For several years now, Japanese gastronomy has largely permeated French eating habits. The current trend is the initiative of young French people who have been immersed in this culinary exoticism and who offer maki roll, tataki or other mo=chi. They arrange the flavours with a French touch. Among these new delicacies, the rice burger attracts afficionados of Japanese dishes.
In Japan, you can taste them in a famous shop that offers rice burgers with fried shrimp or grilled beef. A young Parisian woman fell in love with Japanese burgers during a trip and opened her restaurant in the 10th arrondissement. We went for a visit to "Chez Marie".
For thirteen years, Marie travelled around the world by boat. At a Japanese port, she discovered the rice burger and became very interested in it.
"I felt that there was a harmonious mix between American burger culture and Japanese flavours," she says. She had the intuition that this mix would appeal to Paris and so in 2018 she opened her little bistro.
We are served the "veg' burger" which contains ricotta cheese, fried onions, slices of courgette and a touch of spinach. The two vinegared rice cakes that the French are so fond of add a new flavour. The texture is a bit like risotto. The western twist on the traditional rice burger is a big hit with customers.
The atmosphere is friendly at "Chez Marie", no doubt thanks to the local clientele, far from the Parisian hyper-centre.
An à la carte dish, chicken stew with aubergine
In addition, a new rice burger restaurant opened in 2022. Called a "sushi burger" here, it attracted the interest of the Parisian press at its opening.
First Parisian restaurant specialising in rice burgers, "Kimochi
With its open kitchen, the décor immerses us in a typical Japanese izakaya. Nestled in the "Passage des panoramas", "Kimochi" obviously offers many rice burgers but also NIGIRI, tuna tataki and Californian rolls, among others.
Rice burger with eel and avocado, dried bonito, rocket and cucumber. The rice is topped with panko breadcrumbs
We ordered the most successful burger, the "eel sushi burger". It's not sushi, but it's certainly a unique rice burger. The breadcrumbs sting the palate a little, but the combination of eel and avocado ensures a pleasant flavour. The sweet sauce is very popular with customers.
Other rice burgers include spicy tuna, salmon tartar and truffle.
Salmon rolls with avocado and fried onions
These rice burgers have a low-key existence in Paris, but they are certainly a reflection of the growing interest in the culinary fusion of two cultures. What will be the next Japanese dish that will be the lucky choice of French restaurateurs?
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