Balls : meatballs for every taste
05/05/2018
We have all eaten meatballs but a restaurant in Paris dedicated to this cuisine is quite new ! Is it a success ?
On a first glance, the restaurant of rue Saint-Maur is quite simple, the interior is modern and the waitresses (two young ladies) were very friendly.
The menu is quite simple, you choose your meatballs, the sauce and a side dish for 16€.
The meatballs
Spicy (beef, chorizo, strong chili pepper) : jgood. We start we the spiciest ones that are finally not that spicy. The chili is very mild but for the ones that are sensitive I would recommend to take the yoghurt and herbs sauce that reduces the spiciness.
Veal (caramelized onions, sage) : a very american taste, it’s a bit like eating a burger without bread. Took them with tomato sauce, I think it’s a good combination.
Chicken (tarragon, lemon) : quite surprising as it is full of spices and vegetables. The taste of the chicken is very light but it’s good. The meatballs and fried and quite crunchy.
Veggie (leek, carrots, cumin, cilantro quinoa) : the quinoa gives the dish a nice chew, the vegetables are good and it is well seasoned. My favourite of all. The meatballs are fried and quite crunchy.
The side dishes
French fries with rosemary and pecorino cheese : classical, good. The fries are more like baked potatoes. I didn’t feel the cheese.
Risotto with eggplant and lemon : creamy, good but nothing special. It lacked seasoning for my taste.
Polenta : it’s bland, milky and too liquid. Nothing like the one we can have in Italy…
Lentils salad, feta cheese, green apple : fresh, nice chew, slightly dry, quite filling, my favourite of the four.
Desserts
Banoffee (banana flambé, caramel, spéculos and whipped cream) : a very generous portion ! Perosnally I thought it was too heavy. There is too much banana, we can feel that the whipped cream is not homemade and it doesn’t bring much to the dish. The spéculos is quite nice and crunchy but the caramel is quite absent. Generally a disappointment.
Fondant au chocolat (chocolate cake with whipped cream) : stange to name a dessert “fondant” (melting) a chocolate cake that is dry… Nonetheless it’s classical and good.
In the end, I do find the concept nice but the result is very mediocre. Compared to the portions, it is quite expensive. It’s good but nothing special. And some things need revision. I liked the meatballs but I get out of the restaurant with mixed feelings.
Interior
Service
Food
Quality - price ratio
My bill :
5 meatballs : 10€
Side dish : 6€
Dessert : 6€
Beer 33cl : 6,50€
Balls, 47 Rue Saint-Maur, 75011