Kuna, Indian street-food naan

Published by Manon de Sortiraparis · Photos by Manon de Sortiraparis · Published on October 19th, 2023 at 01:43 p.m.
If you're a naan fan, you've come to the right place: Kuna, the restaurant that makes naan into a sandwich, just a stone's throw from Pigalle.

Whether plain, with cheese or garlic, naan is the cornerstone of any successful lunch in an Indian restaurant. If you're a big fan of this little pancake of Indian origin, discover Kuna, a small restaurant dedicated to street-food-style Indian naan, just a stone's throw from Pigalle.

At the helm of this new restaurant are Candice Franc and Charley Moreau, two India-lovers trained at the Ducasse school and La Felicita for the former, and in several Parisian brasseries for the latter. After opening their first joint Mediterranean restaurant in Melun, Seine-et-Marne, they unveiled Kuna with the aim of showcasing Indian-inspired street-food.

Kuna, naan indien façon street-food - DécorationKuna, naan indien façon street-food - DécorationKuna, naan indien façon street-food - DécorationKuna, naan indien façon street-food - Décoration

To achieve this, the duo enlisted the help of chef Sudarshan Acharya to create the dishes, and decorator Marine Tujas to decorate the place, which has opted for a pared-down decor combining bottle-green tiles, a copper-colored front and bay windows that bathe Kuna in natural light.

Prepared on site every morning by the chef, the naan is made according to tradition. The dough is leavened with baker's yeast, then left to rest for 48 hours. Once kneaded, rounded and stretched, it is placed in a Tandoor oven, the famous traditional Indian oven. Filled with embers, it maintains an intense heat of up to 480 degrees for a unique baking experience. The dough is placed on the inner walls, causing it to puff up instantly! At Kuna, the naan can be filled with pork, chicken, fish or vegetables, savory or sweet, but always with French products.

Kuna, naan indien façon street-food - Naan pouletKuna, naan indien façon street-food - Naan pouletKuna, naan indien façon street-food - Naan pouletKuna, naan indien façon street-food - Naan poulet

On the menu, four sandwiches pay homage to the classic markers of Indian street-food cuisine: two sandwiches for meat eaters, a fish naan, and a vegetarian one that changes with the seasons.

You can choose from

  • Butter Naan, with chicken marinated and then cooked like chicken Tikka Masala, simmered for six hours in a sauce of cumin, cinnamon, raisins and cashew nuts, then served with tomatoes, peppers, curried onions and salad. However, we regret the lack of real Indian flavors, the overcooking of the chicken and the use of out-of-season vegetables.
  • Pulled Naan, with pulled pork loin confit in curry for over 12 hours, onions and peppers, salad and homemade mango curry sauce.
  • Karee Naan with a piece of cod marinated in milk then fried in corn flakes, married with a homemade curry sauce and a Raita sauce with yogurt, coriander and mint.
  • the Veggie Naan with fried squash which, unlike the chicken, was perfectly raw in the majority of the sandwich, so watch out for your dental crown!

Kuna, naan indien façon street-food - Naan courgeKuna, naan indien façon street-food - Naan courgeKuna, naan indien façon street-food - Naan courgeKuna, naan indien façon street-food - Naan courge

Kuna' s recipes also include Biryani bowls made with a base of rice, cardamom seeds, peas and raisins, and one of the house specialties - chicken, cod, pork or veggie; as well as Indian side dishes, such as veggie samoussas with potatoes, peas and raisins, and coral lentil and red onion dhal, which you can accompany with a homemade lemonade or fruit lassi.

And to round off your lunch, whether eat-in or take-away, there's nothing like a sweet naan with a spread, cardamom rice pudding or sundae.

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

Practical information

Location

39 Rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle
75009 Paris 9

Prices
Boisson: €3
Side: €4
Dessert: €4
Naan: €9
Biryani Bowl: €9
Formule Petit Naanier: €12
Formule Naanier: €15
Formule Grand Naanier: €18

Official website
www.kunanaan.fr

More information
Daily 12:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 22:00 Closed Sunday lunch and Monday evening

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