"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
Well, not always. You can probably bet that the quality of the food at a place called “Cheaper Food”, and “Very Nice Pizza” (they really exist) are about as good as their names suggest. We learn not to judge books by their covers but do so anyway. In fact, we judge books, people, movies, cities, and even restaurants by their names and sometimes, our pre-conceived notions are upheld. But in this case, I was proven wrong.
I had read multiple, glowing reviews about Pizza Chic, the New-York style pizzeria in 6th, prior to trying it out with Ann Mah for the first time a few weeks ago. I couldn't help but be circumspect of a place that had the audacity to call themselves chic and wondered how good the pizza really could be. Surely not better than Caldo Freddo, my longstanding favorite.
By the end of the night I came to see, however, that the name, although staggeringly trite, was a suitable label. Owned by Julien Cohen, son of Marie-France Cohen, founder of upscale shops Bonpoint, Merci and Bonton, Pizza Chic oozes undeniably cool minimalism: large windows which open like doors during the warmer months to give the illusion of a terrace, black and white tiled floors, polished silverware, dangling light bulbs, tall water glasses, tin ceiling tiles along the bar (which I later saw at Merci) and an open kitchen with a view of the wood-burning oven. It's a little bit NY hipster meets Parisian bobo without the self-important pretension. Not to mention the Italian servers who take your order with zeal and a wide smile.
Ann ordered the white Carciofi pizza with puréed artichokes, little artichoke hearts, arugula and topped with shredded parmesan, aged 24 months. After agreeing to a taste of hers, I immediately regretted the vegetarian pizza I ordered which was outstanding but not quite as original as the Carciofi (at 21€ a pie it better be mind-blowing). After a gargantuan piece of tiramisu that we struggled to finish {photo evidence here} I decided I would have to return with my other foodie friend to try another pizza.
Saturday I headed back, this time for lunch. We shared the fresh salad with seasonal vegetables straight from Annie Bertin's garden and the Crudaiola pizza - tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, arugula and cherry tomatoes - but not before warming up our bellies with an amuse-bouche on the house.
There was a bit too much arugula for our liking but the freshness and flavor of the pie overall were undeniable; the crust just crunchy enough to offset the gooeyness of the melted cheese. Comparing my post-pizza-belly distention from my dinner date with Ann, I'd say sharing a pie is a wise choice. We wiped our palettes clean with a shot of intense Italian espresso and a piece of praline chocolate, my favorite.
So I judged Pizza Chic unfairly by its name but let's be honest, had it been called Chic Pizza would we even be talking about it? Only in France would it make sense to bring together the words pizza and chic but they do so masterfully.
Note: Julien Cohen is also the owner of Les Cailloux, one of my favorite Italian spots, and the just-opened Grazie a stone's throw from Merci & BonTon.
Pizza Chic
13 rue Mézières, 75006
+33(0)1.45.48.30.38
Métro: St. Sulpice
Reservations Recommended
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