Gustu, the Corsican restaurant that wakes up Rotonde Stalingrad

High-quality products direct from Corsica and Italy, simple and generous family recipes, cocktails with a Corsican twist, and even Corsican ice creams! What's not to love about La Trattoria by Gustu, the restaurant at La Rotonde Stalingrad that gets our taste buds dancing?

At Trattoria by Gustu, the restaurant at Rotonde Stalingrad, Corsican cuisine is king, and it's hard to resist trying everything on the mouth-watering menu.

At the helm of Gustu is a Corsican, Christophe Poligani, as friendly and passionate as he is in love with his island. So it's with great enthusiasm that he explains that most of the products on the menu come directly fromCorsican and Italian artisans and producers.

The products in question? Figatellu AOP, prosciutto di Parma DOP 18 months matured, coppa AOP, mozzarella di Bufala DOP from Campania, fresh pasta and ravioli direct from the Milanese region, herbs from the Corsican maquis, wild nepita hand-picked and dried...

As for the vegetables and herbs , they could not be more local, as they grow directly on the roof of the Rotonde Stalingrad - okay, we'll admit it: the kitchen garden got a little hot during confinement. As did the honey, from the five beehives set up on the same site!

Honestly, how can you not fall in love with such excellent products, so brilliantly sourced? We couldn't resist the appetizers, which included fritters of fresh Corsican ewe's milk cheese (9€) dipped in a brocciu and mint sauce, according to a recipe from the owner's mamma; and a plate of seasonal vegetables (8€) prepared in a variety of ways: grilled, cooked, raw, crunchy.

We then continue our discovery of Mediterranean cuisine with ravioli with goat's cheese, fig and Corsican honey (15€), with a farmhouse Corsican tomme sauce, a creamy and generous dish as we like them, which will particularly please fans of sweet-savory pairings. You'll also want to try the excellent shoulder of lamb, slow-cooked for a long time with citrus fruits (19€), served in its full-bodied jus with mashed potatoes and celery. Two gourmet dishes for a one-way trip to Corsica!

In all cases, these dishes are accompanied by beers from small Corsican brewers (friends of the owner!), as well as house cocktails, because at Gustu, Corsica is also present on the cocktail menu, revisited for the occasion with 100% Corsican products, like the Capo Spritz (8€, made with Cap Corse, an artisanal qunquina with floral and bitter flavors).

So you see, at La Trattoria by Gustu, you can enjoy real Mediterranean cuisine, made in Corsica and made in Italy, prepared according to the mamma's famous recipes, in a breathtaking setting (that dome!).

For an aperitif with friends, gourmets can opt for the outdoor restaurant La Serre by Gustu, where you can enjoy cocktails, of course, but also some excellent Corsican beers; and where you can eat plates to share, before pushing the tables and dancing, on Friday and Saturday evenings.

And when the weather's nice, Gustu offers fans of Italian ice cream the chance to treat themselves on the spot or take away with delicious ice creams... with Corsican flavours, of course! Choose from Corsican brocciu and honey, Nuciola (the Corsican spread) from the Atelier de la Noisettes in Cervioni, or organic Corsican lemon with Limoncellu. Did you say original?

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.