Dumbo

Paris, 14 rue des Petites Ecuries 75010, Paris, février 2022

Restaurant capacity: 10 people

NEW DUMBO BY UCHRONIA: SHARP AND MINIMALIST

With only two smash-burgers on the menu, Dumbo is a restaurant that relies on focus and precision rather than excess. It is quite natural that the Uchronia studio chose to create a pure, monochromatic yet sculptural space for the new Parisian address of Samuel Nataf and Charles Ganem.

A real counterpoint to the exploration of colour that is its leitmotif, the new Dumbo stands out in Uchronia's career. With a large off-white bar - a monolith that functions as the centrepiece of a pure space - and stainless steel, the space is simple, without overhangs. This is a way of sublimating the excellence of the burgers and the pop colours - red of the ketchup or yellow of the mustards - that accompany them.

What does not change, however, is the approach of the collective, always inclined to conserve what already exists. Located in the 10th arrondissement, the building once housed the business newspaper Les Echos, the original mosaic floor bearing the name of the daily newspaper has been preserved, once again the name is heard. Looking up, the mouldings discovered on the ceiling during the demolition of the premises have been preserved and restored, as well as the Haussmannian façade, which was faithfully renovated. Burgers / Mouldings / Parisian facades, the meeting is interesting, as fine and crisp as the smashed meat of Dumbo burgers.

Another Uchronia constant seen again in this new Dumbo is the work around know-how and neo-craftsmanship. The bar, for example, was meticulously moulded in fibreglass, taking over six months to develop. As a nod to these craft worlds and traditional work, a pole covered with mirrors recalls those of the Parisian brasseries of the early 20th century. Except that here the cooking technique is American. As the Dumbo burger’s strength lies in its minimal, artful arrangement of only the barest of ingredients,