Photo: Le Jardin © Hotel de Russie Rome
Paris, Geneva, Rome: the Trinity interpreted on the plate. Let’s decide that September will be a gentle month thanks to three excellent gourmet gatherings. Le Monde Économique shares its three favourite addresses.
By Sabah Kaddouri
In a city where beauty is inexhaustible, where the very foundations of urban architecture were laid, one savours the pleasure of simply being there. Simply, joyfully. Rome is an open-air museum, a life-size film set inhabited by Fellini’s masterpiece, La Dolce Vita. From black and white to the very 2020 Emily in Paris escaping to Rome, the Eternal City captivates us, whatever the era, whatever the lens… The capital also stirs up plenty of passions, as shown by the political spat (friendly or not) between the French president and the mayor of Rome over Netflix’s phenomenon series. Bye bye Paris? The question, it seems, reminded the City of Light that it does indeed have a rival capable of challenging it. A truth engraved in the twin-city treaty linking these two global nerve centres: “Solo Parigi è degna di Roma, solo Roma è degna di Parigi.” (Only Paris is worthy of Rome, only Rome is worthy of Paris). Fascinating Rome, which has an address to match: Hotel de Russie, a Rocco Forte Collection. A place poised between mirage and reality, between abundance and Olympus.
I am talking about an address once frequented by Jean Cocteau, Picasso and Audrey Hepburn, and today by Julia Roberts and Amal Clooney. An establishment built in 1818 where two centuries of history collide. Dining at Le Jardin is on every bucket list; indeed, be sure to book well in advance if you want to turn this unforgettable experience into reality. In the heart of the Italian capital lies 2,800 m² of lush vegetation, majestically watched over by stone goddesses. Hotel de Russie invites its guests to step out of time and enjoy a magical epicurean moment. A living city, a noisy city, swarming with honking Vespas and flooded with conversations that flare up at the slightest provocation… This is the frenzy of living. At Hotel de Russie, the serenity of a fragrant garden embraces you. In the background, sumptuous antique busts entwined with climbing roses, citrus scents perfuming the air.
The only murmur you hear is that of the surrounding fountains… In this “earthly paradise,” as Cocteau called it, you taste a typically local cuisine, stripped of ornament.
The fresh tomato and basil spaghetti exult Italy; the burrata, heirloom tomatoes and avocado plate is a unanimous hit with diners; the sea bass in pink Himalayan salt crust and the lamb medallion with eggplant caponata compete in flavour in the hands of Chefs Fulvio Pierangelini and Alessandro Buffolino, a duo perfectly calibrated to keep this among Rome’s most sought-after tables. Right to the end, the Italian repertoire is completed with the house tiramisu. Exquisite.
In this final third of the meal, one enters into a warm conversation with the maître d’ who knows the classics inside out. Never once naming names, he delights you with juicy anecdotes that help sustain the legend of Hotel de Russie. In two centuries, this haven of leisure has become one of the pulses of Rome, the immortal city.
The two go hand in hand, reflecting one another in the same mirror of nobility set with excellence. We leave Rome for Paris, its equal. Another radiant garden awaits us for a five-star experience. At Bristol Paris, everything is luxury, calm and voluptuousness. For a hundred years. The palace of palaces – the flagbearer of the Oetker Hotels galaxy – has left its mark on generations. The Parisian address has secured its place in the diaries of those who shape the world, from haute couture runways to the inner circles of politico-economic power. Gastro-diplomacy is an everyday activity at Le Jardin Français; here, aesthetes understand that the right setting is the prelude to a fruitful discussion. Taking up residence at the table of Michelin-starred Chef Arnaud Faye is another signal sent to one’s interlocutors, who will appreciate the gesture.
In this summer of unprecedented heat, Paris has its haven of peace. Dining outdoors is once again a pleasure one can enjoy in the Bristol’s inner courtyard. A discreet terrace, designed as a true extension of the palace, an open-air space welcoming Parisians and visitors for lunch, tea-time or an enchanting dinner. At the stove, Executive Chef Arnaud Faye and his Bristol brigade work in concert to make every meal a gourmet moment. The readable, contemporary seasonal menu, centred on the produce, makes return visits worthwhile in order to explore it in full. If you are feeling thirsty and in need of refreshing your palate, your wishes are granted! Order the sea bream carpaccio with chimichurri sauce; followed by the Cavaillon melon plate. A fine opening move to counter the effects of the blazing sun. The creations that follow now confront us with several culinary dilemmas… Beef tartare knife-cut or salmon cooked on one side only? Cod loin with shellfish or the “Ateliers du Bristol” pasta?
One must absolutely come back before heading back to Switzerland! For lovers of grand cru teas and a small black coffee, there is one unmissable rendezvous: tea-time and its trolley of homemade delicacies. Settle into the leafy setting of the terrace, in the shade of the parasols, for a journey within the journey. On the menu: savoury bites, pre-dessert and a selection of divine pastries. Fraisier with wild strawberries and elderflower, the Piedmont hazelnut, and a whole range of cakes – unquestionably the best in Paris… What sets Le Bristol Paris apart is undoubtedly its pursuit of excellence, dedicating an entire floor of the hotel to its culinary workshops. Bread, pasta, cheese, chocolate factories… The address at 112 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is indeed the home of gourmets who care about eating well.
Geneva belongs to those destinations where the culinary scene is in constant motion. Calvin’s city fully lives up to its world-city status and capital-city aura. The duo of friends – Mark Sali and Michaël Bodar – has struck again, opening a new fashionable venue in the wake of Manhattan Café. These rule-breakers have succeeded in their bet to bring Big Apple and Geneva into dialogue in this high-energy spot. Now they are whisking foodies away to the Far East, at Nama Restaurant, which places Japan on a pedestal. First and foremost, the location says a great deal about the ambitions of the address on rue du Rhône. A Parisian Avenue Montaigne, or something comparable to Knightsbridge in London. Between two branded shopping outings, one gladly stops here for a meal. Japanese cuisine is one of those that achieves near-unanimous approval. For the uninitiated and the hesitant, several “classic” dishes will reassure them (sirloin steak plate, deviled eggs…).
But the real reason for coming is the delicious sushi, gyoza, hosomaki and dragon roll. At Nama Restaurant, there was no desire to merely skim the Japanese repertoire from a distance; co-owner Michaël Bodar from Luxembourg spent some time in the Land of the Rising Sun to understand the history and subtleties of this cuisine. The establishment has also enlisted Chef Kyaw Kyaw Nai, tasked with composing the menu according to the rules of the art. Nothing has been left at the surface: Geneva is a city of detail, and its watchmakers and chocolatiers are the theorists. The name “Nama,” meaning “in its raw state” in Japanese, reflects the philosophy of the founding trio: to offer excellent products, crafted with respect for taste and ingredient. Fish is served in every possible guise, from crying tiger to miso mayonnaise. Meat lovers, meanwhile, are well fed and reassured to see that food is taken seriously in these walls. The tomahawk cuts melt in the mouth, while the Krowa ribeye looks regal on the menu… You can read it on the ecstatic faces of diners.
The plate is not the only ingredient infusing happiness around you, because the carefully considered décor elevates the experience. Outside, a beautiful terrace gives financial Geneva the feel of a Provençal village. One simply wants to respond warmly to the invitation to escape into the countryside. Inside, fir-green armchairs and life-size cherry blossom arrangements brighten the Japonist atmosphere. The welcome from the stylish maître d’s completes this feel-good impression. Some evenings, a very talented portrait artist wanders across the restaurant’s parquet floor. Don’t be shy, and don’t be on the defensive… Add bursts of laughter to your evening, along with plenty of memories!
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