Les Amis Des Messina — Restaurant in Paris

Went on a saturday evening around 8 pm. Place was full, but we were lucky to have the last free table at that moment. Started with 'the cocktail du jour', which turned out to be delicious, and a plate of antipasta, which consisted mainly of vegetables and cheese, but was outstanding. Followed by a pasta and a nice, fairly priced bottle of wine. The pasta with scallops and broccoli was super. The pasta with pistaches and gambas was also great, but a bit heavy. We skipped dessert for the sole reason we were full... What amazed me the most was the way this place is run. Though being full, we nearly had to wait at all. And while the waiters were almost flying by, everything was done in a relaxed way. You're not someone who has to be served, you are a guest, and treated that way. It's in the little things, the ease by which you are served, the way the staff notices everything... Basket of bread almost empty? It's refilled before you even noticed it was almost empty. Watersupply (served for free) running low? You could't have blinked your eyes and it's full again.

Looking for great italian food and a great dining experience, while enjoying a vivid atmosphere and still being able to talk to each other without shouting? This is the...

This is a very well decorated restaurant. Quite busy, so reservation is a good idea if you want a good table. Now the food was really delicious the first time we eat here. Real good and authentic Italian food and generous portions, a bit pricey, yes, but the quality and size of the dishes are worth it, and we are talking about Paris... Second time we eat here (several months have passed) we were somehow disappointed, same prices but not the same quality and not the same size of dishes... We thought, never mind, the cook maybe didn't had a good day or whatever... But the third time and most probably the last, I'm afraid. The pasta was overdone, the portions were really small (we were actually hungry when we left) 20€ for a rather small amount of pasta and 7 €uros for a shot of limóncello is just to much. It's a pitty to see restaurants that really make an effort when they newly open and once they got sufficient customers, the quality just goes down... I would like to return to "Les Amis De Messina" when it's back to their initial quality...

If you are curious to try Sicilian cuisine, make sure to visit Les Amis Des Messina on rue Réaumur, just next to the famous rue Montorgueil and 5 minutes away from Les Halles. This restaurant will make you feel in the heart of Sicily with its rustic and Italian retro decor and an open kitchen where you can see the food preparation making you feel even more hungry. The menu is updated daily making sure all the ingredients are fresh and available. They also have a wide range of delicious permanent antipasti. The gambas pesto pasta was excellent with its pistachio pesto sauce and fresh shrimps. The chicken escalope was exceptional and it was grilled not fried! Don't miss out on their signature dessert: the Mamma Lina cake or zucchini cake. As strange as it sounds, it was exquisite with its mascarpone cheese. I enjoyed their authentic Italian atmosphere and very warm service. I highly recommend Les Amis Des Messina! Average price:...