Paradou

Paradou

Owner

Like Marcel Proust with his madeleine, a trip to Paradou will send you into fond rememberances of trips to Provence. In the pretense-filled world that is the Meatpacking District, Paradou is a fresh breath of authenticity. You will certainly feel transported whiling away the hours in Paradou's tiny but airy and bright dining room or in their sprawling year-round garden, chatting around tables of wooden wine crates, sampling wines from an all-French wine list, and dining on food that would feel right at home in a small village in the Luberon. Service is casual but knowledgeable and professional.

Trained by legends Paul Bocuse and Daniel Boulud, Chef Kfir Ben-Ari puts his own spin on French classics. Reading the menu descriptions of these is alone worth the trip.

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
When those cheese-and-wine cravings kick in, this pretty Provencal boite is just the answer. Hipsters with a Gallic bent while away the hours in a bright, itsy-bitsy dining room and sprawling garden, chatting around tables of wooden wine crates, and sampling Sancerre, Muscadet and Chinon from small carafes. Service is casual and clubby.

The Food
The menu features snacky French bistro favorites like salad nicoise, as well as roast chicken, duck and other hearty entrees. Start with rich duck rillettes on crispy toasts, or share an oversized endive-Roquefort salad. You can't select which farmstead cheeses will land on your tasting plate, but they're always well-balanced, if a bit small for the price. You can, however, match interior and exterior to create a sandwich of your choice: Favorites like andouille-mushroom-manchego and jambon-Gruyere with pickled onions are better on hot-pressed bread, while others, like creamy artichoke lardon, make excellent savory crepes.