This establishment, which is both a restaurant and a night bar, is located in the heart of the formerly racy Pigalle district. It was once a cabaret, La Belle Meunière, where Piaf performed at the beginning of her career. Now transformed into a trendy destination, the establishment offers Mediterranean and exotic cuisine, a lovely selection of wines, and a very interesting cocktail menu.
In the kitchen, we find Corsican-born chef Marc-Antoine Colonna, who creates extremely colorful and visual plates, as you can see in the photos below. He is also a fan of low-temperature and slow cooking, which I certainly don’t mind, as I also appreciate this preparation method that preserves all the flavor and tenderness of the ingredients. I should warn you, however, that the chef’s cooking is extremely generous with spices and very fragrant, which might not be to everyone’s taste. I particularly loved the venue’s decor with its bluish tones and combinations of natural materials like bamboo and wicker with velvet and brass, which gives the atmosphere a very pleasant holiday feel.
To try:
- The house cocktails which are very pleasant (between €7 and €9); we tested the #3 with gin and cucumber, and the #1 with vodka and red fruit puree.
- For appetizers, we tasted the eggplant caviar, brocciu and pomegranate (€9) and the trout ceviche, coconut milk and beetroot (€14), which is inspired by Peruvian cuisine.
- For the main course, we became real fans of octopus and therefore went for the chef’s grilled version, served with a sweet potato puree (€25).
- For meat, we tried the 7-hour lamb shank with apricots and vegetables (€23).
- For dessert, we went for a lemon and pistachio tart if I remember correctly (for desserts, expect to pay between €7 and €10).
The tip: the place is open until late at night and you can place orders until around 11 PM, which is always good to know if you want to dine late in the neighborhood!
For groups: in the basement of the restaurant, the place has a very beautiful space that can be privatized with banquettes and a large table (see photo above) that can be reserved for 12 people max with a bespoke menu.
Thanks to Can Alegria for their invitation.
Can Alegria 73 Rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, 75009 Paris Open Tuesday to Saturday from 7 PM to 1 AM and Sunday from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Find all my restaurant reviews in Paris below:
⇒ All my restaurant reviews in Paris
MAP OF MY FAVORITE FOOD SPOTS IN PARIS AND THE ILE-DE-FRANCE REGION
Restaurant 
Bar 
Pastry / Bakery 
Tea Room / Coffee Shop
Brunch 
Ice cream parlor
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization is mandatory before any use
