Photo: David Raynal / Swing Féminin

The Potxolo which means "big fat" in Basque is a real Basque bodega located close to the Bastille district. The open kitchen on this restaurant with only 45 covers, immediately gives it a friendly atmosphere. Always in contact with her customers, Patrice Lepage is a Basque at heart who has been passionate about cooking and travel for over thirty years. He has been a chef in several large Parisian restaurants and developed his culinary skills including the subtle treatment of fish while working in Japan. His meeting, more than 10 years ago with Hervé, Founder of La Plancha, emblematic Bodega of the rue Keller in Paris, allowed him to acquire a recognized know-how in Basque cuisine. Founder of a finance consultancy, but above all the son of restaurateurs, Thierry Duval grew up near kitchens. He too knows and appreciates this festive land of the Basque country, full of colors and flavors, which he has always visited.

Tasty, Basque cuisine uses and magnifies its dual terroir. Products of the land (pork, lamb, black cherries, peppers ...) and seafood (anchovies, sardines, fried squid or tinta in squid ink, prawns tails with Brandy, squid, tuna ...) meet and form a unique gastronomy with southern accents, embellished with the famous Espelette pepper. “To my knowledge, there are only 4 or 5 bodegas in the capital. This is why customers come exclusively from the suburbs to taste our tapas ” explains Thierry Duval.

Sow ham

Patrice Lepage and Thierry Duval - Photo: David Raynal / Swing Féminin

Tapas from the sea, tapas from the garden, shepherd's plate on Thursday, the chef offers a healthy menu, constantly renewed and natural, whose products retain their original tastes and typicity. Cooking a la plancha quickly and rich in flavor, limits the fat intake while operating a real return to authenticity. Potxolo is also known for the excellence of its charcuterie. Chorizo ​​Iberico de Bellota, farmer's lomo, sow ham, but also the famous Montanera ham, obtained from black-colored Iberian pigs, will delight the taste buds of the most discerning aficionados. Between two courses, the chef invites his customers to choose fish and seafood. Sea and mountain mingle on the plate to pay tribute to the freshness of Basque products, while the seared Piquillo peppers, seasoned with garlic and olive oil or the delicate Burgos-style beans topped with chorizo, definitely delight the palate. To accompany its many specialties, the Potxolo offers a fine list of Spanish (Navarre) or Basque (Irouléguy) wines as well as cider. The house sangria, red wine, citrus fruits and secret spices invite you on a journey to the heart of Spain. It goes wonderfully with tapas, but also at the end of a meal with desserts when a round and soft Basque cake, crème brûlée and rice pudding, revive the most beautiful memories of our childhood.

David Raynal

The Potxolo
7, rue de la Forge Royale 75011 Paris
Metro: Faidherbe Chaligny, Ledru-Rollin, Bastille.
01 43 72 24 60
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 19:00 p.m. - 1:45 a.m.
Closed: Monday and Sunday
30 seats
Average à la carte tapas price: 8 € / 15 €
Full menu on request
Privatization can
www.bodegapotxolo.com