Frenchie

Frenchie is a small restaurant with a Michelin star on Rue du Nil in the Sentier quarter of the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. Chef Grégory Marchand is the man behind it.

Marchand trained in leading kitchens in New York, London and Hong Kong before coming back to Paris. Those years abroad left a mark that Michelin still notices on the plate, a distinctly British twist on French market cooking. Under him the restaurant has stayed full night after night for well over a decade. Gault&Millau lists it among its remarkable restaurants, and a wine bar annex sits just across the street.

The cooking is seasonal and led by the market, with original flavor pairings that put the ingredient first. Much of the produce comes from Terroirs d'Avenir, the supplier based directly opposite, and from La Ferme de l'Envol. Dinner is a set menu of seven courses. With the supplier across the road, the distance from the crate to the stove is a few steps, and the menu can follow what arrives each morning.

The room is cosy and compact, with only about two dozen seats, exposed brick, old beams and bare stone walls. The cellar backs young winemakers without forgetting established names, from Montcalmès by the glass to the Champagne of Lassaigne and the wines of Vernay. Combier and Gangloff are on the list as well. The small room, the supplier across the street and the tight menu give the place the feel of a neighborhood bistro raised to the level of a starred table.