Buvette Paris
PARIS — Anyone who has asked me for restaurant recommendations in New York knows that one of my favorite spots there is Buvette, the tiny French cafe in the West Village. Wonderful food, great list of wines, excellent service from friendly engaging people. Always a joy.
So upon hearing that owner Jody Williams had opened a Buvette in Paris, I knew where I would be going as soon as I hit town. And I wasn’t disappointed.
The Paris outpost of Buvette is in the Pigalle quarter of the city’s 9th arrondissement. Like the New York restaurant, this Buvette is small, cramped even. The decor is similar, right down to the large blackboard with a chalklike outline of France's wine regions. And it's very popular. When we arrived, however, there was an open table available — which we turned down. In Greenwich Village, we always opt to sit at the bar where we can watch the plating of the food and the bustle of the amiable staff. We wanted the same here.
It took a little hovering and scoping to determine which stools would open first, but we were seated before too long and looking over the very familiar menu.