Massa

After making globe-eaters lose their minds over at Miles (Le Guide Fooding’s Best Restaurant of 2015) and striking back a second time with an Asian fusion spot named Mampuku, Gil Elad, Arnaud Lahaut and Ayako Ota are tripling down on Bordeaux with Massa (which means “voyage” in Hebrew), a cross between a deli and a hummus bar warmed by the Levant sun. Inside a degreased former kebab shop (cement tiles, timeless grey and almond green tones), the holy chickpea holds its head high: a classic Meshausha with sesame cream, lemon, olive oil and a spicy Tatbila sauce; a Remesses-esque Foul M’dammes with a haminados-style egg, cilantro and bean ragout; or a summer version with fresh peas and lemon confit. It’s all served on a platter with pickles, fiery matbucha and excellent homemade pita bread (organic flour, plumped up in an oven with a rotating hearth brought over from Tel Aviv). This standard-bearer of breads is also available as a sandwich with the fillings of your choice (falafel with cumin and nigella seeds, Yemeni zhuk, labneh, muhammara sauce with peppers and walnuts, etc.) or in one of their own combos, like the anti-cyclonic Jaffa pita bringing together hummus, falafel, grilled eggplant, a sumac-spiced tomato and onion salad, fermented mango and guindilla peppers. Absolutely insane! For a chilling finish, there’s creamy tahini gelato with the topping of your choice: Turkish coffee coulis or date syrup, plus pecans, pistachios, halva or honeycomb (€4). And to drink with all that? Homemade lemonades (€3-5) or blonde de Galice beer on tap (€3.50 for a half-pint). Pita sandwiches €6-7, hummus €8-9, salads €9. // Dante Nolleau