Le Vin Papillon

Le Vin Papillon is a young sibling of the Joe Beef and Liverpool House clan and, like in all other families, the youngest child has decided to be the most original and the most singular in order to stand out from the rest of the gang. The approach has paid off well. Think of Vin Papillon as Joe Vegetable. For its menu—conceived by chef Marc-Olivier Frappier—is largely centered around roots and leaves and the like, cooked with all the butter, duck fat and house-smoked bacon needed in order to turn them into something decadent, delicious, and… not quite vegetarian. The wood-roasted cauliflower with crispy chicken skin is a classic. Another excellent dish is paper-thin sliced celeriac dressed with bagna cauda, a composition which, perhaps more than any other here, illustrates something of the range of the delightful new possibilities that can be unleashed when vegetables fall into the right hands. The hands of a chef motivated by the idea of putting them front and center on the plate—with an imaginative twist. Behind the bar, the sommelier, natural wine advocate and co-owner Vanya Filipovic is a joy. The wine list is eclectic, inventive, and always exciting, just like this space which quickly fills to the brim with great music, people, and energy.