August Superbon

The best dishes, drinks, and treats of the past month in Paris, Bordeaux and the Medoc

Superbon is a monthly series for paid subscribers only of the things that are, well, superbon. The creme de la creme of the past month. Without further ado, my favorite flavors and finds.

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These PPP fritters from Bouyon. PPP stands for plaintain pané parmesan. They’re exactly that: fried plantain fritters coated in cornflakes, dusted with parmesan, and served with a smoky paprika mayo. Another highlight was the passionfruit-lacquered bass, paired with hibiscus manioc and a green aioli. This new Belleville restaurant, centered on “cuisine nwaar” (cuisine noire, or Black cuisine), was as much about the scene as the food. That said, I’d give them a little more time to find their rhythm. The pacing during our meal (and for surrounding tables) was noticeably uneven. Worth noting: there’s no alcohol on the menu but they had a great list of mocktails, non-alcoholic wines and beers, and homemade hibiscus or ginger juices.

Look at the glorious color of those saffron cognac buns from Montreal Sur Mer. I’ll be honest, I didn’t taste any Cognac, but I did taste the saffron, and it was perfect. The levain breads, from Chanelle Saint-Amour, were also exceptional. Worth a little (okay, two hour) detour from Bordeaux to the charming seaside town of Soulac-sur-Mer.

While you’re in Soulac-sur-Mer, it’s also worth stopping at Ola Cantina for lunch. I very much enjoyed this starter of egg salad with a caesar dressing served with the aforementioned levain from Montreal Sur Mer. They have great toasties, focaccia sandwiches, and simple salads, too. They do several events with guest chefs and other friends of the house so worth scoping out what they have lined up before you go.

Looking for a spot that has fantastic Taiwanese fried chicken, that also has Rayas on the wine list?