Tried and tested: the coolest places to grab a bite in the French capital this season
OKA - Mas que nada
ADVERTISEMENTOKA is one of the most ambitious restaurants to have opened in 2018. Chef Raphaël Rego, who had already tried the venture a while ago, unlatched this exotic demon yet again a year after shutting it. This ever-joyful South-American chef is eager to combine Brazilian cuisine and French gastronomy, inspired by both the flavours of his childhood and the cooking techniques he’s mastered in France.
In delicate dishes, your tastebuds will travel all the way to Rio with either a spoonful of revamped “feijoada” (a Brazilian traditional dish made of beans, beef and pork) or simply the smell of maracuja (passion fruit). With products coming all the way from small Brazilian producers, chef Rego initiates you to ingredients you’ve never seen, tasted or even heard of. It’s as exotic as it gets. Our pick: a one-way ticket to Rio, por favor.
OURS - the Great Bear
Enter the bear’s (“Ours” in French) tavern and have no fear, you sure will eat but not be eaten. With no standard menu or predefined dishes, guests simply have to trust Jacky Ribault, the one Michelin star Chef working like a Trojan in his colossal kitchen (where you can seat and enjoy the show if you book the “chef’s table”).
Here, set menus are concocted daily – an improvisation based on products that artisans, farmers and fishermen in the vicinity have delivered. Three different menus count either 3, 5 or 6 dishes, each of which is accompanied by a specific glass of wine that an excellent sommelier will suggest you: a selection as spectacular as the restaurant’s futuristic wine cellar that opens beneath your feet. And as if it weren’t already impressive enough, everything at L’Ours is sustainable: dishes are seasonal and nothing goes to waste – whatever is not eaten here is fed to the chef’s chickens (who surely eat way better than you ever will). Our pick: litterally everything
PAPADOOM KITCHEN - Sun Salutation
This new addition to the Parisian food scene focuses on a fondamental principle of Indian cuisine that you’ve been hearing everywhere lately: ayurveda. This ancestral tradition relies on six flavours: sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, spiciness and astrigency.
With a great range of choices on the menu, Papadoom Kitchen is the perfect spot for foodies with dietary restrictions (vegan, non-dairy, or gluten-free). Our pick: the very classic chicken tikka and its nimbu pulao (lemon rice). To spice up the night, check out the cocktail menu which revamps all-time classics, turning a dull Daiquiri into a unexpectedly tasty Daï Curry.
HYATT La Terrasse Panerai - Sailing through lunch
Until September 30th, the Park Hyatt Vendôme’s “Sens restaurant” is transformed into a unique Yacht Club. Teakwood, jute, marine ropes, pebbles and white flowers embellish the hotel’s courtyard and create a relaxing marine atmosphere – ideal for a staycation after a long day at the office.
The daily menu, developped by One Michelin-Star Chef Jean-François Rouquette honors Italia and the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy a proper Roman “aperitivo” in this serene spot, or nibble on one of Jimmy Morlet’s pastries for a very French goûter. Our pick: Oysters and the Fraisier by pastry chef Jimmy Morlet.
DALMATA - 101 pizzas a day to keep the doctor away
Julien, a street food aficionado, and Romain, a passionate cook, united to implant Napoli’s “popular way of life” in Paris. To do so, the duo spent two years studying Napolitan culture and its renowned pizza.
With fresh products directly imported from Naples, Dalmata restaurant only serves 101 pizzas a day – the first won’t be last! Our pick: the “Classic Queen” (San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella fior di latte, prosciutto cotto and mushrooms) because who doesn’t love both a queen and a classic?
