We’ve rated Mantra as FINE with one star *
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Restaurant writing is not a science. I control the variables I can manage — reserving anonymously and paying full price so that my judgement isn’t clouded by special treatment — but I’m sharing a snapshot, not a truth. And that snap is shaped by a very subjective lens.
I often disagree with other critics. Sometimes we exchange messages about how funny it is. Other times, I’m left wondering whether I missed something… asking how we could differ so strongly in our opinion about a restaurant.
So it is with Mantra, which TimeOut just named their restaurant of the year. And they’re not alone in loving it - Le Figaro called Mantra “un voyage mémorable.” Lebey praised the “intimacy” and “exchange with the chef at the counter.” Every major French critic seems enchanted by chef Manogeran Shasitharan’s Malaysian-French cuisine in this tiny Pigalle dining room.
For me, Mantra was a slog, a bit of a snooze. I’m rating it as fine, and not encouraging anyone to cross town or make room in a tight schedule to give it a try.
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So why the difference - was it an off night? Or was I negatively influenced, even though I tried hard not to be, by something that happened before my visit? More on that at the bottom of this page. For now, here’s my snapshot of Mantra.
THE FOOD
The food largely justifies the excitement. Shasitharan, known as Jack, trained with Marc Meneau and Jean-Michel Lorain before opening this 18-seat restaurant with Jonathan Caron in October 2025. The €89 Borneo menu delivers ten small plates that showcase authentic Malaysian techniques: curry leaf oil, fermented coconut cream, sun-dried baby shrimp called kooni.
The opening bouillon arrives in a traditional teapot—Malaysian herbs and curry leaves creating an aromatic, almost medicinal broth that signals you’re entering unfamiliar territory. Glazed pork fat with Malaysian four-spice achieves perfect caramelization without overwhelming richness.
Amberjack sashimi gets textural contrast from radish and peanut powder.
The beignet of dates offers a sweet-savory interlude—the creamy onion filling with Colonnata guanciale and hibiscus powder creating floral, porky depth.
The kohlrabi "pastrami" demonstrates the kitchen's technical ambition. Traditional pastrami curing techniques concentrate the mild vegetable into something intensely spiced and dense, topped with charred kale leaves and those signature Malaysian elements—apple, peanut, fermented coconut cream, kooni. It's intellectually fascinating and genuinely tasty.
White asparagus comes with shellfish sauce and fermented chili jam, the vegetables' mild sweetness playing against the funky, spiced condiment.
Ray arrives with wilted spinach and nasturtium leaves, bathed in a golden rassam-spiced sauce that brings South Indian aromatics to the delicate fish.
Blue lobster arrives with sambal enriched by lobster head jus, the crustacean's sweetness balanced by Malaysian chili paste and the deep, oceanic richness of the shellfish reduction.
The meal closes with a striking chocolate dessert - warm, rich chocolate enhanced by a caramel made from crevettes grises, adding subtle depth to the sweet finale.
THE (ABSENCE OF) VIBE
The dining experience at Mantra feels oddly joyless. Counter seats face the open kitchen under bright spotlights, creating an interrogation-room atmosphere rather than intimate theater. The team works in focused silence, unsmiling and unengaging. Any conversation above a whisper feels disruptive, while soft spa music drifts through the otherwise silent room.
The meal dragged inexplicably—we chose the shorter Borneo menu to avoid a three-hour commitment, but longer gaps between fewer courses meant we spent three hours anyway, while diners who ordered the longer Nyonya menu (€145) finished before us.
THE DRINKS
The wine service compounds the problems. The sommelier approached after a long wait with no greeting—just “what would you like to drink?” When we asked her preference between two Crochet cuvées at €99, she dismissed both, saying they were out of one anyway, and recommended a €139 Cotat instead.
The wine list’s entry-level selections are inexpensive bottles presented and priced as premium—that €65 Montlouis-sur-Loire retails for €10. Combined with the missing middle price range (few options between €70-90 for an €89 menu), it forces choices between overpriced basics or significant price jumps.
THE VERDICT
The food itself warrants recognition—Shasitharan’s technique is genuine, and the Malaysian ingredients are authentically sourced and skillfully applied. But the success of a restaurant isn’t just about what’s on the plate—it’s also about how it makes you feel. And on this night, I simply wanted the evening to end.
The critical consensus suggests others have had vastly different experiences, which raises questions about consistency—or perhaps about the difference between anonymous visits and recognized critics. Whatever the case, the version of Mantra available to regular diners feels like a missed opportunity. The food is compelling, but the experience suffers from a lack of hospitality.
Looking for something better? Check our Fifty Favorite Restaurants in Paris
Transparency note: In the interest of full disclosure, I originally booked Mantra for February but cancelled 18 hours ahead due to illness. Despite explaining the circumstances and expressing interest in rebooking, the restaurant kept the full €178 deposit and never responded to multiple follow-up messages. For my actual visit, I booked under a different name using a different credit card and approached the evening with genuine curiosity, hoping for a good outcome to recommend. I intentionally didn't share this background with my dining companion to ensure his assessment remained unbiased. Both of us independently found the experience underwhelming for the same reasons.
MANTRA
17 rue Claude Rodier, 75009
Open Monday-Friday for dinner
Open for lunch on Thursday-Friday
Closed Saturday & Sunday
Reservations online or at +33 6 18 15 99 36
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This review and the disclosures are ample reason to rely on PbM as the first source for restaurant reviews in Paris. My experience with restaurants reviewed here has been very satisfying.
What a bummer. The food looks and sounds so nice but a lack of hospitality, desultory service, and feeling gouged by an upsell, along with the sense of missing something would take all the fun away. Your review reminds me of a phrase Pete Wells used in his take down of Per Se years ago, “a no fun house.”