Sama, the Lebanese restaurant that rethinks mezzés in the 11th arrondissement

The fruit of a collaboration between three friends, the Lebanese restaurant Sama rethinks mezzés, with all the hospitality typical of Levantine tables.

Get ready to soar to 7th heaven with the opening of Sama(sky in Arabic), the Lebanese restaurant from Loulouwa Al Rachid, Marwan Rizk and Karim Haïdar. The trio decided to set up shop in the Oberkampf district, just a few numbers from the excellent Aglio e Olio, with the intention of "rethinking mezzés" with this new address.

From Tuesday to Sunday, Sama pays tribute to the trio's Lebanese origins with dishes that twirl the flavors of the Levant in a joyful, convivial atmosphere. Author Karim Haïdar already runs the restaurant Les Mots et le Ciel in the 15th arrondissement. As for Loulouwa Al Rachid, she left a career in geopolitics in the Middle East to embark on this new adventure. As for Marwan Rizk, owner of Sôma restaurants, he brings to Sama his vision of contemporary Lebanese cuisine.

The result is a menu written by 6 hands that revives family memories and concentrates ideas, like so many hyphens between past and present, authenticity and modernity. With the exception of imported wines, a few spices, orange blossom water, pomegranate molasses and pine nuts, all products are sourced in France, even the small Lebanese cucumbers grown on the Côte d'Azur.

With a strong emphasis on vegetables, cereals and legumes, Sama is available as a lunch menu (€20 or €23 starter/main course or main course/dessert, depending on whether chicken or vegetarian is chosen; €24 or €27 starter/main course/dessert). Alternatively, you can choose from a range of plates to share, for lunch or dinner.

These are just a few examples: tannour 'khebz' bread with zaatar (4.5€), 'batata' puff pastry with fried potatoes and garlic cream (9€), grilled halloumi and quince confit with zaatar (11€), taouk' skewers of marinated chicken with pistachio breadcrumbs and mouhammara (11€), duck kafta topped with hummus (12€), or 'warak enab' stuffed vine leaves served hot with lamb noisette (16€).

The same pleasure can be found in the desserts, with 'awaymettes' fritters with orange syrup and orange blossom sorbet (9€) and poached pears with arak and carob molasses (9€).

On weekends, the Terwi'a is a genuine Lebanese breakfast, with a choice of bean stew, lamb tartar, zaatar 'manakich' pancakes, falafels, eggs with tomato and sumac, and assafiri katayefs, small pancakes filled with achta cream, roasted pistachios and orange blossom syrup. Enjoy them indoors, in the restaurant's uncluttered atmosphere, or on the small terrace, open in fine weather!

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.