In the bustling heart of Paris’s 1st arrondissement, near the Place du Marché Saint-Honoré, a new culinary star has risen, drawing immediate attention for its audacious design and vibrant flavors. Kubaba, the latest creation from the visionary duo Benjamin Cohen and Julien Casbas of Dalia Group, is not just a restaurant; it’s an immersive journey into a ‘house-world’ of Levantine charm and theatrical extravagance.
A Stage Set for Culinary Delights
Opened in late January, Kubaba immediately distinguishes itself with its name, evoking the legendary Mesopotamian queen, and its truly spectacular interior. Spanning 360 square meters across three floors of a former butcher shop, the space is a testament to maximalist scenography, infused with orientalist influences. Architect and designer Laleh Amir Assefi, a disciple of Jacques Garcia, has crafted a vivid, almost theatrical environment that flirts with kitsch yet always maintains an undeniable sense of taste. Banquettes are adorned with richly patterned ethnic fabrics and an abundance of mixed-and-matched cushions. Walls are draped in lustrous tapestries with floral motifs, while leopard print carpets meet oriental rugs on the floor. Dark wood furniture provides a touch of chic, complemented by baroque decorative elements for a dramatic flourish.
Each floor of Kubaba unveils its own distinct ambiance. The heart of the restaurant beats on the ground floor, a spacious room accommodating up to 100 guests, featuring an open kitchen encircled by a long marble counter. The first floor offers a more intimate, subdued setting, ideal for larger gatherings. The true showstopper, however, is at the very top of the restaurant: a sublime private room designed like a traditional ‘khaïma’ tent, with fabrics suspended from the ceiling and cascading down the walls. Complete with its private bar, this area is perfect for pre-dinner drinks or extending the evening’s festivities.
Flavors of the Levant: A Culinary Journey
At Kubaba, the Dalia Group’s expertise shines through in a convivial Middle Eastern cuisine, steeped in festive Levantine traditions. The deliberately concise menu is 100% homemade, seasonal, and product-driven. To whet the appetite, guests are encouraged to share the essential ‘malka bread,’ a wonderfully soft brioche served warm, accompanied by a trio of spreads: cardamom-pistachio butter, tahini miso, and zhoug (a garlic, coriander, and chili sauce). Mezze options include crispy halloumi and spinach cigars, candied carrots served with labneh, and a duo of tarama and bottarga.
The generous main courses transport diners along the spice route. The ‘tanjiastyle veal,’ delicately perfumed with candied lemon, is remarkably tender, easily flaking with a fork. The traditional meat pastilla is reimagined here in a vegetarian version, filled with seasonal vegetables like butternut squash, Paris mushrooms, and cinnamon. For a touch of freshness, guests can opt for the kohlrabi salad with radicchio, brightened by a kiwi vinaigrette, or the butternut squash carpaccio seasoned with date molasses, pistachios, and rose petals. Desserts embrace decadence, featuring a prominent pistachio cake slice topped with a generous dollop of mascarpone, elevated by a salted pistachio praline. For sharing (or not), there’s a bucket of cream puffs with vanilla cream, or a chocolate-hazelnut mousse for lovers of cocoa delights.
Soon, Kubaba will also offer a build-your-own shawarma menu on weekends, served with warm bread drizzled with parsley butter, cooked on a Lebanese saj dome directly imported from Beirut. Fillings will include farm chicken skewers or oyster mushrooms, accompanied by a burnt lemon condiment, a red onion salad with sumac, and a minty yogurt-tahini sauce. Anticipation for a return visit is already high.
Kubaba is located at 3 Rue Gomboust, 75001 Paris.
Source: https://www.grazia.fr/cuisine/restaurants/kubaba-la-nouvelle-table-levantine-au-decor-theatral-dont-tout-le-monde-parle-a-paris-1219685.html
