Not only is the passage des Panoramas the oldest covered passage in Paris, and arguably the prettiest, it is also the home to a growing number of destination restaurants in the capital.
Its latest culinary addition, Adar, makes for another good reason to seek out this historic 220 year-old location. Make your way towards the back of the alley, past the old wooden shop fronts and cramped bistrot tables that spill out into the tiled passageway, to discover the Levantine creations of Israeli Chef Tamir Nahmias and Boston native Aaron Rosenthal. Together, the two present an impressive resumé, Nahmias having passed through the kitchens of Troisgros, Astrance, Yam’Tcha and Frenchie before taking over Fulgurances for a 6-month chef residency back in 2016. Rosenthal’s bio includes time with Bertrand Grébault at Septime and then as chef at the next-door Clamato. Along with business partner Tiphaine Bailly, these two formidable talents have created something altogether original, combining the culinary influences of Nahmias’s northern Israeli upbringing with classic French techniques and local French produce. The small space accommodates around 20 or so diners, a deli counter for takeout orders, and a couple of tables outside in the passage. As an additional part of the business, Adar also caters events.
The menu changes daily according to seasonal availability of produce. On the day we dined, the mezze course consisted of a creamy hummus served with a fluffy, homemade focaccia-style bread, and a zesty little salad of barley, onions, raisins and parsley. The mussel, tomato, haricots Paimpol (white beans from Brittany) and basil salad was a refreshing starter, a great companion to the pissaladière tart of labneh, baby onions, yellow zucchini, a generous handful of fresh arugula and spiked with bottarga (salted and cured fish eggs) and trout eggs. The warm octopus, broad bean, and fresh oregano salad left me indifferent, but the roasted chicken, with an impossibly creamy labneh-seasoned polenta was a triumph. The macerated cherries with pistachio cream was sadly sold out by the time we got to dessert, so we settled for the babka, a twisted brioche-like cake oozing with a caramelized date and coconut filling, so all is well that ends well.
The service was warm and friendly, and the walls are lined with carefully selected spices, grains and condiments, living up to its name which is Yiddish for abundance and generosity.
Adar | 49 Passage des Panoramas | Paris 2 | Tel: +33 6 64 49 18 68 | Métro: Grands Boulevards or Richelieu-Drouot | Open Monday–Friday noon–7pm | Lunch: 19 & 22€ lunch menus, takeaway menu 8-12€ for salads, sandwiches and mezze | Reservations only taken for beginning of lunch service noon-12.15 | Atmosphere casual | info@adar-paris.com