HS* La Gazzetta, 29, rue de Cotte in the 12th, 01.43.47.47.05, closed Sunday dinner and Mondays, is a place almost impossible to rate. Why? Because, it’s chef’d by a Swede (Petter Nilsson from the Trois Salons in Uzes, where Colette and I were just ten weeks ago); has a French staff and an Italian name and heritage. So what’s the food like?
Well, after reading the big boys last week, who all made it sound French, I made a reservation Monday, took one look at the menu and fled – pizza, risotto, lasagna; yuck.
But then my friend, the real food critic said, ah come on, neither of us has been, so we went four days later.
And it is weird, weird nice, not weird my gawd. The menu is all in threes like Drouant intends and Gagniare does; three small starters; each main with three things, desserts ditto.
My pal and I started with the three small entrees (a tomato-carrot+something gazpacho, a pizzetta with scraped celery root and a brandade with yogurt;) then he had the risotto with toasted tiny nut pieces and pumpkin and a jellied yogurt slice – I the mullet with balsamic sauce on a bed of root veggies; finishing with a cheese (rove de garrigues) and orange cake with yogurt and something else. Sorry I cannot recall all the third ingredients but here’s my take: the starters hark back to the chef’s smorgasbord past, the mains are largely Italian and the desserts French; least successful in my mind.
We had lots of wine (they it have by the glass, ficelle and bottle from France, Spain & Italy); superb ristretto Illy and got out for 81.20 € for two mind you.
*Originally published in September 2006 (most recent visit in February 2010).
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