It was no surprise that Pierre Jancou’s latest restaurant would be beautiful—his last two spots, Racines in the Passage des Panoramas and La Crémerie on the rue Quatre Vents in the 6th —are both stunning. Even so, I was still struck upon entering by Jancou’s knack for uncovering hidden gems. This one, located on the Rue des Petites Ecuries in the 10th, was an exotic bird shop in a previous life, hints of which appear in the motif of the bright green Art Nouveau tiles which cover the walls from floor to ceiling. It may be a new restaurant but you wouldn’t know from the decor, with its faded charm and cool ambiance, it blends perfectly with this part of the up and coming 10th arrondissement.
Like its predecessors, Vivant serves meticulously sourced products and only natural wines. On the night of my recent visit there was a small blackboard menu and between three of us we were able to try nearly everything on offer. We started with a creamy Burrata from the Cooperative Latte Cisternino with tiny capers from the island of Pantelleria off of Sicily; delicate slices of fragrant Parma ham that were slightly salty and sweet; and seared Dupérier foie gras over shaved baby artichokes and a handful of greens—all delicious. Mains included cochon de lait (suckling pig) with hearty mashed potatoes, Challans Duck and line caught merlu (hake) from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, both expertly cooked and served with an assortment of vegetables that included fava beans, carrots, celery-rave, and spinach.
The wines, as mentioned, are 100 % natural, or “living”[1] as Jancou calls the wines he likes to serve. So what does that mean exactly? According to More than Organic, Jancou’s website, natural wines are wines “made in small quantities, by an independent producer, from handpicked, organically grown grapes, with no added sugar or yeasts, no adjustments for acidity and no micro-oxygenation or reverse-osmosis[2]“. So, in short, all you are getting are the grapes and what the wine maker is able to express with them. If sulphur dioxide is used, it is used in minimal quantities and only at bottling.
Natural wines are fragile and their tastes tend to differ from year to year and even from bottle to bottle. They can be unstable and unpredictable. Upon opening they might be fizzy and have a funky smell. Nothing a little decanting won’t normally fix but many people are put off by them and dismiss the natural wine movement. I’m not sure where I sit on the fence, and don’t know enough to make an informed opinion, but I like natural wines and am not put off when I come across a quirky one.
We trusted Jancou’s judgment for the wines and started with 3 different whites by the glass to share. I was busy catching up with friends in from the US and before I knew it, our chalk board was whisked away and I have no idea what they were. Next up was a bottle of Moulin à Vent, which was simply delicious.
This is a lovely neighborhood restaurant, serving simple but well-prepared cuisine using only exceptional products. The prices are steep—we paid 180 € for three without coffee or dessert—but these sorts of ingredients don’t come cheaply. If you aren’t interested in knowing where you’re ingredients come from or don’t care what techniques were used to make your wine, you probably won’t get Vivant and there will be plenty of those folks who will walk away disappointed. But if you do care, you just might walk away feeling delighted, like I did, that little restaurants like this exist.
Vivant
43 rue des Petites Ecuries, 75010
Métro: Château d’eau or Bonne Nouvelle
Open lunch and dinner Monday-Friday, closed Saturday and Sunday
01 42 46 43 55