RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: Best-known as the woman who taught Parisians to love vegetables, Michigan native Carrie Solomon carved out an impressive gastronomic career for herself since arriving here 23 years ago. She’s authored several cookbooks, had a column in Elle a Table and was hired by the French public schools to develop vegetarian recipes for their cafeterias. After a recent stint cheffing at Aube in the 11th arrondissement, she finally hung out her own shingle last month at Chez Carrie, a Californian/Mediterranean restaurant in the Sentier.
The Vibe: The intimate premises of a former café have gotten a pleasantly bohemian makeover with a jaunty butter-yellow awning, a white-painted beamed ceiling, and a custom-made wooden bar wide enough for a meal. From day one, this place has been a favorite for an international crowd of digital nomads, stylists, designers, and artists.
The Food & Drink: “My goal was to use American cooking, with its big bold flavors, prominent textures, hot sauces and pickles to invent dishes the French would actually want to eat,” says Solomon. “I’m not vegetarian, but there will never be red meat on my menus, because of the toll producing it takes on the environment. For me, meat is best used as a condiment.”
Signature dishes from her regularly evolving menu include Caesar salad made with fried anchovies and varying greens, like cabbage; cioppino with langoustines and fermented tomatoes; deviled eggs with spicy mayonnaise (“a totem of my Midwestern childhood,” Solomon says); hearty soups like ajo blanco (Spanish white-bean and garlic soup); fried polenta with tzatziki made with lacto-fermented vegetables; zucchini fritters with kimchi; and carrot-cake ice cream. Pancakes with homemade syrups like fig leaf star at brunch.
The Verdict: A welcome outpost of delicious, modern American eating with friendly serving hours, a mellow atmosphere, and great people-watching. –Alexander Lobrano
→ Chez Carrie (2nd arr) • 14 rue Léopold Bellan • Tue-Fri 11h-15h & 18h-22h, Sat 10h-23h, Sun 10h-16h • Book.
Photo: Joann Pai