Our very own French Revolution

What was once the slaughterhouse of New York is now the epitome of glamour, thanks to the French restaurant Pastis.

Twenty years ago, blood ran through the cobblestone streets of the Meatpacking District. Barrels of bones and chunks of fat attracted flies on the sidewalks. Men dressed as woman put a price on their own flesh, and sold it in the shadows of dumpsters. In warehouses, carcasses slowly spun on metal hooks.

Today, with only 25 meatpacking warehouses remaining, most of the carcasses are gone. X-rated gay sex scene clubs like Hellfire and Manhole of the ‘70s have been replaced by banker bungalows that charge thousands for bottle service. The rubber boots of butchers have been replaced with Christian Louboutin heels, all because of restaurant on Ninth Ave and Little West 12^th Street.

Pastis was constructed as a 19^th -century Parisian café, with beaten wooden tables, rickety ceiling fans, mosaic flooring, and tarnished mirrors flown in from Europe. The menu features mouthfuls like Cotes D’Agneau au Coco, Moules Frites au Pernod, and Tripes Gratinees. Brunch is especially popular as the fashion elite, celebrities, and jet-set socialites fight for an open air table.

In the 1930s, the Meatpacking District became a central wholesale meat marketer, served by the newly constructed Highline. By the early 1970s, 100 meatpacking operators dominated its streets. The warehouses were constructed of low-lying metal sheets, which gave the area a distinct character. When Florent, a French diner, opened in 1985 on Gansevoort Street, the face of the area began to change.

In 1999, Keith McNally, of SoHo’s celebrated Balthazar, converted a warehouse overlooking Gansevoort Plaza into Pastis. His vision was to depart from the gossip scene and provide local residents with good food at reasonable prices. As to why he chose the Meatpacking District, McNally explained to the New York Times in 2001, ''One of the best things about the neighborhood is not the buildings, it's the vast amount of sky.”

The opening of Pastis was complimented by the opening of haute retailer Jeffrey down the street. In 2003, the members-only SoHo House opened on 13^th Street and Ninth Ave. A year later, Diane von Furstenberg established her flagship store on West 14^th Street, and Hotel Gansevoort opened across from Pastis.

Three weeks ago, international glitterati descended on the Meatpacking District for Pastis. Under the influence of flashbulbs and champagne, guests ranging from royalty to Victoria’s Secret supermodels opened Fashion Week with a bang in what is now called New York’s hottest neighborhood.

The only bloody liquid in the Meatpacking District one will see today is in long-stemmed glasses from the vineyards of Burgundy, underneath Pastis’ faded awnings.