A tropical forest hangs from the balcony where you can have tapas and small meals in front of early nude pictures of Madonna,  by Martin H.M. Schreiber

L’Alcazar used to be a naughty cabaret where Jean-Marie Rivière created humorous and chic transvestite shows in 1968 until his death in 1996. I remember going there when I was 17, and loving the transgression and quality of the singers. In 1998, Sir Terence Conran, then at the hight of his Habitat and Conran fame, transformed the spot into a posh black and white and fairly cold brasserie. This week, with the same team as in the 90’s, manager Michel Besmond and Fabrice Gilberdy, Alcazar reopens with a completely different decor, created by Laura Gonzalez, the charming it-architect of the time.

“Petits plats dans les grands” at the Balcon on the first floor, watercolor by Le Tan

Discovering the turmoil of the last days on the worksite was great fun. Bistrot chairs upside down, marble tables for 10 still unpacked, brown and orange sofas, and plants, plants, plants, hanging from the « Balcon ».

Bistrot chairs and icy marble tables

Fabrice, uses his charm to explain how they will be open for Xmas eve and New Year’s eve of course, but closed in between so everyone can go skiing… Michel is happy to start hanging early black and white 1979 Madonna pictures by Martin H.M. Schreiber (who briefly dated her in the late 70’s)  all around the balcony, where tapas will be served in the evening. This is actually the cozy spot to go for, with wooden tables and a bar, much warmer than the icy marble tables downstairs.

Laura Gonzalez looks like a student and shows the silver plated candle holders and « old » plates that are supposed to give a homy feel to the place. I did not particularly like the dark green sofas mixed with  olive green walls in the main dining room, and found the place very noisy. But our neighbor, a nice old lady who used to come here “before”, loved the new decoration and fresher seasonal food.  But I loved the menu of salade de bœuf, (actually a delicious thinly sliced beef salad with sesame seeds),  poached eggs with mushrooms or ceviche of sea bass. It is very reasonable at 32 € for a three course lunch, including a fabulous shredded pineapple and sherbet dessert. The dinner card is more expensive but remains reasonable.

Michel Besmond and Laura Gonzalez sort out the silver before the opening

Located at the heart of the Left bank gallery quarter, l’Alcazar should fill a gap of easy eating for all of those who have not emigrated to the Marais and can’t have lunch every day at Café de Flore. That is at least what Kamel Mennour, the well known galerist, meant when, very happy with his lunch, he said ” J’ai signé pour dix ans” (I have signed for the next ten years),  a great compliment.

Sweet exotic wooden tables for the balcony

My friend and I both left very happy with the food, less so with the snobby attitude of the waiters who never realized how important we were!!! and forgot to take our orders for about twenty minutes. A short list of 70 wines with a few obligatory Argentinian and New Zealand finds, should do well.  I can envision a nice evening at the movies at Odéon and finding the warmth and coziness of Alcazar at 10 pm.

Pictures of a very young and naked Madonna wait to be hung at the bar

Faithful customers have already booked for the first week and Claude Bernard, the galerist of rue des Beaux Arts is having a post opening dinner. The place is huge with 160 seats downstairs, but the philosophy seems good : “Everyone should be able to come for dinner and spend whatever they like”. A perfect way to attract the young and beautiful. I will definitely go back.

(Alcazar, 62 rue Mazarine, 6th, tel: 01 53 10 19 99)