Truth in Advertising

Opening Weekend Line @ La Felicità. Photo Credit: S.J.

It really pains me to put a member of the Big Mamma group in this section...REALLY, IT DOES. Sadly, La Felicità has earned a place here (for now). 

I will give you the positives first because the concept is a first for Paris, and much needed as Paris vies to modernize itself within it's city walls and the world. It reminds me of an upscale food hall or mercato similar to the ones I have found in Spain and Italy. The space is great with many different menu selections to choose from ranging from staples from their Mamma restaurants such as truffle pasta and designer pizza to American burgers and fries. You can also buy a bottle of wine to share for 25€. The space is amazing with an outdoors and indoors area with communal tables. If you are instagram aficionado, welcome to your new playground where even the bathroom is insta worthy!

NOW, HERE ARE THE CONS...

DOES ANYONE WORK HERE?

For those of you have lived or visited Paris, you probably know that the word, service, is not in their everyday vernacular. Well, La Felicità takes the already non-existent French service model to next level shitshow. Think they were very ambitious opening this concept and probably should have tested proper staffing models by having official "soft open" nights vs quiet soft opens with mostly only Station F residents to actually simulate what a crowded night would be like. Granted, I went opening weekend, but they were not prepared for even half the crowd they attracted. The employees looked overwhelmed, there weren't enough of them and orders were taking to long or just getting forgotten. 

LACK OF BASICS TRUMPS BACK TO BASICS

Supply and demand was not factored in. The night I went, they ran out of wine and certain food items. Also talking to a Station F member and frequent diner at La Felicità, the portions for some of the dishes, like the burger, has decreased in size and increased in price since the opening. Again, all things that should have been tested and fixed during soft open so people wouldn't have noticed and talked about it. Let's just hope that it is just the quantity that is going down, not the quality as well.

YOU CAN LOOK BUT YOU CAN'T DRINK

The Museum of Alcohol: Alcohol shown for your instagram photos only

OK, this bothers me the most--So much so, that I have included the photo above since they have a FULLY STOCKED BAR. You are only allowed to order from the set list of drinks on their cocktail drink menu. I mean if I am paying NY prices for a cocktail here, I should not only get to choose from a short list of sugary watered down Applebee's type drinks. I asked if they could make me a martini, but they said I had to choose from the list since they didn't know how to price it. My friend even had a hard time convincing them to just give her a shot of mezcal because it wasn't on the list. If you are going to have a beautiful bar of epic proportions, you are going to be expected to serve the people whatever they want. Until they are able to fix this problem, I suggest ordering a glass or bottle of wine if you decide to go.

Again, it really does pain me to put La Felicità on the AVOID list, but I'm hoping they fix and adapt to meet the public's needs because just being cool and new is not enough to keep the doors open and the cash flowing.