The unveiling of a fabulously OTT new hotel in Paris gave us the perfect reason to jump on the Eurostar and head across to France for a quick Parisian minibreak. Here's where we stayed, ate and drank during our stay.
Staying in Paris
The colourful hotel lobby space at La Fantaisie
La Fantaisie
9th arrondissement- 24 Rue Cadet, 75009 Paris, France
A relatively new addition to the Paris hotel scene, this is definitely somewhere that'll resonate with Londoners. It's been designed by Martin Brudnizki who's made his mark on London in many spaces like Annabel's, The Vesper Bar at The Dorchester and Broadwick Soho. If you've been to any of those places, you'll know that Brudnizki isn't one for minimalism and that trend continues here. The hotel is a riot of bright patterns and flourishes throughout. But, as you'll have seen in his other places like The Broadwick, somehow it all holds together.
La Fantaisie is a looker but it's also very well placed for anyone travelling from London. The hotel is a short 15-minute walk/2-3 minute cab ride from Gare du Nord. Not only that, but it's on a street which itself will be perfect for creating the ultimate train buffet on the way home, with a fromagerie, independent wine shop (and bar), traiteur and two bakeries having pretty much everything you could need.
As for the rooms, they are on the the small-ish side, but that's par for the course in many Paris places, frankly (from personal experience, anyway). But they are beautifully designed like the rest of the hotel, while some of them have small terraces that let you soak up the Parisian streets over a glass of wine from the minibar.
On the food and drink side of things you're spoilt for choice here with a pavement cafe/bar, a main restaurant with a large garden to dine in during the summer and a rooftop bar.
The rooftop bar at the hotel which is a great place for late night cocktails and also has a huge terrace with views across to the Eiffel Tower.
Where we ate
The perfect neighbourhood bistro doesn't exist... or does it?
Capsule
Montparnasse - 2 Rue Cassini, 75014
This neighbourhood bar and restaurant opened this summer. You'll find it in the 14th arrondissement just around the corner from the Paris Observatory. Head chef Mickaël Falotte was brought up surrounded by food as the son of an artisan baker and chocolatier and comes here from the chic Parisian restaurant Loulou. He says his aim at Capsule is to serve up gourmet food that doesn't cost the earth and we'd say he more that met that remit.
The menu here focuses on refined bistro dishes, with highlights for us including a perfect oeuf mollet with shards of speck and a Parmesan emulsion and a to-die-for version of Ile flottante on a salted caramel butter sauce.
Scallops with a mushroom mousse and celeriac at Capsule
Who doesn't love an Iles Flottante?
It's all well worth seeking out and notably pretty good value for Paris too.
The incredible warm and inviting dining toom at Bistrot Des Tournelles
Bistrot Des Tournelles
6 Rue des Tournelles, 75004 Paris
Numerous London chefs and restaurateurs we follow in Instagram had put up photos from Bistrot Des Tournelles that left us drooling in the months before we went to Paris so we were determined to secure a reservation at this newish bistrot. It wasn't an easy task; bookings open two weeks in advance and you have to set your alarm to get a table. But it's worth being so organised, because this is a love letter to French bistrot food.
Édouart Vermynck is the restaurateur (he also opened L’Entree des Artistes) with chef Geoffroy Lalangella responsible for a menu of classics like egg mayonnaise done perfectly. The chicken cordon bleu is a heart attack on a plate, in the nicest possible way and the wine list is exclusively natural and low-intervention.
The chicken 'bomb' that is the Cordon Bleu at Bistrot Des Tournelle. Unmissable.
We had a fantastic meal here and can't recommend this place highly enough.
More about Bistrot Des Tournelles
The main hotel restaurant at La Fantaisie
La Fantaisie restaurant
Hotel dining rooms can be hit or miss, but the good news is that the one at La Fantaisie falls firmly into the hit category. We had a very good lunch here and liked the fact that it was a busy spot for mid day with Parisians using it as a good place for a business lunch. It's one of those really good menus that flirts with 'international' as a theme, so you're as likely to find tuna tataki on here as you are roast chicken with gnocchi and morels. The best dish for us, hands-down, was one of king crab on tufts of green cabbage with wasabi mayo - so good!
More about La Fantaisie restaurant
Such a great crab dish at La Fantaisie's main restaurant
Where we drank
It's worth a short wait in the queue outside to get a table in the dark snug bar that is Candelaria
Candelaria
Le Marais - 52 Rue de Saintonge, 75003 Paris
A stalwart of the World's Best Bars list, you enter this cocktail spot through a door at the back of a taco bar in the Marais. It's stupidly popular for a reason, the cocktails are good and the place just feels like a good-time spot.
Pull up a stool at La Quincave
La Quincave
Observatoire - 17 Rue Bréa, 75006 Paris
This was a handy pitstop before dining at Capsule. It's a teeny wine bar devoted to natural wine that we just happened upon, but was apparently also in an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. A lovely friendly bar with some really great options by the glass - and a selection of cheese and charcuterie if you're hungry.
It is cute, isn't it?
Le Cafe Petibon
Invalides - 47 Rue Cler, 75007 Paris, France
Searching for an Accidentally Wes Anderson style coffee spot while in Paris? Then look no further. Serving up everything from seasonally spiced lattes and matchas to everything with Chantille cream, this cute cafe is a perfect pitstop if you're heading to the Eiffel Tower.
Shopping
We wanted literally everything at Lastre Sans Apostrophe
Lastre Sans Apostrophe
Gros-Caillou - 188 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris
Photographs of insanely beautiful pates en croutes brought us to the store of this former butcher, Ritz chef and gold medal winner at the Pate En Croute World Championships Yohan Lastre. Go here before your trip back on the Eurostar to stock up with amazing terrines, rillettes and pies.
Getting there
Why would anyone take the plane to Paris when you have the Eurostar? If funds afford, a bump up to the new Plus or Premier classes is always a treat and we often watch out for special offers to do just that. You can read our review of the new Premier class here.
The timetable says it takes 2 hours 16 minutes to travel between London and Paris but on both our legs we arrived early. Our only tip would be to bring a cool bag for all the cheese and charcuterie you're going to want to bring back with you.
Hot Dinners stayed at La Fantaisie as guests of the hotel. Prices correct at time of publication.
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