Sonia, an elegant and affordable Moroccan restaurant

Restaurant Sonia takes you on a trip to Morocco as soon as you see the front of the restaurant. At 115 avenue de Villiers, you'll find a small oasis offering authentic, hearty Oriental cuisine. The two chefs, chef Stéphane Lemarchand and chef Fatéma Hal, have created a place where gastronomy can be shared.

The restaurant was designed by Notoire Agency, headed byinterior architect Jordane Arrivetz . The architect chose to create a warm atmosphere with warm colors, while maintaining an elegant decor. You can choose to sit on the pretty red-and-white banquette or on the comfortable matching armchairs, and discover the menu. The restaurant also has a small terrace for sunny days.

For starters, there's a choice of sharing starters such as homemade hummus, falafel or homemade tzatziki. We chose the Kemia plate to share so we could taste different starters. The plate includes felfla méchouia (roasted peppers mixed with tomato and garlic), zaalouk (Moroccan-style eggplant caviar), tzatziki, falafel and hummus. The plate is perfect for sharing with two or three people and is an opportunity to try out different flavors.

Then it's on to the main course. On the menu you'll find a range of dishes featuring meat from the famous butcher Hugo Desnoyer . There are also vegetarian and fish options. We chose one of their famous couscous dishes: the lamb kebab couscous, and the fresh sea bass tagine. You can also choose from other dishes on the menu, perhaps a little lighter for lunch, such as grilled sea bass fillet or grilled octopus. The restaurant offers a starter/main course or main course/dessert menu at €29 for lunch and €35 for all three .

Couscous consists of a light semolina, to which are added soft, melt-in-the-mouth vegetables and sauce. Lamb, although a slightly fatty meat, is excellent and very tender. Add chickpeas and raisins to the couscous, along with a little harissa, and you're in for a treat. The fresh sea bass tagine is tasty and accompanied by perfectly cooked vegetables.

Then it's on to dessert with the gourmet tea, featuring chocolate fondant, gazelle horn and orange salad. One of the restaurant's waiters serves the tea in front of you, several centimeters away from the cup - a fun and pleasant moment. The dessert is accompanied bya scoop of vine peach sorbet, the perfect end to the meal.

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The setting of Restaurant Sonia and the flavors it offers are an opportunity to discover Oriental cuisine during a lunch break, but also fora romantic dinner with friends or family .

Sonia is located at 115 avenue de Villiers in the 17th arrondissement of Paris .