Porte de la Chapelle is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the heart of Palestinian culture, thanks to a hybrid address designed as a living space. Ardi, which means"my land" in Arabic, is currently the only address where you can discover a piece of Palestinian know-how, thanks to Rania, a French-Palestinian who wants to share recipes linked to her origins. In 2020, she and her family opened this concept store, part restaurant, part artisan boutique, with products imported directly from the last workshops in Palestine.
It's a great address for gourmets in search of comfort food, and for those who want to buy pretty handmade tableware or decorative items! Open daily for lunch and from Thursday to Saturday for dinner, Ardi offers a warm welcome upon reservation, as demand is particularly high for this unique place in the capital. You can sit in a small, intimate alcove or in the dining room, amidst a colorful décor of books, paintings and objects linked to Palestine, with a view of the kitchen, where you can savor the mouth-watering aromas.
On the menu, you'll find a number of dishes from Levantine cuisine, as well as homemade specialties more specific to Palestine, sprinkled with zaatar, an ancient blend of spices appreciated by Levantine peoples. Arayes, hommous, grilled halloumi, cheese pita or fattoush salad, we start with a spicy starter that wakes up both stomach and palate, accompanied by the house drink, carcadet, with hibiscus, lemon and cinnamon, very sweet and fruity.
Two vegetarian dishes are available if you wish, among the six à la carte. For spiced rice, choose Idreh, a specialty of the city of Hebron with yoghurt and chickpeas. Fans of chicken or beef are served with Soniyet Kefta or Msakhan, drizzled with olive oil of course, but without appearing greasy.
More vegetable-oriented? Yakhni sabanegh, a spinach and pomegranate stew, is a great choice. However, for our part, we opted for Fattet betinjan, a particularly melt-in-the-mouth stewed eggplant with tomato and garlic sauce, sprinkled with roasted almonds for a crunchy, balanced and colorful dish.
Even if all this is quite hearty, there was obviously still room for dessert, which is almost the only item on the menu! This was an opportunity to try Knafeh, a traditional Levantine dessert made with cheese, angel hair and rosewater syrup, which was absolutely divine. Despite its surprising texture at first bite, we quickly savor this sweet delight and ask for more!
After the meal, we take a look at the products displayed at the entrance, made in Palestine, with flowery crockery of all kinds and keffiyehs. Also a cultural and artistic café, Ardi regularly organizes conferences or workshops with artists, to showcase Palestinian culture in the heart of the 18th arrondissement, where people travel from all over the world for the occasion!
Location
Ardi Concept Store
10-12 Allée Lydia Becker
75018 Paris 18
Prices
Dessert: €4.5 - €8.5
Entrée: €4.5 - €7
Plat: €15 - €18
Official website
www.instagram.com
