At first glance, Café Moderne in the 11th arrondissement seems like the ultimate hipster hot spot: red brick walls, check; comics as décor, check; instagrammable menu options (in this case, cocktails and meatballs), check. But the cosy space has actually been around for years so it’s more than just a ‘concept’. The added bonus: the bartender makes perfectly balanced cocktails.
The short food menu has three options: tartares, burgers or meatballs. On our visit, the day’s special meatballs were flavoured with veal and lardons and came with a side of potatoes (€12) – comfort food at its best.
But it’s the cocktails prepared by the expert mixologist behind the bar which make Café Moderne really worth a visit. Mido opened the bistro with his girlfriend after winning several international cocktail competitions, so you know he knows his stuff. He let us taste a whole range of his original recipes, including a fresh and delicious homage to Italy named the Baci Da Parigi, a mix of a martini and a rubino that was the perfect foil to those meatballs.
TRANSLATION: MARIA THOMAS