New(ish) wine bar and lunch table in the 11th

[megzimbeck]

One of my spies told me months ago that he had seen a couple of waiters from Le Chateaubriand refurbishing an old café on the rue Oberkampf. The new place opened three weeks ago as Aux Deux Amis, and I went yesterday to try it out.

At night, they were serving really nice natural wines by the glass or by the carafe (the Verre Volé cave is across the street), plus a board of Spanish-leaning tapas. The only tortilla that I've ever enjoyed outside of Madrid was on offer for 3.50, along with oeufs mayo, white asparagus in vinaigrette, burrata with green asparagus, Iberian jambon and chorizo, a dish of cocos (white beans) and chorizo, a dish of duck hearts, etc.

The scene is scruffy east side Paris (i.e. jeans and Converse) and the music ranged from old-school hip hop to the soundtrack of Dirty Dancing.

This is exactly the kind of place that's needed in Paris right now: flexible, modular, inexpensive, fun. It fills the same niche as L'Avant Comptoir, which has now become so packed that it's almost impossible to go.

I came home last night from Aux Deux Amis and saw that John Talbott had tried it for lunch:
http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com/john_talbotts_paris/2010/05/aux-deux-amis-45-rue-oberkampf-in-the-11th-totally-fun-totally-good-totally-delightful-.html

Pictures from my own visit are here:
http://megzimbeck.com/2010/05/aux-deu...

Aux Deux Amis
45 rue Oberkampf, 75011
Tel: [phone]

[PhilD]

Meg is this the new casual place that Iñaki was opening up, I understood he had dropped lunch at Chateaubriand as he was planning a casual place "next door". Or is it that a couple of waiters have jumped ship and opened up their own place?

[John Talbott]

Clearly I'm not Meg (nor is anyone but her lovely self) but my understanding is as yours, he's going to open another place - whether David-Vincent Loyola jumped ship or left with Inaki's blessing I did not ask.

[megzimbeck]

To be honest, I really don't know! I'd heard that same rumor (from the lovely Phyllis Flick) about an Iñaki tapas bar, but something tells me that this isn't it. I can't imagine le Fooding reporting about this opening (Aux Deux Amis) and not including Iñaki's name if this was in fact one of his projects. But that's only a guess, and I'm interested to know if anyone has more information.

[Phyllis Flick]

From what I've heard (and it was a very knowledgeable source) he is taking over Le Dauphin, which is right next to Chateaubriand at 131, ave. Parmentier, Paris 11th.

[menton1]

Welcome to Chowhound, Phyllis! Nice to have your input here!

[John Talbott]

And Phyllis will report later tonite or tmrw on it and it is good to see her contribute here.

[Laidback]

Welcome and please don't be an infrequent guest, Phyllis. For the few of you who don't know this lovely, understated lady read about her favorite day on "The Paris Kitchen":http://thepariskitchen.com/index.php?....
I had the scintillating pleasure of sharing that Frechon classic, Poularde de Bresse en Vessie.

[John Talbott]

It is indeed a little gem, not sure a trip across town, but.....