Located in one of the capital’s most authentic neighbourhoods, Montmartre, Adraba offers much more than just a culinary address: it’s a warm, festive atmosphere where passion, transmission and good humour come together. The perfect combination to start the New Year.
Adraba, which in Aramaic evokes the passage of time, is the fruit of a friendship between 4 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 us inventive, generous and colourful Levantine cuisine.
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 the Esh bread, a charcoal-grilled wheat cake 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 fruits, pistachios and Sumac, a condiment made from dried brick-red 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.
Then, 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 Kissonim, pumpkin, caraway, sage and kishk, dried yogurt stone, a highly original and regressive dish with a clever blend of sweet and savoury flavours that immediately makes you want to go back for more.
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, then, the combination of chocolate and spices exploded in the mouth with strength and subtlety. Magnificent!
As you’ll have gathered, hospitality and conviviality are the watchwords at Adraba. Happy, generous dishes that take you on a journey and introduce you to new flavours that blend tradition and modernity.
Mélissa Burckel
Adraba
40, rue Véron, Paris 18e
France – Paris