Assaggio

in Bistros & Restos 1st to 5th Arr.

This was my first visit to the Hotel Castille and Assaggio since Chef Giulio Freschi arrived and I was super impressed. For starters the room has been beautifully redecorated for greater intimacy and weather permitting, a lovely, open courtyard awaits diners for an evening under the stars.

Assaggio 1 

This was my first visit to the Hotel Castille and Assaggio since Chef Giulio Freschi arrived and I was super impressed. For starters the room has been beautifully redecorated for greater intimacy and weather permitting, a lovely, open courtyard awaits diners for an evening under the stars.

Assaggio 2

I was a few moments early and Alain Besse, the director offered me a coupe in the elegantly appointed lobby lounge as I waited for M who arrived with the delivery of my flute. We were under no pressure so we sipped our bubbly and dipped our breadsticks in purees of sun dried tomatoes, artichokes and olive oil laced with balsamic vinegar until Alan came out to usher us to our table.

Sommelier Stephane suggested that we have two wines with each course and he selected a 2010 sant’Antiimo Pinot Grigio from Col D’Orcia and a terrific 2009 Nugarus di Cagliari, a white from Sardinia for our eggplant parmigiana that bore no resemblance to the sauce-heavy slabs that I ate in Brooklyn Italian (Sicilian) restaurants and incredibly fresh, unadorned brochettes de Saint Jacques.

Assaggio 3

Now the serious eating could begin and for me that meant an asparagus risotto with parmesiano and for M pumpkin ravioli as we finished off the remaining drops of wine.

Assaggio 4

To refresh our palates a sorbet of beets with anise was an extraordinary way to prepare us for les pieces de resistance–a superb sliced filet de boeuf whose flavor was enhanced by sprinkling of salt and a plate of roasted langoustines, lobster and Saint-Pierre that would have been a meal in itself-splendide!  Stephane served a 2008 Araja Santadi red from Sardinia and a 2008 La Vigna Vecchio Barbera d’Asti.

Panna cotta and Zabaione in a raspberry sauce followed by a smooth grappa from Il Pirus di Nossino William were the final notes in this Italian opera-bravissimo!

Assaggio

Hotel Castille

37 rue Cambon, 1er arrondissement

Metro: Madeleine, Concorde

Tel: 01 44 58 45 67

Closed Saturday & Sunday

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