Màloma

For Georges Athanassopoulos, it’s the kitchen. For Victor Deramay, it’s the dining room (whitewashed bricks, polished concrete floors, exposed pipes, an open kitchen) and the bottles. The former sharpened his knives at L’Air du Temps and Bon Bon, the latter at Conrad. And in 2020 they opened Màloma. Màla-what? It’s all Greek to us! Màloma, malolactic, in other words, fermentation! And everything that’s being created is homemade, including the sumac butter! On the surprise menu that evening? Some real surprises! Amazing raw scallops atop bottarga taramasalata, decorated with crispy chorizo, toasted buckwheat and fermented black radish; the season’s first white asparagus lightly pickled, plus wild thyme, wild garlic, a pollen garum and hazelnut crumble; pollack caught and killed ikejime-style from a dayboat fisherman in Normandy, plus a chard croquette; and a sensational rhubarb duo – lightly stewed and crunchy, paired with plant-based milk ice cream and cider meringue. // Edgard Glass

FEELING THIRSTY? A bubbly Meuzenne, a curious lambic-style wine from Vin de Liège (€74 a bottle), a Crozes-Hermitage from the Domaine des Entrefaux (€52), Aldeneyck Pinot noir from Limburg (€70), or food and wine pairings (€38), apple and pear ciders (€28) and fruit kefir (€25).
PRICE: Tasting menu €85.