# St Barts Forums > St Barts Restaurants Wine & Food Forum >  >  Le Papillon Ivre

## bkeats

What an absolute diamond in the rough this place is. I have not read a lot about it. We were walking around St Jean and were thinking of going to Le Piment for a light dinner but decided to try Le Papillon Ivre instead. 

It doesnt look like much. A view of the car park as the sign in front of Hideaway used to say. Theres a bunch of tables tightly packed on the terrace. We didnt have a reservation but they had a two top available. 

We looked at the menu on the chalkboard. Very extensive with probably 20+ choices.  Theyre all small plates priced in the teens to mid thirties. Everything from salads to carbonade and foie. 

If you like wine, you will love this place. The somm was a delightful woman. She came to the table and asked for our preference between white or red.  We wanted to start with white. So she brings out tasting glasses and 4(!) bottles of wine.  She poured a bit of each for us to taste. Once we settled on one, she brought out big goblets and poured.  My lovely wife said she was going to get drunk just tasting. Makes sense with the name of the place. 

How was the food you ask? Fabulous. So good I forgot to take pictures. I was too busy eating.  How expensive the night out is depends on how much you eat and drink. Could be a bargain or a black hole in the wallet. 

I noticed that most of the tables had people speaking French as opposed to English. The music was mostly French too. Plus or minus depending on your sensibilities. Im not sure how I feel about French covers of some songs. 

Just a great place for food and wine. Ignore the lack of a pretty place setting.  Theres inner beauty here.

----------


## andynap

Very nice. On my list.

----------


## marybeth

We have it booked, can’t wait. Thanks for the review.

----------


## dadto6

Anita and I had a very delightful evening with Julie the Owner.  She and her team are extremely knowledgeable about their vast menu and wine offerings.  We highly recommend to the Forum.  We had three separate tapas complimented with wine that fit our budget.  One tapa was artichoke with blue cheese and truffle.  Each of the three was as consistently delicious as the other.

----------


## Eve

It was a hot spot a few years back then happily fell off the radar. Food is amazing!  Stopped going because we always over ordered and over ate

----------


## davesmom

You all convinced me!  We are reserving!

----------


## Dennis

> It was a hot spot a few years back then happily fell off the radar. Food is amazing!  Stopped going because we always over ordered and over ate



You couldn’t just order less?

----------


## Eve

Small plates are tough for 2 people, if you want to try more that’s 2-3 things

----------


## Amery

> Small plates are tough for 2 people, if you want to try more thats 2-3 things



Dined there last night and it was fabulous as always. We had 4 plates plus a dessert, a few excellent wines, and great friendly service. We love Julie. She possesses the special something that makes for success in hospitality. She hopes to open her shop across the road in a few months. I have no doubt it too will be a success.

----------


## Reed

> Small plates are tough for 2 people, if you want to try more that’s 2-3 things




Easy if you order 4 things total and share every plate.  We normally order a couple of things then add on if we are still hungry.

----------


## amyb

> Easy if you order 4 things total and share every plate.  We normally order a couple of things then add on if we are still hungry.



This seems like a good approach to me, Kimberly.

----------


## cec1

> What an absolute diamond in the rough this place is. . . .
> 
> If you like wine, you will love this place. The somm was a delightful woman. She came to the table and asked for our preference between white or red.  We wanted to start with white. So she brings out tasting glasses and 4(!) bottles of wine.  She poured a bit of each for us to taste. Once we settled on one, she brought out big goblets and poured.  My lovely wife said she was going to get drunk just tasting. Makes sense with the name of the place. 
> 
> . . . Just a great place for food and wine. Ignore the lack of a pretty place setting.  There’s inner beauty here.



Translation of the name is, I believe, “Drunken Butterfly.”

----------


## cassidain

When I was a chef (a lifetime ago) one of the frequent offerings on our prix fixe menu was saucisson brioché et sa sauce moutarde.

Papillon Ivre's version looks bien alléchant 

from their FB

----------


## davesmom

> When I was a chef (a lifetime ago) one of the frequent offerings on our prix fixe menu was saucisson brioché et sa sauce moutarde.
> 
> Papillon Ivre's version looks bien alléchant 
> 
> from their FB



I am pretty sure that is a picture of Heaven...thank you for that suggestion!  I hope they will have it the night we go

----------


## Jim A

So glad to see Le Papillon Ivre gaining a following here now. Probably our favorite place on the island. Great food with a ton of choices, amazing service from Julie and her staff and so much fun. Andif you really like good French wines you will love it. There are of course wines for every budget but the wines we had there last year and this year were absolutely fantastic. If you arent sure what you want they will spend some time with you and ask your likes and dislikes and give you a few to try. Then just pick the one you liked best. Simple as that. Also incredible wines by the bottle.

----------


## bkeats

Went back for dinner tonight. Remembered to take a few pictures this time. Julie is a wonderful host. 

Had sardines. Theres been this explosion of high end canned seafood Ive noticed. These sardines were good. Not great but the simplicity of the sardines dressed with a little lemon and olive oil with some grilled bread was a winning way to start the meal. As you can see I remembered to take a picture only after stuffing my mouth. 



Artichoke with sauce gribiche. Artichoke prep varies day by day. This version with sauce gribiche was outstanding. Not so outstanding is the picture. 




The saucisson brioche is such a happy dish. 



Forgot to take pictures of the ratatouille which was okay and the escargot which ranks among the best I have had. 

For dessert pistachio crème brûlée. OMG this was spectacular. 



To top it off the check is presented in a keep sake souvenir form. A hand written doily. 



The drunk butterfly will be in our rotation from now on.

----------


## cassidain

curious if parking is a PITA ?

----------


## amyb

Yup, all over. Near Zion, Kikimo etc.

----------


## cassidain

LPIs daube provençale. 
looks perfect for cold winter evening on Saint-Barth. 
oh, wait a _dark rainy_ winter evening on Saint-Barth

----------


## JEK

> LPI’s daube provençale. 
> looks perfect for cold winter evening on Saint-Barth. 
> oh, wait… a _dark rainy_ winter evening on Saint-Barth



Reminds me of a meal at Tamarin many years ago with E & R on a cool and cloudy day with a bit of rain. A fish soup was on the menu due to the “cold weather”

----------


## marybeth

Ate here last night. Julie is an absolute gem. Food and wine were terrific. Hoping to fit it in again before we leave.

----------


## Amery

> Ate here last night. Julie is an absolute gem. Food and wine were terrific. Hoping to fit it in again before we leave.



My daughter and I were there last night too! Was happy to see it so busy, sorry I didn't know to say hello. Our waiter kindly remembered the wines my husband had chosen last week and offered them again. The artichoke with sauce gribiche delicious as was the lyonnaise salad, roasted eggplant/burrata, beef carpaccio. The baked egg du jour always a must.

----------


## cassidain

> Reminds me of a meal at Tamarin many years ago with E & R on a cool and cloudy day with a bit of rain. A fish soup was on the menu due to the cold weather





guess which chilly, rainy weather dish we enjoyed last evening ?

hint: it wasn't cassolette  :Big Laugh:

----------


## JEK

> guess which chilly, rainy weather dish we enjoyed last evening ?
> 
> hint: it wasn't cassolette



I see beans and duck confit!

----------


## cassidain

Pork belly too ! And lamb sausage buried in the haricots tarbais !

Come to think of it, it was finished and served in a cassolette  :cool:

----------


## JEK

> Pork belly too ! And lamb sausage buried in the haricots tarbais !
> 
> Come to think of it, it was baked and served in a cassolette

----------


## cassidain

https://www.sbhonline.com/forums/sho...ight=Colombier

----------


## JEK

> https://www.sbhonline.com/forums/sho...ight=Colombier



That's the one!

----------


## davesmom

> 



I was willing to make an exception in the case of La Gloriette..boy, do we miss them :Frown:

----------


## cassidain

curious if those who reserved at LPI were asked for a CC guarantee (90€/person) ?

i still bristle at this practice. 

so far, Nikki, L'Isola, and now LPI have asked for guarantee.

----------


## marybeth

Hi Cass,
I dont love it either but its a small place and Im sure they cant afford no-shows. Before we left I reserved for last Saturday night and provided the required form. After dinner we chatted with Julie and mentioned we were planning to return. I requested a new reservation by replying to the previous confirmation email and was not asked for the form again.

At some point when we get back Ill do a recap but this place is a new favorite. Especially since many of the other new places seem to be more of the same, as per LongIslanders post.

----------


## cassidain

thanks, MB
I'm also awaiting a response from Julie regarding the two services referred to on their reservation voucher. Only 90 minutes apart ! That’s a non-starter if she replies we’ll be obliged to leave after 90 minutes.

----------


## cassidain

for a bit of perspective, Nikki Beach informs that your table is yours for 2.5 - 2.75 hours.

----------


## Dennis

> for a bit of perspective, Nikki Beach informs that your table is yours for 2.5 - 2.75 hours.



Most folks aren’t drunk enough to order the jeroboam of champagne until hour 2.

----------


## Tiffany

> curious if those who reserved at LPI were asked for a CC guarantee (90/person) ?
> 
> i still bristle at this practice. 
> 
> so far, Nikki, L'Isola, and now LPI have asked for guarantee.



Yes, we had to provide one.  Going on Tuesday.  Had to do it there, Nikki and Le Ti.

----------


## JEK

> Most folks aren’t drunk enough to order the jeroboam of champagne until hour 2.



They give you go cups in that case.

----------


## cassidain

> They give you go cups in that case.



Riedel ?  :cool:

----------


## amyb

> Riedel ?



Hahahahaha…nice try!

----------


## NancySC

Resto over on Hilton Head where I'll have lunch on Monday with a friend has a $5.00 pp no show or cancel less than 24 hrs fee...hardly seems worth it, unless I read 'it' wrong.  And this place has just celebrated the 30th anniversary on the island, great dining, wine, ambiance.  Not many places on the island have that longevity.

----------


## bkeats

> curious if those who reserved at LPI were asked for a CC guarantee (90/person) ?
> 
> i still bristle at this practice. 
> 
> so far, Nikki, L'Isola, and now LPI have asked for guarantee.



Yup. Had to call and give Julie my CC info as I had no intention of sending it in an email.

----------


## cassidain

> thanks, MB
> I'm also awaiting a response from Julie regarding the two services referred to on their reservation voucher. Only 90 minutes apart ! That’s a non-starter if she replies we’ll be obliged to leave after 90 minutes.



for the record, Julie did respond and clarified that your table is your table for as long as you want. bon.

----------


## cassidain

> for the record, Julie did respond and clarified that your table is your table for as long as you want. bon.



we had our first LPI dinner yesterday evening. have to say there seems to me a disconnect between the modest nature of the restaurant and their CC reservation policy (90/person!). oh well 

the place is a bar à vins just like they say and not a conventional restaurant. it took us a minute to get our bearings and to orient the staff as to how we wanted to proceed. 
the staff was more numerous and attentive than in many (id say the vast majority actually) French establishments. the wine duties were performed uniquement by Valentin, le sommelier. i let him know on the front end what price range i wanted to stay in for les vins au verre, and he did a very nice and helpful and patient job of helping with selections. after being informed of our plats selections. Valentin did offer dégustations as others have said, but I must say they were microscopic tastings. 

we started with three petit plats. the waiter (we had several) who took the order was slightly pushy and raised an eyebrow at the paucity of it. raclette, salade lyonnaise, et saucisson brioché. we especially liked the raclette. traditional dish of the mountain cheese melted directly from the halved wheel and scraped over jambon with new potatoes. délicieuse. we settled on a lovely Chorey-les-Beaune rouge with this first round. 

we followed up with a tartare of marlin, escargots bourguignons, artichaut et sa sauce gribiche, and carpaccio de boeuf. all very nice, but the tartare de merlin the unanimous winner. we washed these four mini-plats down with a nice Chablis. 

we split two deserts for the three of us, and both were really good. crème brûlée aux pistaches and baba au rhum. best not to have baba too close to open flame. 

overall verdict was positive and the place has a certain charm about it but inescapably evident that everything (plats et pours) is très petit. 

at maybe 20% less  i would say they would definitely make my rotation. as it is, ill have to think on it . . .

----------

