TentaziOni

59 Rue du Palais Gallien

33000 Bordeaux, France

Tel+33 5 56 52 62 12 

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | APRIL 5, 2018

The Wines:

2014 Ciro Picariello Fiano di Avellino	88
2013 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero	100

The Food:

Langoustines bretonnes juste saisies et caviar "Vintage" de chez Sturia (Brittany langoustines, just seared, with Sturia Vintage Caviar)

Saint-Jacques de plongées, crème crue, et épeautres soufflés (deep sea scallops, raw cream and souffléed spelt)

Sole du bassin d'Arcachon, épinards, huîtres et sauce au Prosecco (Arcachon Bay sole, spinach, oysters, Prosecco sauce)

Risotto alla Piémontaise, jus réduit de veau, noisettes et truffes noires du Périgord (Piedmontese risotto, veal reduction, hazelnuts, black truffles)

Noisettes du Piémont et pomme verte (Piedmont hazelnuts and green apple)

I wouldn’t ordinarily seek out Italian cuisine in France, but I couldn’t resist checking out TentaziOni, as I had heard many positive comments from locals. I was not disappointed. This fabulous dinner was a very nice and welcome break after two weeks of eating Bordelaise food.

Brittany langoustines, just seared, with Sturia Vintage Caviar

Giovanni Pireddu, a native of Sardinia, and his wife, Johanna own and operate TentaziOni, a small trattoria on Rue du Palais Gallien. Pireddu honed his craft at a number of restaurants in Corsica, Milano and Torino. At TentaziOni, Pireddu’s cuisine draws on super-fresh ingredients and bold, direct flavors. Don’t let the simple décor and informal atmosphere fool you, the food at TentaziOni is the embodiment of what Italians do so well – elegance without artifice.  The wine list is small, but exceptionally well chosen with what I can only describe as a rare level of true passion. Italophiles will drool over the selection of hard to find artisan wines, all offered at very fair prices.

Deep sea scallops, raw cream and souffléed spelt

We opted for the Menu Innovation. Priced between €49-59 euros, the Menu Innovation is quite frankly a steal in today’s world. Everything was absolutely delicious. I especially loved the langoustine starter, but the scallops and sole were also terrific. Ciro Picariello’s Fiano di Avellino is one of my favorite whites. The 2014 is not the very best edition, but the wine was a lovely accompaniment with our fish starters.

Piedmontese risotto, veal reduction, hazelnuts, black truffles

There was no way I was not going to order Burlotto’s 2013 Barolo Monvigliero off the list. One of my favorite wines from this great Barolo vintage, the Burlotto Monvigliero is now impossible to find, especially at what should be its true price. TentaziOni’s very gentle markup made the decision automatic. I just had to have it. And so we did. What a wine. The 2013 has now shut down a bit after its bottling, but it remains a magnificent, regal Barolo of the very highest level. Fermentation with whole clusters gives the Monvigliero a weightless feel and striking aromatics that allow it to drink beautifully with a wide range of foods. TentaziOni’s risotto was very rich and not exactly traditional, but it was absolutely fabulous with the Barolo. What else can you ask for?

Piedmont hazelnuts and green apple

I can hardly wait to get back to TentaziOni and explore more of the menu and wine list. The thoughtful cuisine, terrific wine list and friendly atmosphere make TentaziOni a perfect spot in Bordeaux to unwind and spend a relaxing evening.