The art of eating and drinking in Paris is equally as important as the art practiced by those providing the nourishment. A six-ingredient cocktail, for instance, should be sipped leisurely, not thrown back in one gulp like a shot or guzzled like a beer. A plate of spiced duck tartare with a side of Thai coleslaw should be thoughtfully chewed and savored, not scarfed down like a street crêpe to cure a quick faim. Likewise, the care that goes into creating cocktails and innovative cuisine needs to be skillfully applied by masters of their trade, otherwise known as artisans.

Relative SoPi newcomer Artisan is all about good food and beverage, while providing a classy, relaxed setting for those looking to hone their consumption skills. Opened up by the guys behind La Maison Mère (Thomas Kolnikoff and John Sellam) in collaboration with seasoned bartender Frédéric Le Bordays, the bar is a rustic refuge for neighborhood locals and well-heeled twenty- to thirty-somethings wanting to take the edge off.

Brick and wood accents complement minimalist surroundings with old-fashioned décor, while laid-back tunes and friendly servers make for a chill atmosphere, ideal for hanging out with friends, colleagues or casual dates.

The wraparound bar and high-top tables up front are prime spots for sharing a bottle of natural wine or testing out Frédéric’s imaginative cocktail list, composed of revisited classics and perfected modern recipes. His cocktail prowess runs so deep that he has released his own book, “Les Nouveaux Cocktails Classiques,” which might as well be referred to as the new Bible for budding amateur bartenders.

No apéro is complete without something to munch on, which is where the menu of prepared small plates comes in. The selection encompasses a variety of artfully presented gourmet dishes made with in-season ingredients suitable for all appetites. Currently up for taste testing : Galician mussels with salted butter and spinach, a shaved pile of 16-month matured Jambon de Bayonne, a serving of creamy burrata with tomatoes and roquette relish, a refashioned Croque Signore topped with caponata, ricotta and jambon blanc, and a juicy cut of seared red tuna perched on a bed of niçoise-inspired garnishes, among others.

Unlike the other tapas & cocktail ventures of its kind, Artisan refreshes everything on its menu every three weeks. That means new wines, new beers, new cocktails and new epicurean delicacies to try out each month, and on top of that, the bar is now open for Sunday brunch with a “terre and mer” theme, based around seafood and earthy dishes made with artisanal products.

The 25-euro formule gets you two savory dishes au choix, dessert, a detox cocktail or fresh-squeezed juice and exotic filtered coffee or tea. Pair the parmentier de canard (terre) with a brandade de cabillaud (mer), a homemade waffle with a side of chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream for dessert and a Courgette Power detox cocktail. That plus Tanzanian Arabica espresso, and you’ve found yourself a new haven for Sunday hangovers.

Artisan
14 rue Bochart de Saron
Paris 75009
Métro : Anvers
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 7 pm to 2 am, Sunday brunch from noon to 4 pm
Phone : 01 48 74 65 38
Website : www.artisan-bar.fr

article : Stéphanie Holmes

You probably already met him in a club, had a quick chat over your third vodka-anything, visited his website to check if they really have more fun in NY or Miami, or even found yourself making the weirdest face on one of his pics, but just couldn’t remember him taking that pic (the vodka I was referring to earlier might just be the reason of this amnesia) . Indeed, just like a snake, Mark Hunter has been slipping into every party from all around the world and thus has been defying the rules of sleep and jet lag for more that 7 years now.

We met him in Paris during last Fashion Week for the presentation of his burger sneaker, in collaboration with Vans and Colette. Which obviously led us to talk about food, fashion and fun.

www.thecobrasnake.com

Mark the Cobrasnake at Colette

Food

Whenever I’m in Paris, I like to go to Hotel Amour for lunch or dinner, there are always cool and trendy people there.

Hotel Amour
Open everyday, 8am-12am
8 Rue de Navarin  75009 Paris
01 48 78 31 80
hotelamourparis.fr

I’m also a big fan of Pierre Hermé. My favorite macaron flavors would be passion fruit, and rose. I have to admit I have very girly tastes.

Pierre Hermé
Several locations in Paris
pierreherme.com

You would think I can tell you where to eat very good burgers considering I just designed a burger sneaker, but funny thing is I’ve been a vegetarian for 10 years now. I used to have burgers almost everyday before though ! La Maison Mère (where was held The Cobrasnake x Vans x Colette dinner party) is supposed to have very good burgers.

La Maison Mère
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 12pm-3pm, 7pm- 2am, Sunday 12pm-3pm.
4 Rue de Navarin  75009 Paris
01 42 81 11 00
lamaisonmere.fr

Fashion

I like to hang in the Marais, I go get drinks at La Perle and then go shopping to American Apparel (L.A. represent !) and APC which I really like for the simplicity of the design.

American Apparel
americanapparel.net

A.P.C.
Open Monday to Saturday, 11.30am-8pm, Sunday 1.30pm-7.30pm
112 rue Vieille du Temple 75003 Paris
01 42 78 18 02
apc.fr

Fun

When it comes to partying, it’s hard to name a place better than another. There has been some good times at Le Baron, le Social Club and le Montana… And a lot of places which I don’t even know the name, I just happened to find myslef there !

A really nice place I remember though is The Hemingway bar at the Ritz. Awesome cocktails.

Le Baron
Open everyday 11pm- 6am
6 avenue Marceau  75008 Paris

The Hemingway at Hotel Ritz
Open everyday 6.30pm-2am
15 Place Vendôme  75001 Paris
01 43 16 33 65
ritzparis.com/restaurant/the-hemingway-bar/introduction.html,1,96,8,0,0

Article: Alexandra Remise

the CobraSnake

When usual fashion week cocktails are only an alibi for classy alcohol-sponsored events, Colette thought about our poor stomach and organized a special burger party for the launch of the super-limited edition of the Vans X Cobrasnake. Taking place at la Maison Mere – the VIP burger joint in SoPi located just next to l’Hotel Amour – the guests enjoyed the special angus burger while having their photo taken by the Cobrasnake and participating in a regressive coloring contest.

Facebook Album

[fbphotos id=10150839547336562]