Today, I absolutely have to tell you about a great new spot in the Porte Saint-Denis neighborhood in Paris.
This eclectic neighborhood, with its mix of 5 continents in terms of atmosphere, is buzzing with energy, and there, street food is much more than just a trend.
I already have a few go-to spots in the area, such as the Manoir de Paris or Hutch Hot Dogs, and Monsieur Baba (Turkish for dad) has truly found its place at 69 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, a street that is 100% melting-pot, where many languages are spoken and where making contact is easy, almost uninhibited.
This modern café-counter, created by Willy Morfoisse and redesigned by Richard Lafond, immerses us in a vintage and urban atmosphere with collected items and nods to the former Porcelain Manufacture once located just a few doors down, at the back of a courtyard.
Inside, a large solid teak bar and a subway-tiled facade are reminiscent of a US diner counter.
The little extra: the south-facing terrace is open all year round.
Regarding the menu, you’ll find snacks from different countries around the world, such as India, Tunisia, China, and even Turkey!
At lunchtime, it’s all about small dishes and great classics, with a set menu for €15.50 (crispy chicken dips, fish & chips with wasabi sesame mayo, Monsieur Baba burger, strawberry and rhubarb marmalade, speculoos crumble…) and from 7:00 PM, the menu shifts to a different vibe.
My discoveries and recommendations (for the evening menu):
- Wellness drinks with fresh fruit and superfoods—absolutely delicious, a must-try!
- Lou Gascoun pâté with Espelette pepper on crispy bakery bread (€4.90).
- Chorizo with pimenton and sweet red pepper dried and smoked over beech wood (€12).
- A tin of French “Belle-Iloise” sardines (€7.80).
- The incredible Hamburgez (€14.50), a Papi Ali Prize 2007 creation. It’s made with a bun from the local baker toasted in clarified butter, homemade harissa sauce, veal merguez mixed with ground beef, fresh cilantro, cumin, flat-leaf parsley, all topped off with cucumber marinated in a virgin olive oil and lemon juice sauce. In short, honestly, it’s to die for!
- The fricassé (€5.80), a legendary traditional Tunisian sandwich with its little salad stuffing inside, olives, flaked tuna in oil, harissa sauce, hard-boiled egg slices, and potato!
- The Baba Ghanou (€9.80) served as mezzes, with Village Feta, Kalamata olives, hummus, grated carrot with yogurt, grilled eggplant caviar, and guacamole, all served with lavash bread.
- The Rhumbaba in a customized bottle (€9).
- The faisselle (fresh cheese), “bétonnée” (concrete-style) from the 9.3 suburb with a freshly sliced honeycomb, a dessert featuring urban honey in support of the Banque du Miel for bees, sourced from Saint-Denis (€5) www.banquedumiel.org.
- A lovely selection of natural wines & beers from all walks of life: the Ernestine from Brasserie de la Goutte d’Or, Celtia, Taj Mahal, or even Brooklyn on tap.
- The strawberry-flavored Bubble Tea for dessert with soy milk, tapioca pearls, and green tea (€4.50).
Monsieur Baba 69, rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis / 75010 Paris tel: 01 42 46 13 91 / open every day Update October 05, 2019: this restaurant is unfortunately permanently closed and it has been replaced by an Italian restaurant, Dai Dai
Photo credits: Mademoiselle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization is required before any use
