Sauvage

Despite its wild name, the latest addition to the Guillotière neighborhood is a tiny mezzaine bar decorated with the trends of last year: a toucan tapestry, wicker suspension lamps, exposed stone walls and rattan furniture. Dive in at cocktail hour, with apéritifs that aren’t too strong, made by Pierrick Sordet with liqueurs, amaros and fortified wines. We tested and approved two herbal remedies the night we went: L’Aiguille du Père Pilloux with hay-infused Pommeau, Fernet-Branca, green Chartreuse, lemon juice, hay syrup and dry cider (€10); and the very fresh Parfait Thyming with RinQuinQuin thyme liqueur and syrup, savory, gin, lime and bitters in a glass rinsed with Bardouin pastis (€10). Worth noting: there’s a beautiful exotic vermouth menu for combining with gin, and mocktails made with Alain Milliat juices, like the Apple Pillar – mint, lime, ginger beer and Cox apple juice (€7). And to sponge it all up, there are empanadas (€8 for 4), fried polenta with Thai basil and hazelnut pesto (€8), or cod-coconut croquettes (€11). // A.S.