Who knew you could make a colorful mosaic worthy of a feature in designsponge out of sardines? Leave it to a Franco-Portugese with a fashion background and a passion for picking out the most prized products of her native country to figure out the artistic integrity of sardines.
Paula, the owner of this bright, colorful and super welcoming new épicerie has just done us all an incredible service by opening up this Portugese specialty shop along the hot new culinary strip of the rue du Faubourg Saint Martin.
To gather all of the products in her shop, Paula traveled for months exploring the four corner of Portugal sitting down with producers, tasting their products and learning their stories, before selecting those to share with her Parisian clients.
Ask Paula for a recommendation about a specific product and she'll captivate you in the most authentic way with a story about the family that made it, what her visit with them was like and why she chose it for her shop.
That's how I wound up finding my new favorite sardines among the 50+ varieties that she carries. When I heard that one of the brands was made by a family in the Algave (a region I had visited and loved), that it was one of her favorites brands, and that it was the only brand to carry a skinless, boneless, olive-oil variety (like the kind I grew up on) I knew that was mine. And boy was she spot-on. I rushed home and made a dinner of sardines with mild fresh goat cheese on a chewy banquette topped with sliced red onions and capers along with a fresh summer salad and it was divine. The sardines were so delicately flavored, so tender and moist and not at all fishy. By far the best canned sardines I have ever had.
To combat the salty, the pastel de nata at 2E a piece that I picked up for dessert were heaven!
Honestly, this store is a sardine sanctuary and Paula is one of the most passionate and endearing biz owners I have ever met. read more