Located in one of the capital's most authentic districts, Montmartre, Adraba is much more than just a culinary address, it offers a warm, festive atmosphere where passion, transmission and good humor come together. The perfect combination to start the new year.
Adraba, which in Aramaic means "the crossing of time", is the fruit of a friendship between four protagonists built up in the kitchens of the Balagan restaurant and a crazy project to open a new address in Paris. Chef Elior Benaroche and his team draw their inspiration from a wide range of culinary influences, offering a Levantine cuisine that is inventive, generous and colorful.
In terms of interior architecture, the place combines different materials such as wood for the tables and seats, metal, punctuated by large mirrors, for the bar, and an open kitchen with a view of the charcoal grill that gives the place an authentic, traditional feel. One of the walls features a fresco by calligrapher Eyal Eliezer, inspired by the ancient cultures of the Levant region. A setting that blends modernity and tradition, perfectly suited to the recipes concocted by the chef and his brigade.
We take a seat at the counter and begin our tasting with Esh bread, a charcoal-grilled wheat patty served with tahini and tatbila, a spicy, garlicky lemon sauce from the Arab villages around Jerusalem. The bread is toasted before our very eyes, releasing a sweet smell of smoke and spices that heralds a true gustatory pleasure.
Next comes Tabula Rasa, a tabbouleh with citrus, pistachio and sumac, a condiment made from brick-red dried berries used since ancient times in the Middle East. A refreshing dish, sweet and powerful at the same time, with a well-balanced combination of spices.
We continue with two dishes, the Sultana, lamb kefta, ezmé, Moroccan pancake, perfectly grilled meat, the bitterness of the charcoal-roasted Turkish salad counterbalancing the ultra-comforting side of the pancake, a real delight... Also, the Kisonim, pumpkin, caraway, sage and kishk, dried yoghurt stone, a very original and regressive dish thanks to a clever mix of sweet and salty flavors that immediately makes you want to return.
Finally, for desserts, we were tempted by the Crack Pie, figs, doa and Turkish cheese, very gourmet, and the Tarte Ultime, chocolate and hawayej ice cream, a blend of Yemeni spices, a very bold and original dish, which initially surprised our palate before the chocolate-spice combination exploded in the mouth with strength and subtlety. Magnificent!
At Adraba, hospitality and conviviality are the watchwords. Happy, generous dishes that take you on a journey and introduce you to new flavors, between tradition and modernity.
Mélissa Burckel
Adraba
40, rue Véron, Paris 18th arrondissement
France - Paris