Söma

The Saint-Paul watchmaker better watch out: Söma is about to stop the clock! At this miniature bistro on Place Saint-Paul with sky blue tiling and a framed photograph of French soccer player Zizou on the wall, local chef Sarah Hamza (who we previously noticed at Mory Sacko’s restaurant) brings a touch of youth to the Vieux-Lyon neighborhood with her generous Mediterranean dishes. Making their way out of the open kitchen the day we went for lunch: a decadent cod roe taramasalata, served with black lime and crispy-cheesy tapioca; a comforting bowl of orzo bathed in a smoking hot broth with homemade harissa, clams, sea beans and trout roe – or a tender chicken cordon bleu, wrapped up in fried angel hair pasta and placed atop a broad bean and carrot mousseline, all enhanced with a pistachio condiment and mizuna (Japanese mustard greens); before some deliciously comforting Greek yogurt covered in pomegranate molasses, fresh strawberries, halva and crushed pistachios for dessert. A chef at the sömmit of her talent! // Eddie Muffin

FEELING THIRSTY? : Local wines (a highly drinkable Beaujolais from the Domaine des Prévelières at €7 a glass, a Coteaux-du-Lyonnais white from Le Bouc & La Treille at €32 a bottle) or wines from further away (a dry muscat by the Tetramythos winery in the Peloponnese, €54), along with a handful of sweet soft drinks – Symples iced herbal teas, Kali kombucha or Mona sparkling apple juice, €4.20 to €4.90 for 330 ml.
PRICE: : Set menus €22-26 (weekday lunch), à la carte €34-43 (dinner and Saturday lunch).