Suri, fermented food restaurant and canteen

Suri is the name of the new Parisian restaurant-cantine from Marie-Claire Frederic, creator of the book and blog Ni Cru Ni Cuit. A restaurant that focuses on fermented foods. These foods, rich in natural probiotics, provide not only a good means of preservation, but also new textures and tastes, and are a must-discover.

We're off to the Sentier district, rue Réaumur in the 2nd arrondissement, to discover SURI, the first street food canteen-restaurant to feature fermented foods.

When you think of fermented foods, you think of sauerkraut or pickles, and you think, nah, but fermented foods aren't for me. Did you know that fermentation was thefirst method of preservation invented by man? It's found in a number of well-known foods, including cheese,sourdough bread, wine, vinegar, yoghurt, beer, butter and coffee.

Marie-Claire's restaurant features recipes from all over the world. How does it work? Fermentation allows the development of micro-organisms contained in food (yeast or beneficial bacteria), which are then transformed into alcohol, acetic acid or lactic acid. These bacteria boost our intestinal flora, reinforcing the presence of beneficial bacteria for our digestive and immune systems, and destroying certain pathogenic bacteria.

Today, we know that good health goes hand in hand with a good microbiota. Feeding your intestinal flora with good bacteria is a good practice to adopt. But the benefits don't stop there. In addition to the vitamins and probiotics induced by this type of diet, fermentation also allows us to develop different flavors.

Carrots, spinach and beet take on a whole new dimension when fermented. You'll be amazed to taste vegetables over a year old that are still crunchy, but with a tangy taste and a completely different flavor. Beet loses its earthiness, while spinach takes on a more herbaceous quality. It's worth noting that top chefs are increasingly interested in this incredibly versatile preparation method.

New to Paris, yet used all over the world, fermentation is sure to win new fans. At Suri, you can discover a range of fermented beverages, such as kefir with citrus and figs, or tepache made from pineapple peel.

Sandwich lovers will be tempted by the Banh Mi with fermented vegetables and pork marinated in soy and cooked for a long time for a melt-in-the-mouth meat. Or maybe the simple ham and butter with sourdough bread, ham and homemade butter will win you over with its simplicity.

The place offers surprising quiches and fine salads too, but if you feel like tasting everything, let yourself be tempted by the tasting plate. Fermented chickpea hummus, farmhouse cheeses, kimchi, soy-marinated egg, home-smoked duck and sweet and sour herring make up the plate of the moment, which changes with the seasons. You'll see, there's plenty to surprise and delight you.

As the chef is a pastry chef at heart, he takes pleasure in his desserts. You'll discover homemade yoghurt, of course, but also a cheese cake made with homemade fromage frais and milk kefir, a Royal Boza that combines dacquoise with roasted organic hazelnuts, crunchy praline with organic millet and mousse and coeur de boza (an amazing sparkling dessert drink made from fermented millet). And don't miss the Fontainebleau 2.0, made with homemade fromage frais on a bed of cookie and fresh fruit coulis.

Note that almost everything is homemade with organic products from Terroir d'Avenir. It's important to remember that organic produce is essential for good bacteria to thrive, so get rid of pesticides.

And if you're interested in the world of fermentation, Suri also offers workshops. Learn the secrets of vegetable fermentation, how to make delicious yoghurts and other recipes from near and far.

In short, organic, good, healthy, we've got it all!

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.