Fans of street-food had to bid farewell to FTG, chef Greg Marchand's street-food address, replaced in the New Year by... a new table by the chef, christened Altro Frenchie! Previously known for his Anglo-Saxon-influenced cuisine, Greg Marchand's new address reveals his unconditional love of Italian cuisine.
Another Italian restaurant in Paris, you might ask? That would be speaking without knowing the gentle madness of the French chef who injects into each of his restaurants that little je-ne-sais-quoi that makes them unique. Far from the traditional Italian trattoria, Greg Marchand aims to break the codes of transalpine gastronomy and freely reinterpret cucina italiana with a contemporary, London and New York twist, influences he has acquired along the way.
That's why the antipasti dishes - and we're happy about this - are plant-based (fried artichokes and parmesan ; vignarola of peas, broad beans, artichokes and asparagus), pasta is obviously fresh and enhanced with local produce, dishes from the cucina povera (literally 'poor cuisine') are twisted with noble ingredients (linguine with crab and sea cucumber bisque), while seasonal ice creams (at the moment, Bronte pistachio, strawberry gariguette and stracciatella) refresh the palate.
On our side, a tomato, ricotta and nduja pizzette (14€) that we happily share, a rather convincing vitello-style porchetta tonnato (14€), a braising monkfish with anchovy and rosemary sauce (36€) and our huge lunch favorite, gnudi with ricotta, fried sage and hazelnut butter (21€). Our sole aim now is to get our hands on Chef Marchand's recipe.
In the glasses, clean Italian and Mediterranean vintages flow freely, as do classic cocktails - the de rigueur Negroni - and some more surprising ones, combining sake with yuzu in the manner of a limoncello. Ideal before moving on to the - excellent - desserts, led by panna cotta rhubarb and grappa (€12) and crostata strawberry and Piedmont hazelnut (€14).
Needless to say, this is one of the must-visit new addresses to discover without delay. For lunch on weekdays, expect to pay €27 for a starter/main course or main course/dessert, and €32 for a full menu.
Location
Altro Frenchie
9 Rue du Nil
75002 Paris 2
Official website
altro-frenchie.com
