La Villa Corse Rive Gauche

The Corsican cuisine is as rugged as its history and greatly influenced by the island's many aggressors - the Romans, who used it as a base for their conquest of Gaul, the Spanish and the Genoese - a fact that has gastronomic enthusiasts in mainland France hunger after their fare.

Hand picked local produce, helping to create the authentic and generous cuisine of this beautiful island, includes specialities like chestnuts; cured meat, which comes from pigs that are bred in the mountains and fed on wild provisions giving the meat an earthy, delicious taste, and cheese, which includes goats' cheese and brocciu, made from ewe's milk and considered the national dish.

Bringing these simple ingredients to life is the La Villa Corsa Rive Gauche, a splendid restaurant where even if the ambience is non-Corsican, every bit of the fare is. It has become an embassy of that striking isle for gourmets as it is serving authentic food in a refined and cosy atmosphere. 

The three sections, a library, the mezzanine and lounge are luxurious and decorated with wooden panels, a false-fireplace, paintings and chandeliers made of Murano glass. Odd elements like plastered pseudo-rustic benches and hardwood also pepper the interior. In the kitchen, Chef Henri Boutier enchants customers with his knowledge of dishes.

Roasted duck breast, pears in red wine spicy, juice/honey sauce niolu could be the main draw for some while the wild sounding wolf Corsica roast on the skin, pallets of pulenda - a kind of polenta made with chestnut flour - and olive oil with herbs might attract the crowd looking for a taste of Corsica. Those looking for something simpler may consider stufatu, a dish prepared with mushrooms, macaroni and onions.

Of course before you move into these dishes there are delicious starters like duck foie gras marinated in Muscat cape, compotée figs, ravioli of ceps and chestnuts, cream truffles and supions - a variety of cuttlefish - cooked with olive oil, cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Soft warm chestnuts, chestnuts fondant, chestnut ice or a fiadone paisanu lemon - an Easter tart - for a dessert will leave you with a lingering flavour of the region. There's also the cappuccino corsinu in case you have any space left in your stomach.

All this could be the typical fare for fixed menu, for the day's specialities and surprises you will have to look at the slate board and decide.