Friday night. Cold in Paris. Not just cold, but bone-chilling. My bestie boo Olivia and I have a date night set, in celebration of the end of my gallery internship, the end of a semester, the end of another week in Paris. She picks the place. I was instantly sold by the words cheap and tapas, but what I got out of this experience was oh so much more…
By the time O meets me at the doorstep of Freddy’s, I can’t even articulate my words I’m so cold. Everything comes out half-baked, as we regard the chalkboard menu posted outside. Strategizing our order. “I like Brusse-” I mumble, trying to uncrack my fingers from my poor bag handle.
It was an hour wait, so if you ever find yourself going, pray for warm weather or post-up somewhere else for a drink first. The place is small, tightly compact. The ambiance is that of a friend’s dinner party, if this friend was a chic and in Brooklyn and frequents the Goop website. Her boyfriend also probably owns his own Smeg-inspired meat slicer like this one.
Upon being seated, at the bar, we immediately ordered wine and recited our well-thought-out food choices like the lines of a school play.
Long-awaited, and by this time warm, we dined chez Freddy’s.
The menu
At Freddy’s is divided into three parts: the (veggie-based) apps around 5/6 euro, the fish, and the meat (Olivia noted the steak with mustard sauce being a good order for future reference...).
The winner
LIKE CANDY. This was a lay-up for me because I simply adore Brussels sprouts, especially when they are cooked to where the leaves get all burnt and crispy. Hot from the oven (?), these were simply served with a pile of salt and lemon wedge. Tequila shot, anyone?
The loser
Nothing particularly wrong with this mackerel crudo, just nothing to write home about. Served with chive fragments, pickled onion, and little dollops of sweetened ginger. Oversized fish chunks made it hard to get it all in one bite.
The honorable mentions
Another honorable mention is the music at this place. The aux sounded as if someone had literally put their Spotify “Liked Songs” on Shuffle.
‘Nuf said.
Also this one came over the loudspeakers, a song I thought I had successfully gatekept from the rest of society.
Iregardless, the music was bumping, and certainly added considerably to the overall dining ~ experience ~
Save room for dessert!
If you are a faithful subscriber (and reader) of these blogs, you are well aware that I am an avid rice pudding aficionado. If I see it on a menu, it’s as good as gone. This riz au lait was solid, not overly sweet, and definitely benefitted from the addition of the candied hazelnuts and heavy drizzle of a well-cooked caramel.
Not pictured is the pavlova we also ordered, a meringue pastry I made in my Cordon Bleu days. This one was topped with whipped cream and (presumably canned) mandarins. Nothing too memorable, but the citrus bite certainly complimented the alternating spoons of rice pudding.
I must also note, the staff was utterly delightful. Although our interactions with them were limited to our last-ditch effort to meet their eyes for an add-on order of Tiramisu, you could just tell their dynamic was totally banterous - giving what we deemed “camp counselor” energy and successfully adding to this friend’s place vibe.
Their menu changes weekly (and seasonally). As far as Paris recommendations go, this one definitely makes my list. Perfect for a relatively inexpensive date night with a fellow foodie, which may or may not turn into an after-hours dance party.
Freddy’s: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
apologize for the inconsistency of this blog. lord knows I hemorrhage words when I start to write about food, and there’s only so much time in the day!
xoxo,
Chloé