Especially seeing as we now live in an age of influencers, it’s rare that I come across a restaurant that feels like a real secret – and it’s not for lack of trying. I regularly ignore much-touted spots in favor of off-the-beaten-track addresses, and generally, I understand why the path there is less well-trod.
But Osteria dell’Anima was a pleasant surprise in the heart of the buzzy 11th: a spot that’s definitely beloved by regulars but seems, for the moment, to have been spared the crowds.
The restaurant is a literal hole in the wall in the 11th that’s extremely easy to walk right by. Open the door, and you’ll find barely 20 covers arranged along a dining room shaped like a corridor. Those in the know come for a simple, delicious proposition: some of the best fresh pasta in the city, made on a machine on display at the entrance.
The menu rarely changes: The appetizers number eight and include grilled veggies (18), a charcuterie board for two (22), fried calamari (25), or swordfish carpaccio (18). They’re joined by an appetizer of the day, but we stuck to the menu and enjoyed a simple fennel salad with oranges (12). It proved to be exactly what Italians do so well: simple ingredients, prepared just enough to allow them to shine. Everything about this salad was perfect, down to the plump, pith-free orange segments, and the simple, light dressing that made it all sing.
But the main event is the fresh pasta. There are nine choices, plus a pasta of the day, and despite the higher-than-usual appetizer prices, these dishes are fairly reasonable, at least for Paris. You’ll find maltagliati with parmesan cream, spinach, and bresaola (23) or pappardelle with squid, squid ink, and tomato (22). The house specials are pappardelle osteria (23) with mushrooms, cream, gorgonzola, and speck and garganelli osteria (21) with pancetta, courgettes, basil, and cherry tomatoes. Everything except the house lasagna (18.50) can be modified for vegetarians.
My girlfriend went for the simple tomato sauce with two kinds of ricotta (18). The ribbons of tagliolini were perfectly suited to the thick, slightly sweet sauce devoid of any allium to distract from the rich sweetness of the tomatoes themselves. A lump of fresh ricotta sat at one end, and a shower of ricotta salata blanketed the top.
And if you want to gild the lily, you also have the option of grating some parmesan over the top with grater you get to keep for the whole meal, which eradicates any possibility of guilt regarding the appropriateness of the true quantity of cheese you want.
While I was charmed by the offering, I personally steered clear of it, seeing as my scialatielli cacio e pepe (20) was more than cheesy enough. Not only was the sauce thick and perfectly executed, but the pasta was blanketed with even more grated cheese. I loved this rustic noodle, which I’d never tried before and clung valiantly to the rich, cheesy sauce.
We remain on the search for tiramisu perfection in Paris. This one was very good, with moist biscuit, not too much cream, and a gentle kiss of coffee, but our favorite so far can be found at Bobby.
Osteria dell’Anima is exactly what I love to find – and find so rarely – in Paris: a true diamond in the rough that has stood the test of time and keeps its regulars coming back for more.
Osteria dell’Anima – 37 Rue Oberkampf, 75011