I tend to let a lot of Insta-driven trends pass me by, but when I saw all of the reels showcasing the menu at Fellows, I booked a table pretty much immediately. It wasn’t just the fresh, house-made pasta, the vegetarian menu, the low price point, or the fact that this spot has opened a mere 10-minute walk from chez moi. What made me truly excited about these offerings were all of the international spins and flourishes, the likes of which I’d never really seen before, from harissa to za’atar to miso.
We were seated on the nearly empty terrace, at our request, though the interior is bustling and beautiful – I’d love to check it out another time. If so few of the tables were occupied, I’m pretty sure it’s down to the clear disclaimer on the website: that about half of the tables are reserved for walk-ins, which as a neighborhood local, I quite appreciate. We ordered a glass of sparkling natural rosé from the Loire, and as we lingered over its delicious, fresh raspberry vibes, we tried to decide from among pici with smoked cheese emulsion and mustard pickles (11) or fettuccine with chicken egg “bottarga,” lemon, and cream (11). Honestly, the choices here are so innovative and creative; I wanted to try them all.
When we finally narrowed things down, the meal moved at a pretty intense clip. Indeed, the only downside of this dining experience was the sheer speed. The servers were friendly and professional, but something about receiving the appetizer mere moments after having ordered it was… destabilizing, to say the least. Luckily, this fried broccoli generously sprinkled with gremolata (8) didn’t suffer for the speed. Designed to be served at room temperature, the crispy fried crucifer was redolent with garlic and wonderfully crispy thanks to the generous dusting of breadcrumbs.
The moment we’d wiped the plate clean with the generous, delicious house focaccia, the pastas arrived – and here, again, I found the pacing off-putting. Luckily, once more, my a priori was unfounded.
The agnolotti were fresh, light, and pillowy, filled with a sheep’s cheese, skyr, and spinach filling, all seasoned generously with lemon zest, miso, and breadcrumbs (13). The balance was perfect, with just enough richness to make the dish moreish and satiating without pushing things over the edge into gut bomb territory.
The mafaldine with harissa-spiked tomato sauce was just hot enough, with some welcome fruitness from a touch of ancho pepper (9). It was, in essence, my dream pasta…
…especially when topped with cheese, which is delivered to the table in a healthy chunk to grate yourself – the ideal counterpoint to forcing yourself to tell your server ça suffit when you could do with an even more generous dusting. Continuing to break with the norm, Fellows’ cheese of choice is definitely not Parmigiano-Reggiano. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say it’s a tomme de brebis, a pressed ewe’s milk cheese, but woe is me, I didn’t ask.
Luckily, we’ll be returning: to sample the desserts, which we lacked the space if not the desire for, and to branch out into some of the other pasta offerings that were so tantalizing on this visit. That said, in an attempt to linger a bit longer, next time, we’ll probably hold off on ordering our mains until we’ve finished our first course.
Fellows – 84, rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010