Middle
Eastern restaurants that focus on freshness and quality of
ingredients have been proliferating in places like London (Ottolenghi
and Honey &
Co.) and in the U.S. (Glasserie
and Zahav)
over the last few years. And now, we’ve got a spate of new ones arriving
in Paris.
The foods
of the Middle East had mostly been relegated to kebab and falafel stands,
but new places are showcasing the variety of foods and cuisines found in
the Moyen-Orient,
focusing on casual, shared dining experiences, with fresh ingredients
(often with an emphasis on grains and vegetables), at places that include Liza,
Miznon,
and Mokonuts,
as well as newcomers like Balagan,
Salatim,
Ibrik,
Café
Oberkampf (for shakshuka), Tavline,
and Yafo.
The owner
of Yafo houmous café is Lotan
Lahmi, who spent most of his career baking, working at
Ladurée and in the pastry kitchen of the Prince de Galles hotel, before
going over to the savory side. He told me that he used to have to get up
at 4:30am every morning, which I’m sure is one part of baking
professionally that he doesn’t miss!
His architecturally
simple, yet functional café is a welcoming place to pull up a
stool, with a friend or two, which I did when my pal Romina (of Les
Madeleines bakery) came to town. She was taking a break from
making macarons and her famous Kouign amanns, and I’d been meaning
to check out a few of the newcomers I had on my “Restaurants I Want to
Visit” list (which are actually a series of scribbled on post-it notes
scattered around my apartment, and in my pockets, wallet, and messenger
bag). Her visit gave me the opportunity to head to Yafo for lunch.
Continue
Reading Yafo
Houmous Cafe
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