La Charcuterie

good quality, good value cooking

Blessed be Olivier Frey and his wife Ana Luiza Ribeiro for restoring this former deli in the Saint-Gilles neighborhood, which is classified as a historic monument (a nostalgic facade, a symphony of old-fashioned tiles, a stunning bar, a wooden butcher’s block). The duo, who self-identifies as “product arrangers” and “taste harpooners,” bring land and sea together in their delightful dishes, including cured pork products, like Favola mortadella, Sibilia jésus saucisson from Lyon and some irresistible ham from the Spanish Pyrenees. Resisting the guilty urge to order seconds, we opted instead for pan-fried scallops bathed in a very cheeky lardo di Colonnata jus; a tender rib-eye steak from Uruguay grilled on the plancha, served with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables roasted in the oven with ponzu sauce; and a crackling sugar waffle, like you’d get in Liège. After feasting, we stroll through the épicerie section to fill up our shopping tote with small wonders: Galician sardines, Sète-style stuffed squid, terrines from Gilles Vérot, fine charcuterie and meats, mustard from Charroux, etc. // Julie Méaux