Afaria

Afaria is a French bistro worthy of attention that just opened up in September of this year (2007). The name originates from a word of the Basque region (souper = supper). The owner/chef, Julien Duboué (who is, of course, from the Basque region) is still only 26 years old! His fresh talent has helped the restaurant gain some fame, having been introduced in several magazines less than three months after opening. He gained a great deal of experience working under chef Alain Dutournier at the Michelin 2 star restaurant Carré des Feuillants, as well as at other well known restaurants like Drouant and Le Cinq, before finally opening his own place.
It is located in the 15th district, which has a sort of working class atmosphere and many supermarkets and ready-to-eat food shops. Afaria is situated between the Convention and Porte de Versailles (where the International Trade Fair grounds are) Metro stations. Its not a neighborhood that travelers tend to be very familiar with, but it is a spot to pay attention to because recently the number of Neo-Bistros drawing Parisians to the area has been increasing.
　

The large window that faces the street lets a lot of bright sunlight into the restaurant, giving it an ambience that is very easy to walk into. The wooden chairs and tables, as well as the tablecloths made of fabric from the Basque region, make for a simple space that doesnt feel stuck up, where you can relax. As for the food, it's all original items that will fill you with a fresh sense of wonder. There are three themed menus, and each comes with an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. Les Sudistes is food from the south of France associated with the chefs birthplace. Le retour de voyage uses ingredients and spices from many different nations, giving it a rich international character. Les petits appétits (small appetites) is a healthy selection that centers on vegetables and seafood. Of course, they offer everything a la carte at night, but even at lunch time you can pass on these three themes and order a combination of whatever appetizer, entrée, and dessert you like. There's also the Les plats ŕ partager theme menu, which can be shared amongst two or more people. The menus contents change with each season.

This time around, my order was for the appetizer from the Les petis appétits menu, the scallop and artichoke tartar, and pumpkin soup (3rd photo). My entrée (1st photo) was the roasted fish, in a Thai style bouillon, with lemongrass rice on the side from the Le retour de voyage menu. Finally, dessert (bottom left photo) was a warm tiramisu with Amarena cherries. The appetizers tartar and soup were served separately so I could try the scallops on there own. Then, you pour the piping hot soup over them yourself and lightly mix it together, which is an enjoyable trick to give the scallops a whole new texture. The crisply roasted fish of the entrée and the smell of the Thai curry was a perfect match, while the crunch of the raw bean sprouts was exquisite. The tiramisu was pure white, and then dressed up like a cappuccino, with a slight warmth to it, and a taste that shattered my previous expectations. All of the food was beautifully presented, and an amazing marriage of taste and texture! The rum baba (last photo), or the Magret de Canard (breast of fattened duck, 5th photo) served on smoked chips, are the kind of ideas this young chef has that will move you. Its also fine to enjoy some of the substantial Basque style tapas, or some cured ham, while just drinking wine. You can even get the tapas as take-out.

If you go for lunch right when they open at noon, its very likely you can get seating for 2-3 people with no reservation, but because its already become a popular restaurant we highly recommend you make one for dinner.(2008-01-10)
　

Afaria
15 rue Desnouettes 75015
Area: Montparnasse
Tel : 01 48 56 15 36
Metro :	Convention Line 12, then a 3 minute walk
Open :	12:00-14:00 / 19:00-23:00
Close :	Mondays at lunchtime, Sundays
Budget :	Lunch 2 Items 22 3 Items 26 Daily Special 1 Item 16 Dinner is a la carte only Appetizers 10 and up Entrees 16 and up Dessert 6 and up Tapas 4 and up
Credit card:	Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club