Paris Grocery Is Open
Word on the street is that DeLaurenti has some new competition in the downtown gourmet quick-shop scene. That might be a good thing for us locals battling the tourists idling three deep at the DeLaurenti meat counter. As Maggie previewed a few weeks back, the people behind The Spanish Table, Sharon Baden and Steve Winston, just opened Paris Grocery on Friday, aiming to offer all things French. The deli cases are full of pâté, charcuterie, and 35 varieties of French cheese, including seven types of French blue. "There are so many great local cheesemakers that make French-style cheeses, and many shops have gone that direction," Baden says. "I was surprised that there seem to be fewer places specializing in pure, authentic French cheeses." To pair with those cheeses, Paris Grocery carries Macrina Bakery baguettes and 50 types of French wine, each less than $30 a bottle. Beer is on offer, too, from both France and Belgium.
Taking over what was a rundown convenience store next door to the Spanish Table, Baden and Winston polished the original checkerboard linoleum floor, painted the interior a warm terra cotta shade, and hung wooden blinds. "It's like a shop that you might find in Paris," Baden explains.
"France has had such an influence on other cultures, so there might be items from North Africa or Vietnam," she continues. "We're going to get into more specialty sausages and charcuterie. Our charcuterie is from the States, while the wine and cheese is from France. The idea is that it's a store with a French mood, but not everything is from France."
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