ÅKE TABLE & VIN

WHO
Ake started as a pop-up from Swedish chef Linda Granebring (formerly of The Broken Arm) at Chinese wine-shop owner Alain Hing’s Canal Martin spot. The duo got on so well that it is now a full-fledged restaurant (the wine shop has moved next door) with the edition of Linda’s sommelier boyfriend Julien Alda.

FOOD
Linda’s menu is short and changes weekly depending on the seasons and her urges. A few examples from a springtime trip
- Citrusy zucchini salad with mint, whole grains and lemon confit (€9)
- Addictive grilled chicken with spicy mayo, ginger and sesame (€13)
- Pillowy fried gnocchi, with rosemary brown butter and crispy pancetta (€12)
- Spring on a plate asparagus with snap peas, aioli, basil and ground buckwheat (€11)
- Trademark lemon-almond cake with rhubarb compote and star anise (€7)

DRINKS
To drink, exclusively natural wines chosen by Alain and Julien, including a gentle Carignan from Le Clos Massotte in the Roussillon (€18 a bottle), a classy Loire Sauvignon from Noëlla Morantin (€28 a bottle), a rare Gard blend from the Domaine de Rapatel (€25)… €7 corkage fee for all bottles.

DECOR
Salmon colored walls, a few bottles, a coat rack and some tables adorn this bare-bones spot.

NOISE
Quickly escalates, due to the small size of the restaurant and the reasonably priced natural wines.

SEATING
A few square tables and chairs and a few bar stools.

VIBE
Much like the noise, the vibe is provided by the natural-wine loving crowd mixed with neighborhood regulars who were fans of the wine shop long before it became a hot restaurant.

RESTROOMS
Non-descript.

SERVICE
Welcoming and easygoing much like the owner/chef/sommelier.

WOULD RECOMMEND
To all your friends for easy, casual, tasty nibbles and drinks.