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Bar 228 at Le Meurice is so closely linked to the history and legends of the palace that it has borrowed the numbers for its address!
William Olivieri has been with Bar 228 for thirty years and at the helm since 1992. His Italian origins give him an elegance and a sense of panache and mischief that delight the bar’s regulars and seduce its newcomers. His job has become a mission inseparable from the spirit of the place. Listening, guiding, anticipating an unspoken desire, remembering the customs of an old customer, William Oliveri handles gestures and words with consummate skill.
He has passed on his high standards and passion to his teams.
Style and atmosphere
Bar 228 also boasts a cosy, elegant decor and atmosphere, with deep leathers and dark wood panelling, a nod to the English clientele that gave Le Meurice its first hours of glory. Lavalley’s monumental frescoes, installed in 1807, depict rural scenes in Fontainebleau. They stand side by side with the shelves of some 300 bottles, flasks and decanters of acidulous or amber-tinted spirits. In 2007, Philippe Starck added elegantly audacious details to this timeless ambience: a wall of candles, hanging mirrors, pumps and rocking chairs. More than ever, the 228 bar is a place to meet, but also a place to talk about.
Cocktail creation at Le Meurice
A cocktail often tells a story. Monsieur William knows his classics and executes them with mastery. His Bellini is said to be the best in Paris. A matter of honor, no doubt! The menu offers all the most classic cocktails (from Cosmopolitan to Alexandra), short drinks and long drinks, a dozen dries (from Very dry Martini to Grey Cocktail) and 17 original creations, including non-alcoholic gourmet cocktails. Monsieur William’s creations are inspired by the history and legends of Le Meurice. The Lord Egerton is named after Le Meurice’s first customer, and is made with 50% gin and 50% port: 100% British! Le Starcky salutes the passing of Philippe Starck in 2007 with a blend of mint leaves and champagne. Millenium ushers in the new millennium with a subtle blend of rosé champagne, rose liqueur and orange extracts.
In 2008, William Oliveri and Jean Charles de Castelbajac launch the JCDC, a couture cocktail.
cocktail 228 - c Francois Marechal
cocktail Starcky
Bar 228 events
Throughout the day, Bar 228 offers an ideal setting for tasting and relaxing, for hotel guests as well as for Parisians famous and unknown. The musical program, designed by Béatrice Ardisson, ranges from electro jazz and Shazz to Ursula 100 imports during the day, and Château Flight and Phoenix after midnight.
At lunchtime, Bar 228 offers an attractive, deceptively classic menu for a quick meal: vegetables à la croque au sel, classic, salmon or vegetarian club sandwiches, or a surprising Meurice croque. And why not try a seasonal fruit tartlet or a chocolate religieuse?
Every month, Head Sommelier Nicolas Rebut invites wine lovers to a wine aperitif: “les Nocturnes du 228”.
More than ever, Bar 228 at Le Meurice is one of the best places to feel the soul of Le Meurice vibrate.
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
