Déviant
Restaurant · Porte Saint-Denis ·
Tiny open-air counter serving creative small plates & natural wines
Tiny open-air counter serving creative small plates & natural wines
"I sometimes pop into Déviant after work for great music that makes you want to let your hair down; Allan, the maître de salle, is a dance champion who even performs in the restaurant overlooking the street, which is incredible to watch." - Marie-Noëlle Bauer
"Pét-nat, shorthand for pétillant naturel, has become le nouveau kif (the new jam) at norm-challenging wine bars like Déviant." - Eleanor Aldridge
"A striking, design-forward open-air destination for the Le Fooding crowd with an unusual layout (the only things missing are windows and chairs), a snazzy terrazzo bar ideal for pét-nat, and a kitchen overseen by Pierre Touitou from the sister restaurant; seasonal small plates are the draw, with the tamarind–galangal–glazed spicy wings (simmered ten hours) as the sole permanent menu fixture." - ByChristine Muhlke
"When the metal grate is rolled up it reveals a tiny, open-air, counter-only spot with no windows or walls—just a small open kitchen surrounded by a bar and shallow ledges—designed with black-based terrazzo, mirrors, marble and dramatic sconces that give it a playful, 'cool hot-dog-stand-meets-natural-wine bar' vibe. Conceived by a young chef and his partner as a second project, the space channels traditional French butchers and fishmongers (if the owner stands outside, it’s open) and deliberately maximizes every inch to make a compact operation feel larger. The ever-changing lineup of small plates is built to be eaten by hand or with minimal utensils and ranges from mussels in a celery–peppercorn broth and seared foie gras with spinach and buckwheat to spicy chicken wings finished in a tamarind–galangal sauce simmered for ten hours, plus simple desserts like three perfectly made canelés with whipped cream. Service is theatrical and tightly choreographed around a single griddle, two induction burners and a carefully organized pass (clever refrigerated drawers, exposed shelving and a hidden dish room/Japanese ice machine), and the place stays open late—often crowded on weekends—so efficiency and precise mise en place are essential." - ByChristine Muhlke
