Oui, it’s true, locals can now feel like they’ve flown to France when they dine at a new Jupiter restaurant owned by a former flight dispatcher, pilot and native Parisian.
The Parisian Restaurant and Wine Bar, which opened this week, offers a modern take on French classics through its Parisian-style cuisine.
“We want people to get away for just a few hours and pretend like they’re in Paris,” said Susan Nefzger, who represents the restaurant.
Owner Tarzi Benazzouz, who last worked as a general manager for another local French restaurant, first moved to the United States from Paris eight years ago. He worked as a flight dispatcher for Air France out of New York City’s JFK International Airport for a brief stint, but quickly grew tired of it.
So, Benazzouz moved to Juno Beach and has lived in Palm Beach County ever since.
Though Benazzouz’s experience lay in the airline industry, restaurants were in his blood. His father was a chef in Paris, his uncle was a restaurateur and, most notably, his grandfather worked as chef to the prime minister of Spain.
“When that’s in your blood, it doesn’t go away,” Nefzger said.
Over the past year, Benazzouz worked to open his own French restaurant with Nefzger, a public relations professional in Palm Beach Gardens and his wife of five years.
“He wanted to share the real Parisian style with people here in Palm Beach County,” she said.
The result, an authentic Parisian brasserie that opened Dec. 8, welcomes in customers with its warm and inviting charm. In addition to black and white tile flooring, crown molding, large mirrors and shelves of wine, the restaurant offers an all-wood bar and al fresco dining in its enclosed courtyard.
The Parisian’s menu features classic dishes, such as escargot ($13), foie gras terrine ($22) and steak tartare ($14), as well as specialties like the baked dover sole with lemon beurre blanc sauce ($39) and salmon marinated in garam masala and lime ($24). Desserts include macarons ($9) and homemade crepes ($7).
But Nefzger says a visit to the restaurant can’t be enjoyed without a glass or bottle of wine. It is a wine bar, after all. Their selection includes French wines and champagne from small, exclusive French wineries, along with a few boutique California wines from Steele Winery.
“The ambiance and the music, the food and the wine, makes it a completely Parisian experience,” she said.
The Parisian is open Tuesday through Saturday, serving lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/TheParisianRestaurant.
(Photos courtesy David Randell Photography)
The Parisian Restaurant & Wine Bar; 201 N. US Highway 1, Suite D-9, Jupiter
Correction: A previous version of this story referred to Susan Nefzger as a co-owner of the restaurant, but she is the restaurant’s public relations representative and wife of owner Tarzi Benazzouz.
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