Sometimes a restaurant just has a little something about it that makes it special. It’s not necessarily flashy or showy, but it boasts some combination of qualities that, somehow, come together and make it just this side of perfect.
That’s what Massale has.
A friend recommended this spot to me ages ago, but it took me months to finally book a table… and after a first visit, I ended up returning not even a week later. With warm service and a delicious, nearly-no-fault menu, it manages to stand out in a neighborhood that’s positively flooded with great restaurants.
The house-made terrine with pickled onions and mustard seeds was exquisitely seasoned but, more importantly, had impeccable texture: a firm meatiness with a creaminess throughout from the addition of what I believe was chicken liver. It had none of that one-note softness of some terrines. It instead boasted a texture that walked the line among pulled pork, braised beef, and foie gras.
This simple artichoke appetizer may well have been my least favorite dish I’ve tried from Massale so far, as tasty as it was. As compared to other things I tried, it was just too simple – and a bit too heavy-handed with the olive oil. I would have loved some more nutty caramelization on the artichoke or a bit more acid to balance out the plate.
The chef delivered just that, however, on this breaded and fried rouget. Perfectly cooked so that the flesh delicately and easily came away from the bones, it was served with a mix of just-barely-blanched broccoli, broccoli purée, a vinegary dressed salad, and a side of cornichon-heavy house-made tartar sauce.
This dish of bream with mussels, ginger butter sauce, and perfectly jammy leeks was beautifully executed and exquisitely seasoned – and was just one of many ways Massale has shown its deftness with fish.
This ocean trout with arugula coulis, broccoli, and sorrel continued in this vein.
I mean… just look at that color.
But hands down, my favorite dish so far has been this octopus with pea purée. Not surprising: it ticks pretty much every one of my culinary boxes. Sweet-and-savory thanks the addition of seasonal raspberries? Check. A herbaceous hint of coriander? Check. A touch of heat by way of a spiced oil? Check. And somehow, it also boasted an extra je-ne-sais-quoi that completely blew it out of the park, leaping off the plate with bright color, great texture, and incredible flavor.
I even went so far as to order – and enjoy! – dessert: a wonderfully seasonal dish of tarragon-poached peaches with yogurt mousse, meringue, and hazelnuts.
Yes, yes, yes.
With its natural wine list, tiny but sunny terrace, and lovely, helpful staff (who more than once pointed us in the right direction when attempting to choose what to order from the short-and-sweet menu), Massale can count me as a new regular.
Massale – 5 Rue Guillaume Bertrand, 75011