Vinyl Records and Dishes at Billie

Billie is a bistrot haute-fidélité, with high-fidelity sound that welcomes you into an air-conditioned space, because, let’s face it, Europe is unbearable this time of year, and tasteful tables with relaxed decorative touches that immediately draw you into the mystical experience.

For the record, we went during their first shift around 7 p.m., and while it was very bright outside, once we stepped inside we found a completely different atmosphere. From the moment you step inside, it’s clear that great emphasis has been placed on the arrangement of every detail, from the classic Parisian tables set with white tablecloths and the leather lounge to the frames and objects placed on the shelves that stand out from the ordinary.

At first, we saw some staff members changing records behind the bar, but a little while later the DJ arrived as well. At Billie, there’s the classic distinction found in many Parisian bistros between the first and second shifts, with the second shift always being livelier, but we couldn’t find any table later in the evening. In Billie’s vinyl collection, you’ll find albums by The Doors, Pink Floyd, Curtis Mayfield, and Aaron Frazer, among others, a carefully curated selection of classic rock, soul, and funk. Here, the old blends with the new, something I’d say is also true of their menu.

The menu is particularly interesting because it has something for everyone: here you’ll find familiar flavors as well as combinations that Cynthia Frebour plays with, infusing them with her own unique touch. Guests are invited to choose the dishes with the combinations that best suit their own tastes.

But let’s take a quick look at the menu, which, as indicated by the spacing on the page, is divided into appetizers such as olives and 30-month-aged prosciutto from Parma, the basic appetizers, the main course options along with their sides, and finally the desserts. This was our second time at Billie, and this time we ordered the purple eggs as appetizers, the classic French dish featuring boiled eggs with a twist, and the mushroom carpaccio with Parmesan and roasted aubergine.

Along with the appetizers, we started with the Basque paloma and Billie’s margarita. We chose the cocktails based on the descriptions on the menu: the margarita was seasoned, lemony, and refreshing, while the paloma was tangy, invigorating, and spicy.

Just before the dishes arrived, the sourdough bread came out, still warm, in a basket. The crust was just the right amount of crispy, and the crumb was soft enough to soak up the juices from the dishes during the customary dipping after the last bite. The appetizers arrived a short while later all at once, served by two members of the staff who placed them on our plate.

The purple eggs were on a tin platter that gave me the feeling of homemade food, with the eggs topped with pickled mustard seeds and a purple mayonnaise that probably got its color from beets.

The roasted eggplant was the first seasonal dish we ordered, since it wasn’t on the menu we’d seen online, and it melted in my mouth, exactly the way I like it. It was particularly lemony, topped with coarsely chopped chives, while underneath it was covered with a mousse reminiscent of baba ganoush, with a light smoky flavor and pomegranate seeds.

The highlight of the appetizers was probably the mushroom carpaccio with Parmesan, which was also the first dish to introduce us to truly new flavors. The mushrooms were cut into long, thin slices and tossed in a vinaigrette of olive oil and soy sauce, and topped with Parmesan, roasted hazelnuts, and fresh spring onions.

One thing we didn’t order this time so we could try other dishes was the hanger steak (onglet de bœuf) Aberdeen Angus with Billie’s homemade sauce, which is definitely worth trying if you find yourself here. The fun fact about this particular cut of meat is that butchers used to keep it for themselves and their families, but today it’s highly sought after. So for this price, whether for one or two people, the portion at Billie is truly generous.

The main courses also arrived all at once, and we played a little game of Tetris at the table until we arranged them in the right spots so we could take a bite of everything. When it comes to main courses, I very rarely choose a pasta dish, but this one caught my eye on the menu. Pasta with tequila, served directly in the metal pan where the sauce was presumably finished. This twisted type of pasta absorbs as much tomato sauce as possible with every bite before it even reaches your mouth. The tequila added a very subtle aftertaste to this plate, perhaps an attempt at a penne alla vodka variation.

Schnitzel is a dish I’ve inevitably come to associate with my visits to cities in Germany or Austria, but since we were in an air-conditioned space, we thought it was a great idea to try the chicken schnitzel. The schnitzel came on a plate with a charred lemon, which we squeezed over the schnitzel before cutting it, along with a small saucepan of a green, fairly runny pesto with a strong flavor from its vegetables. The side dish was something we’d tried on our previous visit, sweet potato purée with a strong butter and onion flavor that I could eat endlessly and that goes just as well with the schnitzel, whether dipped in the purée or not. The schnitzel was tender enough to cut easily with a knife, and the meat inside was succulent, while the outside was very crispy and held the meat’s juices well.

I rarely find salads that really excite me, but ever since our first visit to Billie, I’ve been raving about the crispy kale salad. I’ll admit that in my daily life I don’t usually cook with kale or eat it very often, but just like the first time, this visit, we saw this salad floating above many tables before it finally landed on them. This salad is made with clearly well-selected kale; as its name suggests, it’s quite crisp and keeps you coming back for more. Each bite is complemented by a vinaigrette with Dijon mustard and, depending on your forkful, avocado, almonds, bulgur, and grated parmesan. I have a particular weakness for salads with mustard, and this one reminded me of a very refreshing spinach and mustard salad I used to eat a lot in the past, and I think I’ll have to make it again soon.

I can’t leave a place without trying one of the desserts. The first time we came, we tried the delicious chocolate mousse with sesame tuile, which is a kind of cookie used as a garnish on desserts. This time we ordered the nuage de citron with crumble, a cloud-like cream, as the name suggests, with a tangy lemon flavor. It was a wonderful way to end our meal, a light, airy dessert paired with a crumble that had a hint of salt.

So if you want to enjoy your meal in a place with a relaxing atmosphere and a pleasant selection of music in the heart of Paris, Billie is a very fresh and relatively new spot, crafted with great attention to detail. Try to visit during the second seating, which begins after 9 p.m., when the lights are dimmed even further, and don’t forget to ask the staff if there are any new additions to the menu.