VIF, well-rolled sandwiches and oriental grills at Oberkampf - Definitely closed

The prolific Geoffrey Gotfryd opens his second street-food restaurant, VIF, on the rue d'Oberkampf. Partnered for the occasion with Alex Kiman, the restaurateur already at the helm of Parsley signs a menu of well-rolled sandwiches as well as well-stocked bowls .

What's certain is that the two facets of the restaurant are based on one and the same idea: the art of grilling in the style of the finest oriental addresses, but with the little Frenchy touch that makes the difference. These recipes, both fresh and spicy, are Geoffrey's brainchild; all prepared on a two-meter-long, custom-built barbecue.

Here, each product is worked, marinated and seasoned with taste before being put on the flames, for a masterfully controlled cooking process. And the finest meats come thick and fast: Angus beef, matured for 30 days, ground on site, marinated in lamb fat and seasoned with a secret blend of spices; veal, also ground on site, with a Mediterranean recipe of coriander seeds, fennel seeds, zaatar, garlic and sumac; chicken marinated for 24 hours in a spiced buttermilk and even grilled Portobello mushrooms with a soy sauce and pomegranate molasses glaze.

Once you've chosen your grillade, all that's left to do is wrap it in a lavash bread made by a secretly-kept master of Oriental baking. The patty is brushed with tahini yoghurt and hosts a mixture of pointed cabbage, spinach shoots, fresh herbs, onion pickles, a house blend of roasted spices and a choice of sauce: a green sauce (fresh herb mayonnaise) and a red sauce simmered for 6 hours (tomatoes, red peppers, candied onions, pomegranate molasses).

Let's face it, the owner was right when he assured us that his sandwiches are as naughty as they are... healthy! When you taste them, there's no feeling of greasiness or over-fullness. In fact, VIF's sandwiches are generously garnished with greens, and flame-cooking is one of the healthiest ways to cook them - as long as you don't add a ladle of sauce to the finish.

These same grills can also be enjoyed in bowls filled with bird's beak-shaped orzo pasta and a host of seasonal vegetables - at the moment, cherry tomatoes, pointed cabbage, raw yellow zucchinis, white onion pickles and fresh herbs. In autumn, roasted squash will be on the menu!

And to accompany it all, VIF has put together a menu of mouth-watering sides, including fries of course, cooked in two baths and among the best we've tasted in recent times, as well as crispy vegetable fritters!

VIF, well-rolled sandwiches and oriental grills at Oberkampf - Permanently closed

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