MichelinStarsChallenge R
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#127 in my Parisian Michelin Stars Challenge (follow me for all the reviews and updates on every Michelin Stars in Paris and also every 3 Stars in France).
It’s a 2023 new Michelin Star, I’m currently posting the reviews on all the new stars in paris and 2 stars in France.
Alleno and then … surprise.
What’s interesting here? I’ll reduce it to two/three points. The fact that the chef is the previous executive chef at the 3 stars Alleno in Paris. And the fact that it’s way more than that.
Usually I need time to “digest” and to distance myself from experience, to see what sticks. But this one, I already knew what I’ll write before leaving the restaurant. Simply because there’s no hiding, it’s just there.
A little bit of trivia first, this place was Dominique Bouchet’s last one star in Paris (the review is sadly gone, but Dominique Bouchet was a very important chef during his active years in Paris). “Tout un symbole” - very symbolic.
Let’s go back to Martino Ruggieri, he was very well trained indeed, and if you had the chance to go to Alleno 3 Stars, you’ll find yourself in a very familiar territory in this restaurant. For those who didn’t have the chance, well, you’re in an haute gastronomy restaurant. Very high end. Very elaborate. He uses various techniques to elaborate (to engineer I would even say) a construction of flavors. With quite a precision. At first, you may think it’s very similar to Alleno 3 Stars.
But then… the chef takes another turn, and say “basta!”, and you’ll have a very playful, borderline regressive, second (or third) part of the dish. It’s like a very serious high achieving student that can’t take it anymore and become mischievous the Friday after an hard week. It’s incredibly endearing.
The beauty is that it’s consistent with the restaurant experience. You arrive in a quite serious restaurant with a prestigious previous owner, it’s a bit formal (like a 3 stars would) with the staff that need more praise that googlemaps would allow me to write, and then, suddenly, you have the best of time, and you just don’t want the experience to end. You feel like in a friendly home. In the friendly Maison Ruggieri.
Bottom line, we had a wonderful experience we had with my good foodie friend. Really. Memorable. So much so, that for once, I don’t even recall who else was there as a client in the restaurant. Usually, I always pay attention, but we had such a great time, I just didn’t care.
I rarely do that, but this restaurant clearly plays in the 2 stars category right from the first year of being a one star.
It’s a top tiers one star, a two stars contender.