Mala Boom

Fire, fire! Mala Boom, the smoking hot new joint in the Folie-Méricourt neighborhood, is setting the place ablaze with its authentic málà xiāngguō – a fiery Sichuan dish made with meat and vegetables fried in a Sichuan pepper and chili sauce. From the spellbinding kitchen of pyromaniac Patrick El Khoury (a former HEC student with an all-encompassing passion for China) comes big, build-your-own bowls to share. Take your pick of 18 different ingredients (sweet potato noodles, cabbage, lotus root…), which get duly sautéed in the wok and set alight with a dousing of spice on a scale of 0 to 5 in terms of intensity. Otherwise, opt for one of the four pre-composed málà bowls: we had an invigorating combo of rice noodles, chicken thigh, fried tofu (a little greasy), black mushrooms, mustard greens, soy beans and potatoes, all generously drizzled in a secret sauce made with Nomie chili powders; preceded by a grated potato salad in some tangy soy sauce, or some delicious crushed radish in the same málà sauce. And to soothe the burn, a very welcome frozen yogurt with jujube syrup and toasted sesame seeds for dessert! // Gwen Jacquère 

FEELING THIRSTY? Sichuan pepper iced tea (€5.30), sparkling Charitea mate infusion (€5.50 for 330 ml) and three artisanal beers, including a blond Phénix from Pantin (€4.50 for 330 ml, €13.50 a liter). 
PRICE: Appetizers €5.60 to €7.80, málà bowls €16-25, desserts €6.20.