Photos Julien Thonnard

In the middle of an Algerian cinema celebration this May at Cannes Film Festival, a bright eyed Brit with an Algerian surname befriended me. It was Anita Lewton-Moukkes, a screenwriter and film producer with whirling ideas and the experience and know how to pull things off. A month later, while in Paris with her Algerian husband Djamel,  she calls and invites me to a Berber restaurant (which Djamel’s cousin Meferrer Bilard  has taken over). Unfortunately I’d already eaten, so the week after , when the Paris skies turn grey and I’m craving something hot and North African, I return.

L’Homme Bleu, in the heart of Paris’ popular Oberkampf in the 11th is an oasis on this chilly Autumn night. Gnawi music from the Sahara brings the traditional décor to life – sand dunes painted on the walls, a tent like ceiling and the bar and kitchen that are part of the piece, not tucked out of sight. And it smells good !

The tables are full at 9pm, so it’s an apéro at the bar which turns out to be the best seat in the house, so we stay there with on tap entertainment from fun, friendly Algerian staff (tonight it’s Bilard’s younger brother Madjid behind the bar and  Salim Kabir on the floor ). There are also  colourful regulars..we sit next to ‘Toufik le magnifique’ who teaches us some Kabyle, Algerian history and gives lesson in Kabyle writing without missing any chance for a joke.

You can stick with soft drinks or chose from the Algerian wines, much punchier and fuller bodied that

French ones due to the climate and soil so be warned ! Also ‘ Bille’ the patron makes a mean Mojito, so I’m told…

The cuisine is traditional Berber and we choose a simple entré of mixed capsicum with garlic drenched in delicious olive oil from Kabyle region, whilst eyeing the kitchen from which steamy platters are arriving, including couscous, soups, brochettes and soon our magnificent tagines.

Unusual for central Paris and the largely male populated preserve of ‘chefs’ , the kitchen is controlled by Berber women  who add their years of experience and flavoursome, spicey seasoning to every dish. Tonight the chef is Morrocan Nadia Ben Azizi and our tagines (one salty, one sweet) are enough to keep up going for a week. Perfectly cooked, fine couscous with vegetables, succulent lamb and sweet stoned fruit. We take our time and enjoy the music, the meal and the company. By now Toufik, hilariously, has taught us to write his name in Kabyle in case we ever need it…

Tonight there is no room left in us for the Algerian sweets, sorbets, fruit salads with cinnamon and orange blossom, but a hot mint tea is what’s in order… and a promise to return soon to try the rest of the menu…