a large and possibly refreshing mojito with a bowl of spaghetti (served in brightly colored plastic picnic style bowls, which with their school cafeteria feel, only served to underscore the fact that most of the clientele are probably still in the equivalent of high school). But, be prepared for loud music, bright décor, a ‘bouncy’ crowd and fair-to-middlin’ cocktails.