Restaurant Conti: our test of one of the oldest Italian restaurants in Paris

Lovers of authentic Italian cuisine are undoubtedly familiar with the Conti restaurant. Nestled in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, this famous address sets an example for many. Just look at the crowds that flock here every evening and lunchtime, and you'll understand why this beautiful place has such a warm, cosy atmosphere, with its mirrors, red velvet banquettes and Murano chandeliers! What's more, it's the oldest Italian restaurant in Paris! So a visit is a must to discover its fine cuisine and cosy ambience.

The menu has been revised by Benjamin Beaussillon, the restaurant's new Chef. He offers a whole assortment of pasta and antipasti dishes with fine Italian flavors, to delight the taste buds and take you on a journey to the heart of Italy without leaving the 16th arrondissement. Seasonal products, too, carefully selected and prepared, for the best of transalpine gastronomy on your plate.

What's on the menu? Six antipasti, six pasta and risotto dishes, three meat and fish platters, not to mention a choice of seven desserts. Enough to tantalize the taste buds of meat lovers, fish lovers and vegetarians alike.

And a menu that the editors were able to try, too. Once secluded in the back of the room, we whet our appetites with two starters: the marinated burrata, candied beldi and bottarga, and the pan-fried organic vegetables with parmesan shavings. Two fine starters, with well-seasoned vegetables enhanced by the lightly melted parmesan on top, and fresh burrata with tomatoes, pieces of lemon beldi (bergamot lemon) and shavings of bottarga (a dried or smoked egg sac from the female mullet, bluefin or yellowfin tuna). The poutargue adds a salty touch, counterbalancing the sweetness of the tomato and the acidity of the lemon.

What's next? A lovely plate of fettuccine with truffles (the dish of the day) and another of linguine with langoustines and Sicilian bisque. The truffle is present, but not overpowering, while the langoustines add a salty touch to the pasta that hasn't been salted beforehand. Simple, yet ingenious! Two dishes that are particularly fine on the palate, relatively simple and particularly well-balanced and presented.

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To accompany these dishes, Conti boasts a fine wine list from various Italian terroirs (Piedmont, Sardinia, Sicily...), all carefully selected by sommelier and maître d'hôtel Laurent Richard. Do you prefer Barolo, Brunello, Tignanello or Chianti Classico? The choice is yours!

To end the meal on a high note, three desserts made a real impact: tartufo glacé with cocoa and affogato, homemade tiramisu and Marsala sabayon. As for the tartufo, it's fresh and the coffee goes a long way. As for the tiramisu, we particularly appreciate its lightness.

A tiramisu that's a little off the beaten track, since the cookie isn't soaked in coffee (at least, we couldn't taste it), but in Marsala or Amaretto (we preferred not to know, to keep it a surprise...), bringing a little almond flavour to the whole thing, very interesting gustatively speaking, and clearly out of the ordinary. In any case, we'd like to steal the recipe!

And for the sabayon, the alcohol is particularly present. So enjoy in moderation... And coffee to digest it all, of course! But be warned: for discerning diners, prices are high, as is the quality of the food! All in all, to push open the doors of Conti is to experience a pleasant and authentic gourmet journey to Italy, in elegant surroundings and with an impeccable welcome. So, friends, let's fill up on Italian flavours!

Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, please drink responsibly.