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Cult Bistro

Tunis

Bright, French-accented dishes served in Tunisian hotspot

On the Pass

Slim Douiri

What makes it cult? Say hello to one of the coolest spots in the Tunisian capital, Cult Bistro. Don’t be fooled by the stripped back neutral interiors and cream colour palette, the food here is anything but beige. Owner and creative chef Slim Douiri’s approach to cooking can be summed up in one phrase: normal is boring. It’s this joie de vivre that is represented in plates that arrive at the table in full technicolour.  

What’s the skinny? Slim Douiri is a Tunisian born and bred, who started his culinary journey young, enticed into his mother’s kitchen by the aromas of her cooking. He studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and worked under Joël Robuchon before finding himself wooed back by the colours and spices of North Africa to set up his own ventures.

What to expect? Bright, interesting reimaginings of classic dishes – the French influence is evident, but aways tempered by Douiri’s modern flair. Think grilled fillet of ombrine with a coffee-spiked sweet potato puree served with miso-glazed courgettes, oyster mushrooms and beef jus or the tuna bao stuffed with tuna tartare, fermented peach and a touch of kimchi.

TV star: If you think Douiri looks familiar, it’s probably because he participated in the third Arabic season of Top Chef.

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