Jules loves enjoying the sunshine on the south side of Velvet Restaurant: in full view of the Golden Triangle, but still keeping prices at a very reasonable rate, this Mediterranean restaurant is the perfect refuge for Jules when he ventures on this side of the Champs Elysées.
Foremost because there is plenty of space and lots of natural light illuminating the restaurant and the tables are positioned far away from each other allowing you to feel right at home.
Furthermore the service is a delight, something which makes Jules feel as if he is at home, with an additional elegance which he loves. And then the kitchen, it’s everything that Jules loves: excellent produce, full of freshness and flavour, prepared with such natural beauty. The menu is designed by Alain Parodi, Michelin starred chef, who also is the head of the famous ‘bistrot d’Antoine’ in Nice. Jules meets up with Alain to chat with him when he comes to Paris to put his own stamp on the restaurant for which he has created all of these delicious dishes, and to check on the best possible suppliers… Alain is just like his restaurants, fastidious, but at the same time warm and simple. Jules indulges in these guilty pleasures. Of course the menu varies from time to time according to the market, but Jules can never say no to a cod tartare with pine nuts as a starter at the bar, one of the best raw fish recipes that you can find (without breaking the bank as well !) in Paris that Jules knows !
If this is not available his preferred alternative is thin slices of veal prepared in a ‘vitello tonnato’ way. Furthermore, Jules often hesitates between, cod slow cooked in a casserole with chorizo and sun ripened vegetables, or a generous pluma of Iberian ham ‘à la plancha’ or even the squid, because he loves seafood, very fine a risotto.
For dessert he generally chooses the Rum Baba, whose chef is constantly refining the recipe which is the best in Paris, he says with a smile (but Jules knows very well that he is being serious). The moistened soft, lightly whipped creme lightly, scented dough, Jules comes back with stars in his eyes. He often comes back with one of those fabulous cold tins of sardines sold by the restaurant.
With menus around 30 euros at lunch and 50 in the evening, for a high-class occaision, but which knows how to keep it simple, Jules does not go home disillusioned !
Velvet, 20 rue du Colisée, Paris 8ème, Tél: 01 53 89 59 10
