Skip to main content

Shirvan Cafe Matisse, Paris


Sometimes the stars align just right and we find ourselves in Paris at the same time as our dear friends.  What fun!!!! Where to eat?

While vacationing in a foreign city we usually try to stick to the local cuisine but, once in a while, we need a break from eating similar foods over a course of a few days or longer.  In Paris, we usually break the French food cycle with falafel or sushi, but my intention was to totally surprise my husband who, like our friends, likes to be culinarily adventurous.  I am usually accused of being a predictable one trick pony; foie gras, duck confit, and beef bourguignon while in Paris, so this was an opportunity to do something very different. 


 I booked a table at Shirvan, a great Azerbaijan inspired restaurant about which I have heard very good things. It is located on Place de L'Alma, at the end of Avenue George V facing the Seine.  I liked the description of the restaurant given by Akrame Benallal, the chef and founder: "Shirvan offers a mosaic of dishes that reimagine the flavors of the Silk Road stretching from Marrakesh in the West to Samarkand in the East".  How cool is that?








 I don't drink but had to take a photo of my friend's drink.  It was called Black Garden - Kettle One lemon vodka, lemon juice, maraschino liquor, and homemade rose syrup.  Tres chic.



 We got a few appetizers to share: Homemade humus


This delicious, light, and packed with flavor tomato and strawberry tart. 


Fantastic roasted cauliflower with almond and lemon sauce.  I could come back here and just have this cauliflower with the flatbread and a nice dessert, a wholesome meal, no?


 We ordered a variety of main entrees to share:  A delicious beef Tajine,


 

 Tandoori chicken,


    Chicken stew with onion and apricot,


marinated sea bream,


 Basmati rice infused with herbs and saffron.

  
Delicious flatbread.

There was not a single dud among all the dishes we have enjoyed at Shirvan; everything was perfectly seasoned, full of flavor, and served with a smile. 


I'm not a fan of spinach but my husband and friends really enjoyed this version which was prepared with ginger, chilli, and tomatoes.


 Well, this is really why I wanted to come to this restaurant; I am a sucker for a pretty Millefeuille, and this one did not disappoint.  It had a lovely citrus tone, a terrific crunchy, caramelized pastry and a light and sweet ganache.  


 It was just superb.


The chocolate souffle with orange and saffron was excellent as well.  It had a lovely creamy texture, the sweetness of the chocolate was not overwhelming, and the orange on the bottom added a wonderful kick of citrus.




This ended up being a fantastic evening, yes, being with good friends made a huge difference, but the delicious and creative food, as well as the fun atmosphere of the restaurant, really helped to create a terrific experience.  We will definitely return.

Shirvan Cafe Matisse
5 Place de L'Alma
Open daily from 8am to 2am

Joanna


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bordier Butter - The Best Butter in France

France is in the midst of a butter shortage!  Due to a decrease in milk production and a substantial demand for French pastries all over the world (mainly China and the Middle East), the price of butter has increased by 60% in one year.  The French are stocking up and thus creating shortages.  French newspapers are publishing articles titled "A guide to cooking without butter".  So, with hopes that the shortages are temporary, here is my ode to the best butter in the world.  I'm not kidding.  The. Best. Butter. In. The. World. Mr. Bordier, a grandson and a son of cheese mongers, became a butter artisan in 1985.  He acquired a creamery originally founded in 1927.  The supreme taste of the Bordier butter was first recognized by a chef from the Plaza Athenee while vacationing in Brittany, a beautiful region in northwestern France. Bordier is the lone butter master to still use the old method of kneading the butter according to the 19th century t...
4 comments
Read more

Dallal Restaurant, Tel Aviv

Dallal is located in the heart of Neve Tzedek, Tel Aviv's oldest district and the first Jewish  neighborhood outside of the old port city of Jaffa.  It was built as a suburb in 1887 and is now a very trendy area full of cafes, boutiques, and restaurants.   I have been buying breads, cakes and croissants at the Dallal Bakery for a few years now, but this was my first time dining at their restaurant on the corner of Shabazi Street.   Dallal takes up a good chunk of the block since it was built on the ruins of three restored houses next to the Suzanne Dallal Cultural Center. There are a few sitting options while dining at Dallal: outside in the small garden-like area, in the enclosed courtyard with a view of the sky, and inside the restaurant which feels like old time Paris. Dallal is a perfect place for a fun lunch with friends, or a romantic dinner with your sweetheart. There are two lunch options at Dallal: 78 ILS for two appetizers and bread...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hakosem, Tel Aviv

If you Google: Best shawarma in Tel Aviv, the name Hakosem is bound to pop up close to the top of any list.  It is very easy to find decent shawarma and falafel in Tel Aviv, but we wanted to try what is considered to be one of the best.  Hakosem located in a nice residential neighborhood is a food stand with plenty of tables and chairs set up on the sidewalk.  They serve superb shawarma, falafel, sabich, shakshuka, shnitzel, and veggies.            The line is pretty constant throughout the day, but it moves fast.  Free falafel balls are gifted to the  hungry customers to keep them happy while they wait.        I found the place to be very clean.     Freshly chopped veggies are continuously brought in from the kitchen in the back.         My husband could not resist the shawarma in lafa.  It was quite lar...
Post a Comment
Read more