Hipster Food Block in Paris Will Out-Brooklyn Brooklyn

A French entrepreneur is currently building an "epicurean village" called "La Jeune Rue" (The Young Street) in Paris, but not everyone is excited. According to the New York Times, Cédric Naudon's project will feature 36 store fronts including an organic bakery, an oyster bar, a butcher shop with a "library so people can think about the meat," and a cheesemonger "where the cheese will be hidden in designer drawers and taken out and explained." An international team of designers are working on the village which will peddle "high-concept foods from mod spaces using biological products sourced only from French farms." It will also be built around the principle of zero waste.

Many are wary of the development: Some local residents feel that La Jeune Rue is merely a "real estate play." A local film producer tells the NYT that Naudon is a "monopolist who wants to create his own street, but it's not for those who live here. This neighborhood has ethnic and class diversity, but with the arrival of La Jeune Rue, those people will be left apart." The French authories, however, have "embraced" Naudon's plans, and the country's state-backed bank has insured the project, which they hope will create around 200 jobs.

The French have been quite worried about their culinary reputation as of late. The government recently introduced the "fait mason" or "house-made" menu labeling law which allows restaurants to put a government-sanctioned logo next to menu items that are made in-house. While the logo has faced a lot of backlash, it is indicative of France's desire to maintain its culinary legacy.

· An Epicurean Village Is Too Rich for Some Paris Appetites [NYT]
· All Paris Coverage on Eater [-E-]