The Shell

Tucked away in a corner of the Experimental Group’s Hôtel des Grands Boulevards’ covered patio, Le Shell is a seventies-style cocktail lounge, dripping from floor to ceiling in crimson tones, all designed by Dorothée Meilichzon – velvet squat armchairs, round light fixtures and brushed aluminum. In the glasses, you won’t find any gasoline, but rather the creative follies of the head bartender, Maxime Potfer. On his menu, there are fifteen creations prepared by two virtuosos of the cocktail shaker, Marie Viadieu (ex-Artisan) and Summer Arend (ex-Raven’s Club), including the Mauve with a delightful bouquet of summer berries (cachaça, carrot-violet-coconut tonic, lime, aquafaba, Peychaud’s bitters, €11) or the Next Intention (vodka, cherry Merlet liqueur, kombucha, lemon, hibiscus and lavender tonic, €13). Also worth noting, they’ve got one of the best mocktail menus in the city, which includes the Clear Water, made with cucumber juice, honey, basil, lime, charcoal and smoked salt (€9). // A.B.