What better way than for two Italian chefs to open... a French restaurant! Cécilia Spurio and Eugenio Anfuso have just inaugurated Amâlia in the Folie-Méricourt district. Between them, the duo has worked in a host of Michelin-starred restaurants: Negrini e Pisani and Igles Corelli in Italy, Pierre Gagnaire's Gaya, Astrance and l'Ambroisie for him; Enrico Bartolini, Pierre Gagnaire, Guy Savoy and Yannick Alléno at Pavillon Ledoyen for her.
Together in the kitchen as in the city, one takes charge of the savory score, the other of the sweet. Cécilia Spurio was even named revelation pastry chef of the year in 2018 by the Italian guide Gambero Rosso, and won the Lebey prize for best dessert in 2020 in tandem with Guillaume Godin for the Guy Savoy restaurant. All in all, a fine background.
With such a star-studded career, it's hardly surprising that the couple wanted to try their hand at French gastronomy on their own. After a stint at Korus, where they cooked in tandem for the first time, they unveil Amâlia, their new restaurant where they imagine resolutely contemporary French haute-cuisine, without ever denying its traditional roots.
Let's get the word out straight away: Amâlia is one of the finest restaurants we've tried this year. We've fallen in love with this cuisine, which is both sensitive and cheeky, thoughtful and straightforward, effervescent and creative.
Gourmets can discover these unforgettable feats through two tasting menus: the 80€ seasonal menu and the 120€ grand menu. The latter provides an in-depth insight into the talent of the two chefs, guaranteeing marvellous discoveries and great moments of emotion. The rest, in pictures.
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Corn gressin with burnt rosemary emulsion
Smoked artichoke and black garlic tartlet
Goat and ewe feta cheese millefeuille, fig leaf powder
36-month Parmesan tart brulée with Modena balsamic vinegar
Gnocchi à la marinière, cockles, wild garlic, paprika
Raw and cooked asparagus, miso-marinated egg yolk, mango and peanuts, black lemon oil
Embered artichoke flavoured with mint, goat's cheese milk, Amarelli liquorice
Ravioli stuffed with gambas, nduja and cashew nut condiment, shellfish hollandaise, lime
Stingray wing stuffed with tarragon, oyster and yuzu beurre blanc, white asparagus and broad beans
Pre-dessert
Mango mousse and sorbet, tagetes and Chinese pomelo, light saffron cloud
Mignardises
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Let's be crazy, let's dare everything: we'll put a token on Amâlia for a future Michelin star.
This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.
Location
Amâlia
32 Rue de la Fontaine au Roi
75011 Paris 11
Official website
amaliarestaurant.com
