While Paris’ restaurants have been open since last month, there are still a few holdovers from confinement. One is that Marais restaurant Carbón, known for its cocktails and wood-fired cooking, has remained closed. As a result, Carbon’s chef, the ultra-talented Thomas Coupeau, is currently in residence at Sabrina Goldin and Stéphane Abby’s other venture, Cantina.
I’ve visited Cantina several times before. This little restaurant just steps from the trendy Canal Saint-Martin is known for its South American small plates, phenomenal empanadas, and weekend grilled beef to share. But with Coupeau at the helm, it takes on a slightly different flavor.
We started things off with these ultra-Instagrammable Pão de Queijo. The cheese mixture inside changes every week, but this one, with Parmesan and mimolette, was a showstopper.
The cheese inside was gooey and rich, and the crisp exterior was super light: I suspect tapioca or potato flour, which somehow lent an ethereal quality to the nevertheless rich bites. They’re delivered in odd numbers, so get two orders, or go with someone who likes you a lot (and will split the last one!)
This celery-root tourte was highly anticipated but proved a bit ho-hum. Don’t get me wrong: that pastry (from neighboring organic baker Sain) was unreal, and the pickled mustard seeds were delicious. But the celery root was a little bit too mild on its own and would have perhaps been better off seasoned with a more assertive herb or some cheese.
The winner of the day? This tomato toast. I’m often loath to order toast on menus, but we couldn’t help ourselves, and giving into temptation proved a good choice in this case. The toast was topped with a layer of ricotta, crisp samphire, tarragon, cherries, and the sweetest summer tomatoes imaginable. With a healthy drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of bottarga, it was perfectly balanced (and frankly a steal at just 12€).
Cantina is currently serving both inside and out, with an ever-changing chalkboard menu of seasonal specialties (including both meat and veggie burgers and banh mi). With a great list of wines by the glass, including this skin-contact Greek orange, it’s likely to become my summer cantine.
Cantina – 11 rue Marie et Louise, 75010