It was in the Poissonnière district that Christophe Juville and Loïc Minel imagined the sequel to their first restaurant, Lolo Cave à Manger, which opened in 2020. Lolo Bistrot is the extended version, with bistro-style dishes at lunchtime and small plates to share after dark, always toasting with clean, natural-trend wines.
Behind the stoves, chef Zac Gannat has joined the project, even leaving Spain where he had settled to work with the duo, first at Lolo Cave à Manger, and now at Lolo Bistrot, a real friends' address that's already getting the crowds going - you only have to look in the window to see that every seat is taken by an aesthete in search of good food.
For this chef, who has worked at both Frenchie and the London version of Frenchie, the combination of these two gastronomic styles is a natural fit. So it's hardly surprising to find on the menu of this new table an onion tatin, meat jus and parmesan alongside a scotch egg (11€) spiced up with 'nduja, an English classic par excellence and already a Lolo Bistrot classic to be tried without batting an eyelid when you visit; or a flat bread (14€) topped with cockles and burrata.
Zac Gannat's guiding principle is clear: no more than three elements on the same plate, so every preparation is meticulous and the products are allowed to express themselves and communicate with each other. Like the stuffed neck (14€) served with tarama and endives; fabulous in every way - we're weighing our words.
One of Lolo Bistrot's hallmarks is the homemade pasta on the menu for lunch and dinner - comforting mandili alla genovese and goat's milk gouda (25€) at the time of our visit. And desserts a little too sweet for our taste (crêpe Suzette, orange compote, candied oranges; 9€) but some downright cheeky (caramel and Stilton blue tartlet; 9€).
At lunchtime, the menu oscillates between bistro classics and dishes from elsewhere, at affordable prices: €22 starter/main course or main course/dessert, €28 starter/main course/dessert. Accompanied by a glass of (good) wine, of course, sourced from small and large producers in France and Europe. However, freedom is the order of the day: no wine and food pairings here, you'll just have to trust the team's nose and their love for the beverage. You can go there with your eyes closed.
Location
Lolo Bistrot
53 Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière
75009 Paris 9
Prices
Entrée/plat ou plat/dessert, au déjeuner: €22
Entrée/plat/dessert, au déjeuner: €28
Official website
www.instagram.com