One of those wine bars, Le Chat Ivre (which translates as the drunken cat) is located in a quiet street not too far from Place de la Bastille in Paris.

It’s hard to think about France without thinking of wine, so it’s not surprising that there are tons of wine bars (or cave à vins) in the city. I’ll definitely be back for the food! Contact Details: Overall though, Sunset is a classy addition to the neighborhood and a great place to take a date or business client you want to impress. Or perhaps it was just the crowd that night, which I found to be a little too pretentious and “bobo”.

I have to admit that the back room felt a little stuffy and posh. Next time I go I will try to sit in the front of the bar, as it seemed to have more of a fun and relaxed vibe. Intrigued by the dessert menu (and still a little hungry), we ordered a dessert: cheesecake with citrus fruits from the Amalfi coast and a side of limoncello and yuzu flavored shaved ice (6 Euros). Then again, at these kind of cocktail/tapas bars you don’t expect huge portions. The photos I took are not the best due to the dim lighting, but I think they’re enough to get you drooling a little, no? Overall, we found that the food was amazing and satisfying, even if the plates were a little small. We finally chose the following: roasted pumpkin (with smoked ricotta cheese, sunflower seeds and Parmesan shavings…beyond delicious!), hanger steak (cooked in whisky and served with pureed carrots, béarnaise sauce, herring eggs and sautéed potato cubes…divine!), and a spiced chicken burger (kind of a pulled pork-like texture to the chicken, which was combined with homemade guacamole and a mini side salad…pretty tasty!). We took a glance at the menu and each dish (6-10 Euros) sounded better than the next. The waitress was very friendly and when she heard my non-French accent (I can’t seem to lose it…considering a voice coach!), she immediately started speaking to us in English. We started with a cocktail and I naturally tried the “Red Sunset” (8 Euros), which I found to be quite nice but a little too fruity. A little busy and not really my style but it definitely grabs your attention. While the front area around the bar is lively and modern, the back room has more of a lounge vibe with comfy armchairs, candlelight, a red carpet and walls painted blue with an unusual pattern (that looks like they went crazy with a chisel and gauged out tons of small holes) that contrast with a yellow geometric pattern on the ceiling.

When we said we wanted to have a drink and eat something, she escorted us to the back room. We went immediately inside, where we were greeted with a smile from a barman standing behind the glowing bar, followed by one of the very pretty waitresses. It was a cold night and by the time that we had arrived it was already invaded by trendy looking clients. From the outside, the first thing you see is a long and inviting heated terrace. Sunset opened last November, but it wasn’t until last week that I finally got a chance to visit this trendy cocktail bar with a friend. I’ve said it many times, but I’ll say it again: I love my neighborhood! So when I hear about a new restaurant or bar opening nearby I have got to check it out.

Until sunset tapas