Get yourself a one-way ticket to the land of the Cedars of God with a layover on Rue Saint-Martin, where Alain Geaam (who runs the restaurant by the same name) has opened up a souk just like you’d find in Beirut! After having levantized his world with the bistro Qasti and the galette shop Sâj, the chef is now playing merchant alongside food Youtuber Anthony Rahayel at a new spot called Le Doukane – “grocer” in their mother tongue. In this former hosiery shop, you’ll find all the classics of a well-stocked Lebanese pantry: turnips pickled in beet juice; orange blossom water for making white coffee; really good pomegranate molasses; classic khabez, the famous flatbread for dipping into some silky labneh (made in the Val-d’Oise department); tasty halloumi; real tabbouleh; or even homemade hummus. And if you’re in the mood for a sweet treat? There’s baklava and maamoul made with dates or pistachios, which you can nibble out front after eating a shawarma with toum from Qasti, which happens to be located right next door. // Nour Ghanem
The hidden gem: Ghazl el banate, Lebanese cotton candy (€4.90 a portion).
