Opened in October 2022, Hando caused quite a stir during the last Fashion Week. And Adrien Albou, the artistic director of Paul & Joe Homme and founder of the brand Garçons Infidèles, knows a thing or two about fashion! He teamed up with Lé Cheng, who runs X Fois Plus de Piment, and got Hando, a bar that serves traditional temaki (cone-shaked maki), given a Los Angeles twist (served as a cylinder). Located right near Le Bon Marché, the space combines the sleek lines of architect Tadao Ando (waxed concrete, light wood and big floor-to-ceiling windows) with Japanese crafts (noren – traditional decorative panels – and delicate ceramic tableware). We snatched these expertly sourced and freshly made handrolls up with our chopsticks, starting with the nori from the Chugoku region, which is delicately toasted and melts on the tongue, the rice served at the perfect temperature, the sustainably-caught seafood (shrimp, bottarga, sea bream, lobster…), and even toro topped with caviar. To mix things up a bit, there’s a must-try wagyu and truffle tartare, a goma-ae salad recommended by the house (cold spinach in sesame dressing) and yellowtail or bluefin tuna sashimi dotted with yuzu pearls, just to name a few! Before indulging in the mochi (the one with vanilla and red bean paste deserves a standing ovation) from Tomo, or a scoop of sesame ice cream from Enzo & Lily for dessert. // Henriette Ma
FEELING THIRSTY? Nikka or Suntory whisky (€12 to €20 for 40 ml), a sharp selection of sakes like the Kokki served very cold (€13 for 60 ml), Nanko plum liqueur (€8 for 60 ml), Japanese teas (€6), Kirin or Asahi beer (€7-8) and a few clean wines for die-hard fans including a grenache rosé from the Domaine des Lauribet (€8).
PRICE: Appetizers €6-19, handrolls €6-15, toro caviar hand roll €42, sashimi €13-22, toro caviar sashimi €45, desserts €6-10.
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