Le Fooding’s Best Bar à Délices of 2018

Cyril Lignac’s second hotspot in the heart of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood is an old tanning salon madeover by Studio KO (exposed pipes, wicker light fixtures, a long backlit wooden bar, peacock feather patterns on the banquettes and dim lighting), with an I-see-you-do-you-see-me vibe. The day we went for lunch, we selected a few of the pricey Japanese-inspired gems served à la carte: translucent, extra-thin slices of amberjack; chopped marinated octopus intensified by jalapeños, sweet onions and cilantro; a really tasty octopus salad with figs, romaine lettuce, radishes and a soy vinaigrette; before some comforting coconut milk tapioca pearls served with fresh strawberries. If it’s your first time here, make sure you try the incredible rolls (spicy tuna tartare maki, California rolls with royal crab and mango….) and the house’s best-seller, the famous crispy avocado/tourteau crab/curry galette! // D.C. and A.D.

FEELING THIRSTY? There’s a little of everything: French wines (a Saumur white from the Domaine Clos de l’Ecotard at €10 a glass; a Chablis from the Domaine de Chantemerle at €46 a bottle), Japanese sakes (Daignigjo Akabu junmai at €55 a bottle), the house lager (€7 for 330 ml), and a plethora of cocktails shaken up by Marco Mohammadi (ex-Baron), like the Tokyo Garden which combines gin, sake, shiso, yuzu and litchi (€16).

PRICE: Sushi €7-8 a piece, maki €15-18 for six, California rolls €26-28 for eight, sashimi €20-23 for five, mains €20-30, desserts €12-14.