Sofia, Soyeb and Shahil Patel run the family restaurant Ismaïl on avenue Trudaine. On the terrace(heated in winter) or indoors, in a pretty decor of bric-a-brac, boxes of spices from around the world, old books, lanterns and portraits of Gandhi, facing the large green wall and its feather-clad peacock, you can savour a shared cuisine, the perfect link between two gastronomies: Indian and Lebanese.
The idea of combining these two world cuisines came from Sofia Patel. Born into a family of restaurateurs, Sofia spent her days at her father's Indian restaurant, Kastoori, which she eventually took over. Fascinated by Lebanese gastronomy, she then decided to open Chez Sofia with her husband, serving mezzé and grilled meats from the land of the Levant.
Juggling between the two restaurants, she came up with the idea, in 2019, of opening a restaurant combining these two worlds: Ismaïl. On the menu, then, Indian and Lebanese cuisine are expressed with the same voice, and gourmets can sample either one or the other, or both at the same time, through dishes that change with the seasons and the owners' desires.
Lebanese mezze or Indian thali, that assortment of dishes served in small containers, these two cuisines have more in common than you might think. Our tasting begins with the Thali Yah Mezze? and we're not the only ones to appreciate the format: this richly garnished platter is the restaurant's biggest hit! The price (€18, and it's easy to eat for two) is extremely attractive.
While the recipes on the platter change from day to day, on the day of our visit we found the essential cheese naan, lentil and tapioca chips dipped in an excellent smoked eggplant caviar, marinated okra, basmati rice, vegetable samoussa, and beautiful pieces of spice-grilled chicken. Note that this revisited thali is also available at lunchtime, in a lighter, even more affordable format (€13). Beautiful discoveries, shimmering colors and a multitude of flavors and spices - the perfect way to start a meal.
Alongside this generous platter, we also fall for the crispy 'rikakat' rolls filled with cheese and herbs (6€), before moving on to the delicious karahi lamb (13€), deboned, macerated, grilled and then prepared with a sauce of traditional Indian spices, which we accompany with basmati rice with peas (5€) and one of the many fresh homemade fruit cocktails on the menu (5€)!
As you can imagine, there's no room left for dessert, so copious was our lunch. If, despite everything, you fancy a little sweet to round off your meal, Ismaïl offers traditional mouhalabieh and gulab jamun - semolina fritters with rose syrup - as well as homemade ice creams.
But you can also choose to discover Ismaïl's tearoom, open next door. In front of the shop window, a farandole of oriental pastries that will entice more than one. Take the time to visit the delicatessen too, where the shelves are crammed with products imported directly from India and Lebanon: tea of all kinds, spice blends, honey, molasses, syrups, jams, floral waters... So many sweets to take home.
Location
Ismail
5 Av. Trudaine
75009 Paris 9
Official website
ismail-restaurant.fr
Booking
ismail-restaurant.fr
09 51 33 39 51
