In Paris, Italian addresses are plentiful. Very many. So many, in fact, that it's hard to know where to go to savor delicious recipes from the land of La Dolce Vita. For residents of western Paris, and more specifically the 16th arrondissement, one address has been attracting gourmands since 2022. Just take a look at the many customers present that evening. The name? Piccolino.
Behind this address, with its clean, bright decor (soft, light colors, raw materials and exposed stone), lies a Franco-Italian trio made up of Parisian Nicolas Pouget, Franck Scoccimarro, originally from southern Italy and owner of the Victor restaurant in the 16th arrondissement, and Stéphane Actis, originally from the north, who owns vineyards in Piedmont. All three passionate about Italian cuisine and olive oils, the three friends and associates gave birth to Piccolino, each contributing his or her stone to the edifice.
To tantalize their customers' taste buds, Nicolas, Franck and Stéphane called on Luigi Iannone. Born in Salerno, this chef knows Italian cuisine like the back of his hand, having worked at the Hotel Il Santavenere (Maratea) and the Gritti Palace in Venice as second-in-command to Chef Daniele Turco.
Aided by Omar in the kitchens of Piccolino in Paris, Luigi's mission now is to help as many people as possible discover the best of Italy, while sharing his love of good produce. To do this, he offers a menu that evolves with the seasons, with recipes that are a touch regressive but always generous. But don't expect to enjoy pizzas at Piccolino. No, here pasta takes pride of place, with recipes from Puglia, Sicily and Piedmont, using products from small Italian producers, such as Osvaldo's prosciutto or Turanici's wheat spaghetti.
To stand out from its competitors, Piccolino has found its recipe: a range of olive oils. Because, as Nicolas explained to us that evening, there are some sixty olive oils in Italy, while only a few are available in France. So Piccolino decided to put this specialty in the spotlight, with some twenty references on offer. And what could be better than a typical homemade focaccia from the northern Pugliese town of Bari, to sample five different and oh-so-tasty olive oils? But there are a few rules to follow to ensure a successful tasting experience. Start with the lightest olive oil, in this case Fruttato from Muraglia, then continue your journey with Intenso from Poggio Reale, with its controlled strength. This is followed by the slightly more bitter Amaro olive oil from Masseria Salinola, the Con Pomodore from Trisole and finally the incredible smoked olive oil from Guglielmi. And if you fall in love with any of these olive oils, you'll be able to purchase them at the Piccolino restaurant.
After this original gourmet ritual, the rest can begin. What's on the menu? The famous antipasti , including the authentic recipe for Vitello Tonnato (slices of veal walnut with tuna and caper mayonnaise), or the traditional Sicilian Caponata, a family recipe inherited from the chef's great-grandmother. For our part, we opt for the crispy truffle polenta topped with girolles and sublimated by a parmesan cream. Opposite, we fall for the highly visual and ultra-gourmet octopus carpaccio with lemon oil, baby greens and citron. A tangy dish that's perfect to start things off.
The next course is a pasta cooked to perfection, in this case al dente paccheri with langoustines, sublimated by a spicy, sunny sauce. A real delight!
Opposite, the traditional and generous Milanese veal chop, accompanied by beans and zucchini salad. Once again, a successful journey!
And last but not least, we urge you to indulge in the unmissable, regressive homemade tiramisu, sure to delight the taste buds of even the most demanding palates.
For something a little more original, you can also choose between a French toast-style Panettone with caramel coulis, or the famous Gianduiotto.
To accompany all this, Piccolino boasts a fine wine list from Puglia, but not only... A selection includes Roccamora from Schola Sarmenti and Barbaresco from Luigi Giordano. A few grands crus(Trebbiano d'abbruzzo bianco, Emidio Pepe...) are also on offer. By the glass, Piccolino offers six red wines and three white wines.
So, ready to travel to Puglia without leaving Paris?
This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.
Location
Piccolino
16 Rue Copernic
75116 Paris 16
Prices
Antipasti: €11 - €18
Pâtes / risotto: €15 - €21
Secondi: €20 - €30
Official website
piccolinoparigi.fr
