Verjus Bar à Vins

Verjus Bar à Vins Review

On an atmospheric street behind the Palais Royal gardens, this tiny wine bar is the latest endeavor of the American couple behind the wildly popular (and now defunct) Hidden Kitchen. A dozen customers perch on metal stools at a narrow bar to enjoy a small but choice selection of wines by the glass and some very good nibbles, like crisp buttermilk chicken, succulent Basque pork belly, or the excellent house-smoked salmon. Although not a substitute for dinner—portions are miniscule, with three to five bite-size morsels—for a drink and a nosh on your way to or from somewhere else, including the excellent restaurant upstairs, it's ideal. The most plentiful dish is an assortment of artisanal cheeses, and the scrumptious butterscotch pudding flecked with toffee and topped with crème Chantilly is a toothsome finale. Open weeknights only.