Housed in the breathtakingly beautiful former printing works of the Calmann-Levy publishing house , with their period Gustave Eiffel metal beams and imposing original wooden shelves running the length of the walls, still loaded with books from the last century, the Shack is a protean living space where you can drink, eat, cowork or just hang out with friends.
Open for breakfast, this 1500m2 hybrid space, designed by Emilie Vazquez, reveals its different facets as the hours progress. From the winning coffee/croissant duo in the morning, we quickly move on to the lunch menu, designed by a young chef, Albane Auvray, who has just arrived behind the stove.
From Auvergne, the 23-year-old chef worked alongside Eric Frechon in the kitchens of Le Chiberta and Le Bristol, as well as in front of theObjectif Top Chef cameras. Since then, Albane Auvray has made a point of promoting responsible cuisine that puts plants at the heart of the plate, using local, seasonal produce. These creations can be found at lunchtime on affordable menus for the local area, priced at €25 starter/main course/dessert and €32 starter/main course/dessert.
For The Shack, Albane Auvray creates a weekly menu that blends French bistronomy with the street flavors of Southeast Asia. Her vision of cuisine led us to discover two fresh starters, simple yet full of flavor: first, mimosa leeks and red onion pickles (10€), then and above all, potatoes and haddock (10€) bathed in a raw chive cream, itself imbued with the powerful aromas of the aforementioned fish.
Under the glass roof of the printing works, which bathes the dizzyingly high ceilings in natural light - climb upstairs for a bird's-eye view of the restaurant - we take time to sip the Fleurs du Mal (Gin, Saint-Germain, aloe vera juice, artisanal apple juice, lemon juice, aquafaba; €13), one of Le Shack's many signature cocktails, the brainchild of our in-house mixologists.
We continue in style and delicacy with the trout fillet (19€), accompanied by a sweetly bitter onion and chicory compote and a virgin sauce with lemon and fresh herbs. The spinach risotto (19€) with shiitake shavings and hazelnuts is a comforting delight.
On the sweet side, Albane Auvray takes charge of the desserts herself, and goes for originality with vegetable-based creations. With brio, since this destructured panna cotta with fennel confit, orange and hazelnuts (9€) is quite delightful. The Shack also offers a daily patisserie by pastry chef Carl Marletti.
Once lunch is over, you can't decide whether to leave or stay. Indeed, the Shack is also a top-of-the-range coworking space for mobile workers , who can go about their business in peace and quiet in the restaurant's large room with its many nooks and crannies, or in the fifteen or so meeting rooms, each bearing the name of an author published by Calmann-Levy.
And to underline the diction 'After the effort, the comfort', the Shack also unveils a wellness program, with aerial yoga, meditation and dance classes.
In the evening, the Shack transforms into a cocktail bar with ahushed ambience, where you can sip clever beverages accompanied by very, very generous charcuterie and cheese boards (€23). And these are in keeping with the spirit of the place: original, inventive, creative, and found nowhere else.
We can tell you right away that the place is very popular, whatever the day of the week, so we strongly advise you to book your table to make sure you enjoy a good evening in this place that's like no other. On the evening of our visit, we were treated to an amazing concert by Nashville country music pioneer Carlton Moody and his son Jackson.
For no less than 2 hours, the two bandmates, joined at the end by two other musicians, literally set the Shack on fire, playing a succession of great classics from the genre and personal creations; a real moment of communion between the band members and with the audience!
Of course, it's impossible to resist The Shack's new cocktail menu, with inventive marvels like the L'Âme du Vin cocktail (€20), made with Bourgogne Pinot noir 2019, Dolin white vermouth, La Cavale blanc AOP 2021, bergamot syrup, lemon juice and dry tonic; a cocktail that honors wine, which is rare enough to emphasize, with great lightness and finesse.
Lovers of caffeinated flavors will opt for the Le Candidat cocktail (14€), featuring vodka, cold-pressed coffee, chai tea syrup and topped with a delicate, thick milk foam; while aesthetes, who are sure to recognize references to Baudelaire in the names of the beverages, won't bat an eyelid at the Illusions Perdues cocktail (17€), made with gin, fennel, Semaine 38 tea infusion, verjuice and martini; the glass is carefully decorated with fennel seeds, to be lapped up as you go along to add an appreciable herbaceous note.
The Shack is definitely one of Paris's most seductive and surprising places, at any time of day.
This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.
Location
Le Shack
4 Impasse Sandrie
75009 Paris 9
Access
Opera
Official website
leshack.fr
