Pochana

In Thai slang, pochana roughly translates to “that which provides nourishment.” So, with that in mind, head to this pocket-sized spot with a sophisticated look on a cobblestoned street (unfinished walls, dark wood bistro tables, chrome barstools), where May and Rémi work in perfect harmony: in the kitchen, she brings to life her family’s secret Thai recipes, infused with Chinese influences, while he pairs them with expertly chosen wines, table-side. The other night, all of the following made its way out of the open kitchen: gyo moo dumplings with thinly rolled wrappers and a pork and chive stuffing; mouthwatering panaeng moo yang (coconut red curry) with grilled pork loin and jasmine rice; and fiery nam tok gai yang, aka grilled chicken amped up with lime, chili and cilantro, best devoured in the traditional way with a portion of sticky rice. Want something vegetarian? There’s a tantalizing rice pot featuring grilled Chinese broccoli, eryngii and oyster mushrooms. It’s all made even better by a comforting coconut milk ice cream sprinkled with syrupy palm fruit seeds, peanuts and coconut crisps for dessert. // Maria Mariaux

FEELING HIRSTY? Something for everyone, with around 15 clean wines by the bottle or the glass (Weisser Mulatschak, an Austrian skin-contact wine produced by Meinklang at €8 a glass, Libre, a Roussillon blend from the Domaine du Matin Calme at €38 a bottle), Thai Singha beer (€5 for 330 ml), chrysanthemum iced tea or butterfly pea flower tea (€5-6).
PRICE: : Dishes €9-17, dessert €9.