A new sister restaurant of Ma Kitchen on Rue d'Hauteville opened on the Canal Saint Martin in June 2015 — good news to fans of their cooking who were becoming tired of the long lines at the original. SAaM is more low-key, nestled on Rue de Lancry behind a pretty natural wood façade. Like Ma Kitchen, this genial little eatery serves Korean and Chinese-inspired cuisine with a creative touch.
You’ll probably want to order a few mains to share, as we did (on the server’s recommendation), opting for three mixed dishes: a platter of buns, marinated beef Boulkgogi, flavoured soy, homemade green salsa and Kimchi slaw (€8), a plate of fried tofu, shallots and truffle with sautéed shiitake and buchu in a mango and Asian basil sauce (€8.50) and the ‘banchan’ of the day, a hodgepodge of micro-meals at €8, including veggies and fish pâté. We washed it all down with a bottle of Soju (€16), infamous Korean rice liquor that was deceptively sweet at 40 proof.
SAaM’s décor is colourful and fresh, with walls painted in shades of blue, pale pink and sea green, mismatched antique furniture and other pleasant touches, like the crochet doilies and vases of fresh flowers placed on every table. If you’re in a rush you can also order to take away, but do come back for a proper sit-down meal in this bright, bubbly little canteen.