These New Asian Restaurants Are Taking Over Parisian Gastronomy
PARIS — Parisian chefs are collectively looking East.
It all started in September when Tatiana and Katia Levha, the Franco-Philippian sisters behind foodie favorite Servan, decided to pay homage to their Asian roots by opening Double Dragon, mixing Thai, Chinese, Philippian and French inspirations.
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Chef Céline Pham followed suit, bringing her Vietnamese origins to Tontine, the new restaurant at rooftop bar Le Perchoir, as did Dersou’s Taku Sekine, who opened Chinese restaurant Le Cheval d’Or in April. Here’s our guide to navigating the new hot spots for Asian cuisine in the French capital, from ramen to noodles and even Japanese brioche.
Le Cheval d’Or
It was the most talked-about opening of the year: Chef Taku Sekine of foodie favorite Dersou now counts Chinese restaurant Le Cheval d’Or under his belt. In a pared-back setting, guests can feast on aubergine tempura dipped in tomato mayo, charcoal-grilled asparagus and pork noodles in XO sauce. The place to be this season.
21 Rue de la Villette, 75019. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 7:30 to 11 p.m.
A post shared by Cheval d’Or (@chevaldorparis) on Apr 4, 2019 at 8:15am PDT
Tontine
You might not be able to keep your eyes on your plate: The view is that spectacular. Yet the dishes served at rooftop bar Le Perchoir’s new restaurant Tontine deserve your undivided attention. Think okonomiyaki with smoked eel, crispy rice burgers or soba noodles with tempura herbs, served by megastar Céline Pham and her rotating army of chefs.
14 Rue Crespin du Gast, 75011. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
A post shared by céline pham 🔪🍃🌴 (@celine_pham_) on May 22, 2019 at 12:04am PDT
Cam
Before becoming a hip Korean restaurant, the space used to be a tourist gift shop selling mini Eiffel Towers. At Cam, chef Esu Lee, formerly of Passerini, serves gochujang-spiced beef tartare and decadently chunky Korean fried chicken, which you are invited to eat with your fingers.
55 Rue au Maire, 75003. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 7 p.m. to midnight
A post shared by @ esulee on Mar 16, 2019 at 3:52pm PDT
Double Dragon
At Double Dragon, Paris’ answer to New York’s Mission Chinese Food, French classics such as baked camembert are spiced up with homemade Thai chili sauce — and served with mini brioches — to be followed by a fiery mapo tofu or noodles topped with crispy pak choi.
52 Rue Saint-Maur, 75011. Open Wednesday to Sunday, Noon to 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Crispy rice aux herbes 🍚🌿🐲🐲 #doubledragonparis #crispyrice #loveherbs
A post shared by 🐲 Double Dragon 🐲 (@doubledragon_paris) on May 28, 2019 at 11:20am PDT
Sando Club
It looks like your regular Marais coffee shop, but Sando Club specializes in fluffy sandwiches filled with thick slabs of panko-fried chicken, pulled beef or spicy omelet served in homemade Hokkaido milk bread, a Japanese version of brioche.
1-3 Passage Thiéré, 75011. Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A post shared by Sando Club Paris (@sandoclub) on Mar 26, 2019 at 4:24am PDT
Kodawari
This second Kodawari restaurant is modeled on Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, complete with fake fish on market stalls and a mouth-watering selection of ramen flavored with all kinds of sea creatures, from the humble sardine to the regal lobster. It sounds a bit Disneyland, but the effect fully hits after the first taste.
12 Rue de Richelieu, 75002. Open Tuesday to Sunday, Noon to 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 10 p.m.
A post shared by Kodawari Ramen (@kodawariramen) on Apr 20, 2019 at 11:43am PDT
La Taverne de Zhao
Head over to the underground food court of the Galeries Lafayettes Champs-Élysées where Chinese street food specialist La Taverne de Zhao bakes freshly made momos, steamed buns typical of the Xi’an region filled with either beef, pork, duck or tofu.
60 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. a.m. Monday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
A post shared by 🇨🇳Xi’an comfort food à Paris🇫🇷 (@latavernedezhao) on May 2, 2019 at 4:06am PDT
Nouilles Ceintures
While not the most recent opening, Nouilles Ceintures — Belted Noodles, in English — is a must. Choose the width of your hand-pulled noodles — the thickest ones best soak up the rich broth and make for fun pictures — served with pork chops, beef or the chef’s favorite, “biang biang” sauce made with cabbage, garlic, cilantro and chili oil.
69 Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 75009. Open Monday to Saturday, Noon to 9 p.m.
A post shared by Nouilles Ceintures (@nouilles_ceintures) on Sep 28, 2018 at 10:11am PDT
Raviolis Nord-Est
Foodies are forever boasting, but rarely sharing addresses, for the best spot for dumplings in Belleville. Raviolis Nord-Est is a solid classic where you can order a plate of ten dumplings either steamed or grilled for the unbeatable price of six euros. The pork and chives version is worth the trip alone.
11 Rue Civiale, 75020. Open every day except Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
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