Dinner at Mama Shelter Lives Up to the Hype

After enduring the heaploads of buzz generated by Mama Shelter — Philip Starck’s uber-hip hotel — HiP Paris Correspondent Amy Thomas decided to stop by its new Alain Senderens restaurant to fill us in on the eagerly awaited French fare.

mamashelter.com

I arrived at Mama Shelter well before any of my friends. Simply said, it’s a schlep out to its 20^th arrondisement location and none of us expats, despite priding ourselves on being locals now, realized how long it would take to get there. But waiting was fine with me; it gave me an excuse to saddle up to the Island Bar—a giant square about two-thirds into the dining room—enjoy an aperitif, and watch the parade of fashion and design devotees go by.

By the time everyone showed up, I already knew I liked the place. Our table was a cozy spot for six, with a cushy couch to accommodate three on one side and mismatched chairs on the other. As I made myself way too comfortable with the couch cushions (so much for sitting up straight at the dinner table), I scoped out the rest of the Philippe Starck-designed dining room—the chalkboard ceiling, foosball table, art books propping up cozy table lamps—and was just about to say exactly what came tumbling out of my friend’s mouth: “It’s so New York!”

Francis Amiand

Indeed, Mama Shelter feels very “downtown”; the closest I’ve come to it in Paris is Derriere. Owners Cyril Aouizerate and Serge and Jeremie Trigano obviously knew what they were doing when they plopped this hyper-cool hangout in one of Paris’ most up-and-coming areas. They also had the foresight to tap Alain Senderens—recognized as one of the founders of nouvelle cuisine—to create the menu.

Francis Amiand

I for one was very excited about the prospect of the “small but perfectly formed pizzas” I had read about on the web site. But, it turns out, they’re a lunchtime feature only. Just as well. The French classics featured on the dinner menu were served with a fresh approach and modern wit, and were just as fun to share.

Amy Thomas –  Parmentier de Confit de Canard, Cocotte de lentilles

For entrées, there was a nice little cocotte de lentilles delivered in a mini cast iron pot and topped with a perfectly semi-soft egg The spicy leeks came as five simple rolls, served alongside a tangy vinaigrette d’herbes épaisse and the toast accompanying the simple green salad were topped with tapenade rather than the usual chèvre. Other kick-offs include charcuterie, fromage and foie gras  but it’s better to save room for the plats.

Part of Senderens’ concept is to offer a family-style experience, which is a nice complement to the party atmosphere of Mama Shelter. Only one friend ordered the veggie lasagna, so she had a single-serving of the oven-toasted cheesy creation, served with a bowl of dressed mesclun. The parmentier de confit de canard, though, was a popular order so the deliciously salty, creamy decadent mélange was served in one giant, multi-serving dish and passed around the table. Lighter options included steamed salmon with lentils  and the plat du jour, which, when we went on a Thursday, was a beautifully presented pintade fermière .

And, oui, we saved room for dessert. It was a relatively modest platter of fruit (a clementine, a kiwi cut in two and some grapes), coconut sorbet (served in a giant stainless cylinder), and four madeleines (nice and spongy) for 22 euros. We could have gone for a nightcap, grooving to the DJ’s old-school hip-hop, but after three hours of eating and drinking, we were ready to call it a night—and make our long way back to city center.

Mama Shelter
109, rue de Bagnolet, 75020
+33 (0)1.43.48.48.48
Métro: Porte de Bagnolet, Gambetta

Related links:

• 52 Martinis’ write-up of the cocktails
• NYtimes’ The Moment blog review
• Guardian review of Mama Shelter Hotel

Written by Amy Thomas for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.