The Boulevard du Montparnasse isn’t exactly lacking in bars – quite the contrary in fact. But new addition L’Apollo has been bravely facing up to the area’s established brasseries and watering holes since June 2016. With its lovely, sunny terrace surrounded by Areca palm plants, and furnished with gold-tainted tables and wicker chairs, the place is beautifully decorated and its cocktail menu is impressive.
So basically, don’t bother trying to find Chez Clement – come here instead and order a brilliant Porn Star Martini, a subtle blend of vanilla liqueur, passion fruit puree, vodka, cane sugar and a shot of champagne. For something more retro, there’s the punchier Kiki Martini, an acerbic concoction of byrrh (a French vermouth), maraschino liqueur, grapefruit and Burlesque Bitters.
Their large restaurant menu offers an appetite-whetting array of starters, like the tuna tataki with sesame, sea bream ceviche with citrus and ginger (chilled and flavoursome, just how we like it), melon and parma ham, the list goes on. The servings are generous and could easily suffice as mains, which are more of a mixed bag: the Argentinian beefsteak is perfect but pricey at €29, while the lamb cutlets are a little too fatty.
L’Apollo may follow the other Montparnasse bars with its high, Paris prices, but it’s a breath of fresh, liqueur-tinged air in an area desperately in need of a revamp.
TRANSLATION: LEONIE CATER