Sabrina Goldin and Stéphane Abby have reignited their flame! On the embers (carboni in Italian) of what used to be their restaurant Carbón, which went up in smoke in 2018 (literally), the duo (who also run Cantina) unveiled an elegant, hip bistro, with unfinished walls, marble tables, camel-toned banquette seating and hanging plants. Available à la carte, grilled meats have given way to Italian cuisine, which had a few minor twists the day we went for lunch: vitello tonnato with plenty of anchovies, sprinkled with dried sea lettuce (a slightly superfluous touch); cacio e pepe made with homemade pici (thicker spaghetti), perfectly al dente but a little too salty; before an almond affogato with a Japanese touch from the addition of kombu. Other options for people with massive appetites: traditional lasagna or veal Milanese – but beware, it’s not cheap! Also worth noting: there’s a speakeasy called Sotto in the basement, which replaced what used to be La Mina. // Kelly Slatée
FEELING THIRSTY? Natural French-Italian wines: a white from Abruzzo produced by Speranza (€12 a glass), a Loire rosé from the Domaine de Cambalu (€35 a bottle), Montemarino 2012, a Piedmont orange wine from La Cascina Degli Ulivi (€96 a bottle)…
PRICE: Pasta €16 and set menu €24 (weekday lunch), à la carte €44-67.
