Restaurant Review: Clown Bar in Paris

Maybe my favorite restaurant this year.

I recently went on a semi-spontaneous trip back to Paris with the intention to spark inspiration in my culinary mind.

The first time I went to Paris I was in awe by the food scene; similar to New York but less pretentious and more approachable. Going into this trip, I had not given my itinerary much thought, I intended to just let the city lead the way. I did however stop by Le Doyenne for the second time for their annual wine event, Les Vignerons Au Portager. Tasting wines at 10 a.m. still jet lagged and running on no sleep, it still ended up being such an amazing time. I probably tasted over a hundred different wines, some from makers I am familiar with but also getting to try some really great new ones.

---

I always keep a running list of places around the world that I would love to go to, and the city with the most pins is Paris. (can you tell its my favorite place ever?) This trip I really just wanted to try something new, I am always interested in the classic bistro food of Paris, but I wanted to experience something slightly more elevated.

If you have never been to Paris before, its very difficult to eat at anywhere really well known or popular without a reservation in advance, similar to New York. (I reaaaaally hate this culture). In my sleepless haze I had a few places in mind that I joined the waitlist for, one of them being Clown Bar.

I actually didn’t know much about this place before going. I had browsed their instagram and honestly it looked very simple, kind of like somewhere you’d see in New York. My reservation for one got accepted so I decided to go. When I arrived I was warmly greeted and was sat at the empty bar. I rarely go out to dinner alone but when I do, I try to stay away from my phone and really soak up the environment, you can really get the vibe by the type of people around you and the music being played. The first thought I had was, ‘oh this is just a wine bar…’ Not in a bad way but its very typical. I ordered a glass of red that the bartender recommended while looking at the wine list and menu. Everything looked great, the the veal brain caught by attention, which I reluctantly, and now regretfully, did not order. I ended up ordering six items—

I was started with an amuse-bouche consisting of a a celeriac hummus that was delicious. Following that was an amberjack crudo (pretty typical) but the flavors of the citrus and sharpness of the radish worked so well together. The amberjack was fresh from Brittany and was sitting in a light ponzu-like sauce. Next came the terrine of pork and figs with a spicy cured onion. I do not know the specifics but this was okay.

Next was this wonderful beef dish. On top there were some chanterelles and the beef was so tender it fell apart with the tap of a fork. It was topped with picked onions and the sauce was rich. I wish I would have asked more about this. I thought this was a very healthy portion. Often times I find that these smaller plate restaurants tend to really lean into the small portions but I thought Clown Bar served honest portions.

For my main I got something I tend to rarely order, which included clams and artichokes. but was rather impressed. This was a monkfish with artichoke and cockles with some baby broccoli and a dill foam. This almost felt like it belonged on a summer menu, although, I am glad that I left my comfort zone and ordered it. I am not a huge fan of clams but, the cockles and the monkfish had the fresh taste of the ocean. Really beautiful and delicate.

By this time in the meal I had made conversation with the german scientist sitting next to me and he gave me one of the best wine recommendations I have ever had. Almost like he read my mind for exactly what I wanted. If you know me well, you know that my favorite wines tend to be white burgundy’s. Acidic and fresh tasting, they remind me of summer. This wine was not that, but it opened my mind to a whole different flavor I had never experienced before. I initially described it as a cinnamon, a little floral, maybe some acid. It is hard for me to describe but after the fact I realized how special it was. I have been hunting for a bottle every since getting back to New York.

Dessert. My favorite part of any meal. I got all three.

The first was a corn and hazelnut tart that was so decadent, probably my favorite out of the three. The second was a VERY chocolate mousse that honestly was a little too rich, I still appreciated it as a dark chocolate lover. The last was very impressive. A fig sorbet with a sorrel granita and black tea ganache that balanced really well.

Overall, I left this meal very satisfied and impressed with the entire experience. It gave me a sense of inspiration that I think I was looking for on this trip. It made me miss working in a resturant…

The best meal I have had this year. I can’t wait to go back.