A new spot in the Etoile neighborhood? Yes sir! The oldest pub in Paris (which ended up having a vague lounge-like, borderline seedy feel) was handed over to architect Laura Gonzalez for a makeover. The result? A very chic crash pad (Sienna marble tables, colorful fabrics, post-colonial prints), a little like if the Orient Express had crashed into the Darjeeling Limited! In the kitchen, Delhi-born chef Manoj Sharma (ex-Desi Road and Shirvan) has called upon the entire British Empire for his dishes filled with color and spice. The day we went for lunch: a delicious scotch egg – a soft-boiled egg wrapped in crispy-coated sausage meat, with added curry spice and mustard seeds; an opulent lamb curry with fresh coconut and a saffron rice; before a tasty pavlova (even if the meringue was a little dry). In short, 5 Rue de Presbourg is open for business once again. Let’s hope it lasts! // M.R.
FEELING THIRSTY? Organic wines (a Mâcon-Villages from Maison Joseph Drouhin at €5.50 a glass, a Crozes-Hermitage from the Domaine Esprit at €50 a bottle), mango lassis (an Indian drink made with fermented milk, €8), and cocktails by bartender Julien Quettier, including La Route de la Soie (gin, shiso, lime, rose syrup, €12).
PRICE: À la carte €26-49.
