Holiday spirits
Mischief, best hotel bars for holiday drinks, Jolly Mama, Bleu Bao, Rubirosas, Maison Troisgros, suuuply, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Person
Cutting loose
After scoring a big hit with Reyna, chef Erica Paredes’s first restaurant (and the one that introduced the succulent but little-known cooking of the Philippines to Paris), Paredes has decided to have some freestyle fun in the kitchen at Mischief, her aptly named new place in the Sentier.
Heading here for dinner the other night, I couldn’t help but musing on how the international restaurant scene in Paris has blessedly grown so much better than it was when I moved here in the ‘90s. Back then, I yearned for food that wasn’t French. I have a passionate love of French cooking at all levels of the Gallic food chain, but missed the cosmopolitan keyboards of gastronomic pleasures of London and New York I’d left behind.
Fast forward, and Paris is heaving with excellent non-French tables, as a new generation of French diners has shed almost any trace of the culinary chauvinism once the bedrock of Gaul’s gastronomic identity.
When I reached Mischief, I could see through the two big picture windows in the quietly chic terracotta red-tiled façade — a minimalist dining room with red décor and a sleek stainless steel bar surrounding an open kitchen. That dining room was rammed with members of this new, younger tribe of Parisians, an excellent sign for a restaurant that opened in late September. This was clearly a word-of-mouth success with a lot of momentum.
When I met my Philippine friend Maria from Berlin, she was ecstatic from having studied the menu for the 10 minutes she’d spent waiting for me. A huge fan of the fully flavored Philippine cooking that Paredes does at Reyna, she described the chef’s menu as being sort of like a gastronomic jam session between Miles Davis, Bad Bunny, and Mariah Carey. On her Instagram, Paredes herself dubs her cooking at Mischief as “deliciously disobedient.” Well, I was intrigued, so we ate. And we ate.
We devoured a Hainan burrata, the creamy Italian cheese topped by sweet and savory kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), ginger sauce and chili oil. We wolfed down onion soup lumpia, a ruddy avalanche of allium richness in a beef broth garnished with Philippine spring rolls (lumpia) and lamb pho, pressed lamb with pho sauce and Vietnamese chimichurri.
Paredes has said “knowing the rules helps you know how to break them.” This joyous and judicious iconoclasm is what makes Mischief such a fantastic restaurant. Where else in Paris are you going to find dishes like artisanal SpaghettiOs — a nod to America’s deep culinary imprint on the Philippines — its tomato sauce boosted by anchovies and bone marrow? Or squid ink linguini with a sauté of squid and aioli? Or a Japanese mochi made with cornmeal and dressed up with corn foam, a caramel-butter sauce and popcorn?
Welcome to Paris in the 21st century, and get ready for some funky fun in the kitchen. The French are finally loving a walk on the wild side. –Alexander Lobrano
→ Mischief (3rd arr) • 25 Rue des Gravilliers • Tue-Sat 19h-23h30 • Book.
WORK • Friday Routine
Pregnant pause
MARGAUX CANNONI CHEVALLIER • general manager • Jolly Mama
Neighborhood you work and live in: 9th arr
It’s Friday afternoon. How are you rolling into the weekend?
The weekend is really a release valve! The week is usually intense with work, managing kids and household tasks, so the weekend is when I can unwind and recharge. My two oldest kids are in middle school and have classes on Saturdays, so we always stay in Paris. But it’s not a problem; there’s so much to do! Exhibitions, theater, trying new restaurants...
What’s on the agenda for today?
Since we’re still a small structure at Jolly Mama (a nutrition brand dedicated to maternity), I often find myself juggling multiple roles. But lately, what’s been occupying a lot of my time is the release of our first book with Editions du Rocher. The publishing world is brand new to us, and we’re still finding our footing, but it’s very exciting.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
My top picks: the restaurants at Hôtel Eldorado and Ballu. Beautiful, delicious, and the service is top-notch. For lunch, I love Le Mansart – good, efficient, very reasonably priced – and Bleu Bao, the best Chinese restaurant in Paris, in my opinion!
How about a little leisure or culture?
The great thing about Paris is that there’s always something to do. If I had to give just a few recommendations, I’d say you must go to the Jacquemart André Museum and the Musée de la Vie Romantique, even just for the setting. For outings, I love the little neighborhood theaters (there are plenty in the 9th!) and the programming at La Seine Musicale for a completely different vibe.
Any weekend getaways?
Marseille is the city of my childhood, my heart. It’s a cosmopolitan, nature-oriented, and very dynamic city. A three-hour train ride, and you feel like you’re in another world! Ideally, it’s best to go in the spring. My favorites: lunch at Coquille or Carlotta With, dinner at Le Grand Guste or La Cantinetta, strolling around Les Goudes and having lunch at Tuba Club or Paul, visiting the Cosquer Cave reconstruction, getting lost in the streets of Le Panier, and lighting a candle at La Bonne Mère.
What was your last great vacation?
Last summer, we went to explore the national parks of the American West, and we all loved it! The best memories of our trip: glamping with Under Canvas in Moab, watching the sunset at The View Hotel in Monument Valley, kayaking to Antelope Canyon from Lake Powell, and discovering Bryce Canyon on horseback.
PARIS WORK & PLAY LINKS: Controversial designs for new Notre Dame stained-glass windows go on display at Grand Palais • Store openings: Brioni on rue St. Honoré… urban menswear brand suuuply in the Marais… new Vans flagship, also in the Marais • A tribute to two Paris restaurant icons.
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop
Clergy-worthy
The new measure of fine shirting can be found at Rubirosas, in the 7th. It’s the newest venture from jewelry designer Lauren Rubinski, who draws directly on her family history supplying poplin for Vatican clergy. The petite storefront opens into a delightful interior, framed by colorful crisp shirts, finely knit cashmere, tailored sleepwear, and leather slippers. The curated selection is carefully tucked into restored shelving, with shirts starting at around 300 €.
The interior is a burst of color, with a deep red carpet, orange banquette seating, and billowy butter-yellow curtains. The fitting area is drenched in an atmospheric shade of blue. Small busts sit atop fluted plinths and in wall niches, which also display puffy brass heart charms, a nod to Rubinski’s jewelry.
Each branded detail, from shirt labels to shopping totes, and ‘chemise envelopes,’ contributes to the feeling that you’ve stepped into a private world built from the pleasure of detail. There’s ecommerce soon to come and a budding Instagram, but like all great French ateliers, Rubirosas is best experienced in person. –Ilana Curtis
→ Shop: Rubirosas (7th arr) • 37 Rue de Grenelle • Mon-Sat 10h30-19h.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Horse Stories
Zaho • Salle Pleyel (8th arr) • Fri @ 20h • cat1, 57 € per
Soprano • Freedom Tour • Accor Arena (Bercy) • Sun @ 18h • carre or, 85 € per
Dirty Three • Elysee Montmarte (Montmarte) • Suj @ 19h30 • GA, 36 € per
GETAWAYS • Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Lasting legacy
Maison Troisgros c’est une histoire de famille. Relocated in 2017 from its original Roanne location to Ouches, the estate is surrounded by serene pastures and a permaculture garden. In his design, architect Patrick Bouchain blended modern aesthetics with natural elements, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that offer panoramic landscape views.
At the helm of the kitchen is César Troisgros, the fourth generation of the legendary Troisgros lineage. His cuisine pays homage to the family’s rich history while embracing contemporary flavors. The iconic Saumon à l’oseille — a dish of salmon with sorrel sauce that revolutionized French cuisine in the 1960s — isn’t on the regular menu, but remains available upon request. Desserts like the honey and saffron-infused frozen delight that is the Soleil Safran showcase the kitchen’s inventive spirit.
The dining experience at the estate’s award-winning restaurant Le Bois sans Feuilles is both intimate and immersive. Guests can choose from tasting menus that highlight seasonal produce, much of which is sourced directly from the on-site garden. There’s a six-course, more affordable menu (170 €) available on weekdays for guests under 35. The cellar boasts an impressive selection, from classics to indie wines, curated to complement the ever-evolving menu.
The 15 rooms split between the Grande Maison and the Maison des Kakis offer pared-down elegance, with freestanding bathtubs and views of the gardens. From the house cat napping on an armchair, to the family portraits in the corridor, the feeling of being in a maison runs deep. –Victoire Loup
→ Maison Troisgros (Ouches) • 728 Route de Villerest • Rooms from €380/night.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Air France expanding La Premiere coverage to three more US cities • CDG to rename all terminals and departure lounges in 2027 • Paris’ LouLou Group prepping first London restaurant to open next year • Four Seasons announces its return to Germany • The Dolomites castle carrying 400 years of empire.
ASK FOUND
Three fresh PROMPTS for which we seek your immediate attention
What’s your favorite Paris spa?
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BARS • The Nines
Hotel bars, for holiday cocktails
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in Paris and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or email found@foundparis.com.
