Secrets of Paris

Andy Wahloo
69 Rue des Gravilliers, 3^rd
M° Arts-et-Métiers or Rambuteau
Tel 01 42 71 20 38.

www.myspace.com/andywahloo

This kitsch Moroccan bar, under the same ownership as the chic 404 restaurant next door, and the very trendy Derrière restaurant found -- bien sûr -- behind the courtyard, is still one of the more popular watering holes of the Paris jet-set. The cosmopolitan clientele sit on pop-art styled paint-can stools, eating tapas and drinking North African wines, mojitos and mint tea with the latest raï music mixes playing in the background. There are often DJs from around Europe playing later in the evening (the suave Jimmy Sax sessions on Friday nights are not bad), when everyone tries to dance despite the cramped quarters. Smoskers tend to hang outside in the courtyard when it's nice out (food served here in the summer). Open Monday-Saturday, noon-2am. Happy hour for half-priced cocktails.