Clown Bar is an absolute must for anyone visiting/living in Paris. The inventive and superbly executed menu has been paired with a fun natural-themed wine list. The service is friendly, attentive and knowledgable making the quaint setting all the more enjoyable.
The clown theme comes from its proximity to Cirque d’Hiver, a venue for circuses and other events since 1852. Apart from the name, Clown Bar has a number of tasteful hat-tips to its association with the circus - painted tiles, and a stunning ceiling depicting clowns and other circus faire.
Surprisingly, I was able to walk in at lunch on numerous occasions and sit at a high-top or the bar (which I prefer).
Betterave / Foie-Gras / Anguille Fumee
Beets and foie gras - that pairing (although unusual) makes sense in my head. Smoked eel and foie... not so much. But to my delight, it was in fact the centerpiece of the dish, seamlessly pulling the foie and the beets together. It gave the sweet, soft beets and creamy rich foie gras the perfect counterbalance of tang and bite.
Cervelle de Veau / Sauce Ponzu
I don't know many people who are up for veal brains, let alone an entire veal brain (which this was), but this signature dish did not disappoint. The creamy, delicate lobe topped with green onion and ginger was sitting in a ponzu sauce. The flavor and texture was not surprisingly similar to agedashi tofu (a fried tofu dish in ponzu sauce). It was spoon tender and perfectly seasoned.
Seiche / Encre de Seiche / Champignon de Paris / Foie-Gras
Again, an interesting foie gras pairing. This time with cuttlefish and raw white mushrooms de Paris. The large piece of cuttlefish was cooked to perfection. It provided a fantastic contrasting bite to the delicate piece of seared foie beneath it. But the real stunner was the the earthy raw mushroom slices that added a whole new dimension to every bite.
Pithivier de Carnard / Foie-Gras
Another house specialty - the pithivier is essentially duck breast, ground duck and foie gras wrapped in pastry, baked and cut in half. It tastes just as good as it looks, and is a truly memorable dish.
Meringue / Pomelos / Creme de Pistache / Glace Miel
I am not usually a dessert person (especially when dining alone) but I just couldn't help but keep what was already a fantastic meal going. The shaved ice, pistachio cream and honey ice cream provided the perfect counterbalance to the sweet shards of meringue. It was just what the doctor ordered on the unusually warm April afternoon.
Cheverny / La Charbonnerie / Domain Philippe Tessier / 2015
Mouressipe / Galapia / Alain Allier Pitchounet / 2013
This closet of a kitchen churns out some of the best plates in Paris.
This isn't the first time Le Clown Bar's been written about, and I promise you it won't be the last. I look forward to visiting Clown Bar again - hopefully sooner than later.
Le Clown Bar
114, rue Amelot
Paris, France
(75011)
+33 1 43 55 87 3
Subway Stops: Filles du Calvaire, Saint-Sébastien-Froissart, Richard Lenoir, Oberkampf