Giovanni Passerini, previously sous-chef at chef Petter Nilsson’s La Gazzetta bistro in Paris, has stepped out on his own and opened the much-lauded Rino restaurant in the heart of Paris’s hip 11th arrondissement. Taking cues from his collective experience at some of Europe's most cutting-edge kitchens (including the likes of L'Arpege, La Gazzetta & Le Chateaubriand), Passerini's daily-changing lunch menu and frequently-changing evening menu features the season's finest produce collected during his morning visits to the market. Rino's affordable three-course lunch menu may feature chestnut dumplings with plump oysters; crispy-skinned roasted chicken with wilted endive, potatoes and herbs; or a plate of perfectly roasted pineapple with walnuts and battered cream. The dinner menu, priced slightly higher, features inventive flavours such as tender pork shoulder cooked sous-vide with white cabbage, raisins and crushed hazelnuts; and a deadly apple tart with a sable base and a glossing of apple caramel. Rino’s intimate rustic interiors are simple, stark and minimally decorated with white walls and utilitarian orange-red banquettes. With a constantly changing menu, this is one of Paris’ most experimental modern bistros so prepare to awaken your palette.
