Finding A Piece Of Italy In France

When my clients asked me to plan their France vacation, I was thrilled.  When they asked me to find Italian restaurants for them to eat in, I was knocked for a loop!  I don't eat Italian food when I'm in France.  Yes, France is the epicenter for gastronomy, I just didn't know where good Italian food was.  So, the search began.  I polled my resources, made a list, and sent Samina and Nick on their way. Fortunately, they returned home with a good report.

Graciously, Samina and Nick have agreed to share their story with all of us who would enjoy a little piece of Italy the next time we are in France:

My husband and I traveled to France in August 2010.  We were not too excited about France’s beef or salmon tartar, fois gras (goose liver) or any other kind of pate.  Although we did have some enjoyable meals at French restaurants, we found ourselves searching out Italian restaurants to satisfy our pallets.

Two of our most enjoyable Italian restaurant experiences were at La Ville de Sienne in Nice and Romantica Caffé in Paris.

Restaurant La Ville de Sienne – Nice, France

My husband and I ate at La Ville de Sienne the last night we were in Nice and absolutely loved it.  It is located right in the Old Town, which is made up of quaint intersecting streets. We sat outside so we could enjoy the atmosphere of the night life.  We ordered seafood risotto and ravioli with braised beef and red sauce.  We were not disappointed.  The portion sizes were generous, the food was delicious, and the price was very reasonable!  The seafood risotto came out in a black skillet full of assorted seafood and risotto.  The ravioli came out plated, but along side was a small bowl of braised beef.  There was so much food we could not finish!  This is a restaurant that we would definitely recommend for those seeking Italian food in France!

    Romantica Caffé – Paris, France

Romantica Caffé is a cute little restaurant located not too far from Les Invalides and within walking distance to the Eiffel Tower.  When we arrived at the restaurant, we were greeted right away and were waited on by a woman who happened to be Italian and spoke perfect English.  She made some great recommendations for us.  We started out with bruschetta, which was amazing, and ordered their featured pasta and pasta with artichokes.  Their featured pasta was not a let down and even featured a show!  It was probably one of the most memorable eating experiences of our lives.  The featured pasta was a Parmesan Pasta, which is made table side.  To start, they rolled out a wheel of parmesan cheese (about 2 feet in diameter) that had been turned into a bowl through use.   They first poured cognac into it and then light it on fire!!  The server then would continuously scrape the sides of the cheese bowl to create a pile of cheese.  They then brought out steaming hot pasta from the kitchen and put it into the wheel of cheese.  We watched in awe as she continued to stir the hot pasta with the cheese.  She then plated it and we enjoyed.  It was scrumptious!  The other dish we ordered was pasta with artichokes, which was also delicious.  We were truly satisfied with our food and savored every bite.  This is a restaurant that we would definitely recommend for those seeking Italian food in France!

If you have a favorite Italian restaurant in France, tell us about it by leaving a comment below.