#68 | Prescription Cocktail Club, Paris, France
Last Visit: Fall 2023
We are back in Paris and once again on the Rive Gauche, the left or southern bank of the Seine, which is where, according to some (my mother possibly included), "real Parisians" like to spend their time. Away from the massive tourist crowds on the boulevards, but at the same time full of apartments bought and lived in/sublet/put on Airbnb by wealthy foreigners, as the 6th arrondissement has been anything but an insider tip for a good 20-30 years now. Don't get me wrong, we are still in the city center of Paris, so it remains busy, with cars and tourists walking around. But every time I come here, I'm amazed at how much more calm, pleasant, and at least somewhat more authentic it is compared to the streets between Boulevard Haussmann and the Louvre.
Copyright: Prescription Cocktail Club
We are only 2-3 streets away from, among other things, the exciting Cravan Project (our next Paris bar article), a Chartreuse flagship store (with its own small tasting bar), and less than 100 meters from the Île de la Cité, the famous river island with its even more famous reopened cathedral. The one with its own Disney movie based on the work by national poet Victor Hugo, you know which one I mean.
Just a few months before my visit, the Prescription Cocktail Club, which belongs to the large and successful chain of bars run by the Experimental Cocktail Club (see our article here), underwent extensive renovation and was essentially relaunched. Older photos show a bar that is typical of old-school Paris or the early bar renaissance in general and still looked very similar to the parent bar. Exposed brick walls, rough wood, a slight vintage and craft vibe. If you had to guess, you could also be in a bar in Brooklyn or a former working-class neighborhood in London in 2010, you know what I mean. Not only because this look already existed at the ECC and more variety is always more exciting, but also because I find the new theme very atmospheric, the reinterpretation is very welcome.
Copyright: Prescription Cocktail Club
They opted for a mixture of Belle Époque, a little grand opera vibe, and a small dose of astrology/mysticism, which also fits in well historically. I'm actually always quite cautious about bars designed around a very specific, all-encompassing theme, as they can quickly come across as a theme park or tourist hotel bar. Here, however, it seemed very harmonious, perhaps because of the subtle variation with astrology, instead of, for example, simply focusing on historical figures, etc. in the menu, and above all because the staff don't have to wear uncomfortable uniforms that look more like bad costumes (as in some other "theme" bars…).
The quality of the design and materials is immediately apparent in the details, and it is clear that the designer worked with hotels in Corsica, central London, and elsewhere in Paris. Of course, only a group with the appropriate backing can afford this, but that is precisely why I welcome the variety and top-notch execution. The menu is small but nice and equally typical of Paris, meaning "only" 10 signature cocktails, plus 2 non-alcoholic drinks and, of course, champagne (Pol Roger as the house brand, which is a great choice, by the way). As in most bars in the city, it is presented rather simple on a fold-out paper menu, but at least it features nice design details such as a moon and other elements from the rest of the interior.
Copyright (first row of pics below): Prescription Cocktail Club
Boite de Pandore
| Buffalo Trace Bourbon
| Dolin Vermouth Rouge
| Liqueur du Moment [liqueur of the moment]
| Bitter de Saison Maison [seasonal housemade bitters]
| Vieilli en fût [barrel aged]
Embarrassingly, for once I have very few details about the specific contents of the drink I actually got here. Since it was one of the few classic stirred drinks and I was in the mood for a Manhattan-style cocktail anyway, I ordered it after reading the first two lines of ingredients. I quickly took a photo of the menu and thought, "That's there for when I write the article later." No such luck. Based on its apt name (Pandora's Box), it's basically a seasonal or changing drink. Only with a certain template of a Manhattan or rather Bobby Burns (with the additional liqueur, such as Bénédictine in the BB). So it says there that the liqueur and bitters can change, although not daily, since the whole drink is barrel-aged, ergo it is somehow predetermined at least for some time and they just don't want to write something new every 1-2 months (the minimum time for meaningful barrel aging) I guess?
But it doesn't really matter. On the one hand, I vaguely remember that Picon Amer was mentioned when I asked, and I assume that the noticeable beer notes I detected in the drink came from homemade beer bitters (or it was stored in a former beer barrel, of course). My guess would be it was based on the traditional drink made from Picon and beer in Alsace and other regions of France. All in all, it excelled with notes of fig, nuts, nicely dark, beer-like on the nose and with a great malty finish in the mouth, balanced, slightly sweet, just like a good Bobby Burns. A superb stirred drink, classic and high-quality, just the way I like it sometimes.
Odyssee
| Laphroaig 10yo
| Skynos
| Lemon
| Cherry tomato
| Basil
| Simple Syrup
A very exciting cocktail, especially for me personally. Because despite my love for Italian cuisine and whole, fresh tomatoes, I can't stand cold tomato juice or cold purée. Even the highest quality Bloody Marys make me feel slightly nauseous. The only exception was actually a drink at Sips Essencia - just to put the necessary quality into perspective - and that one was conceptually quite different from the classic template. Thankfully, this one was too, imagine a Mediterranean tiki. First, sweet, subtle tomato, the mastiha reminiscent of fine pesto, a fresh, green eucalyptus note, then citrus freshness and a delicate malty smokiness. Surprisingly smooth and easy, blind tasting you could almost think there was some kind of tropical fruit mixture in it. A very cool drink that gains even more appeal once you've drunk it and realize what's in it afterward and how surprisingly well it works.
The Prescription Cocktail Club is a more than solid recommendation and a good choice, especially if you happen to find yourself on the other (or better?) side of the Seine. The staff are very friendly, happy to help you choose and explain the options, and really attentive. There's a drink to suit every taste and, as in many places in Paris, a city renowned for its bar training, enough knowledge and skill to always offer solid tailor-made drinks. If you are only visiting the French metropolis for a very short time and/or only have time for 2-3 bars, there are of course more high-end concepts in terms of pure cocktail selection, but that is not what this bar is trying to be. And that's a good thing, because how many bars with chic designs and even more sophisticated-sounding menus have I visited that have failed miserably to live up to those expectations? The answer: too many. The Prescription Cocktail Club, on the other hand, is a place I would gladly visit again.
/rds
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