Vins Terroirs

This tiny restaurant looks like a nineteenth century French brothel. The walls are cluttered with framed 8x10 photographs and red paint. The red velvet banquette is inviting after a long walk in St Germain. Here they serve traditional French food and a lovely wine list.

Vins Terroirs 2 The name may require some explanation. The first time I asked a French person what terroir meant, she responded, ‘Eet eez ah vah-ry French word.” No kidding. Now, I know better. I looked it up on Wikipedia. Turns out she wasn’t kidding. There is no direct translation for terroir. It is a very French word, French concept even. In France the classification for food is by region, not by ingredients or manufacturer, as in America. Terroir is the soil, the ground, the region, where products come from. So, each item comes with a sense of self or history, a sense of belonging. Can’t say that for Kraft Singles.

66 rue Saint-André des Arts, 6th arrondissement