Piacere pizza — Restaurant in Paris

For Foodies visiting Paris…

Everybody has a favorite pizza place. This is mine.

When you chance upon two secrets at Piacere, one of them centuries old... you can tell everyone that you've had the best pizza in the world. Real Napoli pizza.

Secret number 1, the ancient secret… the crust...

While your favorite crust may be chewy, may be crispy, may be flat, may be thick, may be bready...

When you taste Piacere crust for the first time, you discover something different.

In fact, you happen upon your new favorite crust.

Because the chef there uses a specific yeast. He lets the dough slowly ferment and rise for four days within a range of temperature that can't vary more than a half degree.

Four days.

Who does that??

Plus, every pizza recipe requires a unique cooking time which can't vary more than a few seconds...

… the result is hard to describe. But when you bite it, you find it satisfying. You discover a mildly chewy edge, but not crazy chewing gum chewy like New York Style.

You also witness a crispiness enveloping the chewiness.

Not “crunchy.” Not hard.

Almost like a delicate skin with a fresh Italian bread flavor. It’s amazing.

If you’re like me, before you can get the question out of your mouth, your wife will roll her eyes and say, “Yes… I’m going to eat my crust. I was saving it for last.”

… which will make you a little sad.

Secret number 2, the chef…

He’s not just a pizza cook. He’s a trained chef.

Which means he mastered his craft for years and specialized in something.

In his case, Napoli Pizza cuisine.

His red sauce is perfect.

His white sauce is perfect.

Most days I have a pizza with only his red sauce. No cheese, no olives, nothing else.

When I’m lucky, the special daily menu includes his white sauce with truffles and artichoke hearts, and I never hesitate to order that.

But be careful.

The server will set a bottle of chili oil on the table, and warn you it’s hot.

Consider anything he says about that oil an understatement. If you like using spicy oil on your pizza, first try a single drop.

... or just don't use the oil at all. Why mess up the...

I am (was) regular customer. I've been therr at least 50 times. The servicr (I believe she's the owner) has alwayd been a bit dry/cold, making us feel like we should be rushed o7t since we didn't buy things like drinks and desserts regularly (where they make their margind).

The other day I show up with my wife and two kids a bit late at 8pm. There's a waiter we haven't seen (older gentleman) who was extremely slow. Eventually, my wife asks me to go to the counter to order as the kids were sleepy.

I go. I'm an easy customer, speak french fluently. I try and order for the kids, they cut me off saying they're busy. I say politel6 that I'd just like the kids' order to be taken. They refuse and were extremely rude.

Meanwhile they pick up the phone for take-out orders and take their orders immediately.

Again: I'm an easy going beach bum from California, I'm as easy a client as it gets.

That night was the straw that broke the camels back. A shame because the they have a young black server who is there often at the lunch hour who is EXCELLENT. The owner and old gentleman shoukd learn from her.

In the meantime I recommend everyone here skips piacere and goes straight to Fabrezza for pizza. EXCELLENR service and delicious food. My family and I will never be going...

Je suis allé dans ce restaurant un certain nombre de fois, habitant à proximité, on est bien obligé de faire avec ce qu’il y a.

En-dehors du service systématiquement désagréable et à peine poli, j’ai remarqué que les serveurs terminent les pizzas à la main, ( Avec les mêmes mains qui manipulent monnaie et assiettes sales ainsi que tout ce à quoi ils peuvent être amenés à toucher lors du service… ), en rajoutant et en manipulant eux même et à mains nues tous les ingrédients supplémentaires et toutes les charcuteries. Durant cette dernière phase de préparation, ils en profitent pour échanger allégrement en parlant par-dessus les pizzas, qu’ils accommodent donc chacun avec leurs doigts sales et de leurs postillons. Personne ne porte de masque.

J’ai systématiquement droit à des réflexions lorsque je me sers l’huile piquante du restaurant alors que ma commande est à emporter. Visiblement, ça ne leur plaît pas. C'est surprenant.

Ma dernière pizza, une calzone, m’a été apportée calcinée, noir au point que le dessus était largement troué. Je l’ai fait remarquer et ai demandé qu’elle soit refaite. La serveuse ne m’a pas caché son mécontentement en la reprenant brutalement. La seconde m’a été très rapidement apportée, cette fois-ci, pas cuite et avec trois fois moins de garniture qu’à l'habitude.

Les ingrédients ne sont à priori pas mauvais, mais la pâte n'a jamais été vraiment bonne et elle finit vite détrempée. Les calzones sont proposés sans œuf. Si vous en prenez en supplément, il sera écrasé et mélangé à la garniture. Ne vous attendez pas à un bel œuf gourmand et coulant à l'intérieur, mais plutôt à un mélange ressemblant à du vomi. La qualité est banale, voir un peu en dessous, mangeable quand on a faim.

Quand rien n'est au rendez-vous dans un restaurant, de la qualité au service, en passant par l'hygiène, ça devient compliqué.

Je n'y...