The Batignolles neighborhood is adopting a Spanish rhythm with the latest hotspot from the very olé-olé Machefert hotel group (1K, Kube, Normandy Le Chantier), which has turned the outdated Maison Eugénie hotel into a cool new spot. And that’s how this Iberian wine bar came to be on the ground floor of the hotel, with its lovely terra cotta tones and named after the Empress Eugénie de Montijo. It’s the perfect excuse to raise a glass to naturalness, all while wolfing down Basque-Castilian tapas… The other night, seated around the marble pedestal tables, there was a real bodega ambiance, even with a crowd dressed in Barbour and moccasins: charcuterie aplenty (lomo, chorizo, cecina, etc.); cheeses that are hard to come by, including a creamy half-cañarejal made with Manchega sheep’s milk, eaten by the spoonful, and a sensational Galician cow’s milk tetilla, shaped like a nipple; a series of classic nibbles, like Spanish tortilla, pan con tomate and salted Valencian almonds; along with two or three regional pastries – a traditional crème catalane, Basque cheesecake or a blue cheese and salted caramel Murciano tart. // Kelly Slatée
FEELING THIRSTY? : Latin wines, available in a thousand and one varietals: Kinki, a complex Spanish blend produced by Verónica Ortega (€11 a glass), Kite Duck, a Portuguese white from Duckman (€36 a bottle), Zeno, a Tuscan red from the Voltumna estate (€40)…
PRICE: : Set menu €20 (weekday lunch), tapas €3.50 to €21, platters €23-28, pastries €5-9, Sunday brunch €35 (kids €15).
