We wanted to find a restaurant that was as good as it wasaffordable, and that would get us through winter in the best possible way, with a healthy dose of comfort and conviviality. The address that ticks all these boxes - and more - is Brasserie Valma, recently opened on the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin.
This Provençal restaurant, which replaced the late Acqua e Farina, smells of lavender and garrigue. At the helm are Etienne Ferreira and Quentin Lescure, for whom this is their first personal venture into the world of cuisine - and how successful it has been!
Far from following the trend of Mediterranean restaurants featuring Lebanese or Israeli specialties, the two partners preferred to pay tribute to the specialties of the South of France, from Nice to Marseille. Trained by Joël Robuchon and Akrame Benallal for the former, and Frédéric Anton and Cédric Grolet for the latter, Etienne and Quentin give pride of place to southern dishes in the purest tradition, with panisses, daube provençale and other small stuffed dishes.
Prices are heart-warming, with lunch menus at €22 (starter/main course or main course/dessert) and €27 (starter/main course/dessert). Unbeatable. Especially when you consider that the menu's offerings don't pale in comparison to the à la carte menu. In fact, many of the a la carte starters and main courses can be found on these menus!
So we'll play along and opt for the full lunch menu only, to see what all the fuss is about at this price. The leeks (13€) with smoked guanciale, horseradish and mint condiment are already a must-try, as are the big arancini with Provençal daube (homemade; 7€), dipped in a thick tomato sauce and covered with a good layer of finely grated cheese.
We're delighted with two highly effective dishes: a burger with meltingly tender shredded beef, with a homemade bun that makes all the difference, accompanied by a large handful of pommes grenaille; and farcis niçois (23€), au gratin cabbage and whole roasted red onions; how generous, how gourmet.
The devil is in the details, and this focaccia, also homemade and flame-grilled, clearly doesn't go unnoticed. The glasses are filled with fine wines (from Provence and Corsica) and signature cocktails (La Cigale; pisco, thyme liqueur, grapefruit liqueur, lemon; €12) as we await dessert.
Real chef's desserts, with roasted pineapple and fromage blanc mousse, and a relaxed, unstructured lemon tart, both full of clever combinations and details.
What can we say, except that Brasserie Valma is a delightful find that can be enjoyed all day long, indoors in the large, bright dining room, or outdoors on the terrace that runs all the way around. And even at weekends, for brunch. We'll be back for sure.
Location
Brasserie Valma
45 Quai de Valmy
75010 Paris 10
Official website
www.brasserie-valma.fr
