Cravan rive gauche

The first Cravan of its name? A boxer and poet who was a precursor of the Dadaist and Surrealist movements, and who also gave his name to Franck Audoux’s cocktail bar in Paris’ chic 16th arrondissement. And five years later he’s done it again, this time in Saint-Germain-des-Prés as a megalomaniacal version split over four levels and created by Belgian designer Ramy Fischler, including a bookstore curated by Rizzoli New York and a mini-cinema on the rooftop. The vibe? Funnily enough, both maximalist and intimate at the same time, injected into the 17th-century decor of a hôtel particulier (wood beams, inlaid walls, marbled counters, a monumental fireplace). And in the glasses, signature creations and revisited classics: a delicate Royal Basilic (Ruinart brut champagne with a basil flower infusion, €22); a complex Birne (pear wine, pear cordial and Palo Cortado sherry, €18); or a delightful Mina (blanco tequila, quince liqueur, lemon and agave syrup, €20). Pair with chef Sacha Ouss’s worldwide dishes, such as the lobster roll (€28), the veal carpaccio tonnato (€14) or a bowl of soba noodles (€8). // Jackie Pépite