Coup d'Œil

Another cool spot on rue Sedaine! David Rougier has set up a nouvelle vague wine cellar in a former textile storage facility, which, as its name suggests, is worth a look, dressed up with curvy planks of light-colored wood, rough brick walls, peacock blue velvet and original Florentine ceramics – dating from the locale’s “apothecary” period. Here, the former manager of Etna (a pop-up wine bar in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood) is the one-man-show in charge, cradling his living wines (Grenache blanc from Grégory Guillaume in the Ardéche, a Catalan wine from Olivier Pithon, a fine Cheverny from Thierry Puzelat, a Bordeaux from Château Massereau, etc.), all while arranging dishes of the day for his €18 lunch menu: a hard-boiled egg with homemade mayonnaise and crisp lemony arugula to start; slender sausage (from “A la vache” in the Perche province) over an elaborate bed of creamy, buttery quinoa, with slices of celery, pickled turnip and mustard infused with grape must; and for the final course, a simple square of gorgonzola or a meticulously made apple crumble. At night, small plates take over: razor clams in garlicky parsley butter, excellent white taramasalata from Maison David, mallard duck terrine, a selection of cheeses… Dish of the day €13, menu €15 and €18 (lunch), plates €6-13 (dinner), wines by the glass €5-7. // A.A.