Sardegna a Tavola

Paris boasts scores of Italian restaurants, from plain pizzerias to bastions of alta cucina. But few seem to have as much authenticity as Sardegna a Tavola. Opened in 1997 by Tonino Simbula and his wife Angela, the tiny restaurant is a must for lovers of Sardinian cuisine—a culinary realm of its own that has evolved from the island’s historic cultural mix of shepherds and fishermen. It’s easy to be charmed by the room’s mellow yellow walls, the colorful graffiti, the shelves lined with Sardinian products and the traditional staples hanging from the ceiling—peppers, cured hams, dried sausages, olive branches. But the real treat resides in its (very) large plates.

Written in Sardinian—with proper French translation—the menu is only indicative, and the specialties found on it can vary from one month to another: most of the dishes on offer strictly respect the seasons. So if you’re not in Paris at the right time, you might not be able to order the succulent orange-scented langoustines with tagliatelle. But the equally delicious spaghetti alla bottarga (in French poutargue: salted, dried mullet eggs) can be found all year long, and so can the traditional malloreddus (small, ridged pasta shells, like slender gnocchi) and the terrific roast suckling pig. As well as excellent Sardinian wines to accompany the meal—Vermentino or Cannonau, for example, or the simple red or white house wine—you might also want to try one of the special after-dinner wines by the glass.

Except for the pastas, which vary between €18 and €22, all these fine indulgences are very pricey, and the tab can get sky-high. But then a flight ticket to the island would be quite a bit more.

1 rue de Cotte, 12th, 01.44.75.03.28. €60–€70. Wines start at €28.

Prices are approximate, per person without wine.

Originally published in the February 2013 issue of France Today