Distrito Francés, 10 years of Mexican cuisine in Strasbourg Saint-Denis

A restaurant that's already 10 years old in Paris is as rare as it is a good sign. In the capital, everything moves very fast, and restaurants generally only survive between 2 and 5 years before bowing out - for lack of clientele, means or creativity. So it's with undisguised pleasure that we discover Distrito Francés, 10 years after everyone else.

A charming Mexican restaurant in Strasbourg Saint-Denis - there's also a second address in the Marais district - Distrito Francés has it all.

Starting with its traditional ambience and decoration by Hervé Labarre, similar to a Mexican hacienda, the restaurant is divided into three areas: a large table d'hôtes for groups of friends, smaller, more intimate tables, and upstairs, a Mexican boudoir that can be fully privatized for more frenzied evenings.

In the kitchen, restaurateur Davy NGY called on Mexican chef Juan Manuel Leon to create a menu that is both classic and contemporary, Mexican but tinged with Asian, African and French references.

All of this is based on well-sourced products, such as habanero peppers from the Plantation Paris urban greenhouse, artisan tortillas from Torti'art in the Lot region, and black beans from the Ferme des Terres du Pays d'Othe. The same care is given to Latin American grands crus, with wines from Chile, Argentina and Mexico, as well as to mezcal, which has its own cellar.

There's plenty to discover in the way of liquids, and for cocktail lovers too: at Distrito Francés, cocktails can be sipped by the glass (€10-€12)... or by the pitcher (€32-€34)! An ideal solution for rinsing off large tables!

In fact, you can do the same with a large number of starters and main courses, offered in small, medium or large sizes, depending on the number of guests or the size of your appetite. As with the very naughty quesadillas (€5.20 for 4, €8.80 for 8, €15.60 for 16), dripping with cheese; and the guacamole with totopos (crispier, thinner chips than tortillas; €5.60 for small, €9.20 for medium, €15.60 for large).

For the burrito, there's no choice of size, and with good reason: this one is quite simply XXL (13.20€). Our favorite is the 5-hour slow-cooked birria beef burrito, which has a banh mi vibe with its crunchy grated carrots. It also features a blend of two melted cheeses, jalapenos emulsion, frijoles and feta cheese. A true competitive burrito.

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The array of tacos speaks for itself, each one very different from the next. Count €12.60 for a trio, €14.60 for 4 tacos, prepared with soft shells (our favorite). Choose from the birria beef taco with adobo and orange marinade, the al pastor chicken taco with toasted pineapple slice, the pork taco with secret spices and chili mole, and the vegetarian sweet potato taco with chorizo. Tip: try them all!