As a very picky person when it comes to Italian food abroad, I rarely eat at restaurants that try to replicate Italian cuisine – especially ‘contemporary’ Italian.
But one thing I’ve learned from experience is that there’s a big difference between sketchy Italian cuisine and the kind that tries to innovate traditions without being cringe: the less the branding, the better the dishes.
Bonne Nouvelle presents itself as a low-key ‘bar,’ where you can sip curated natural wines, paired with food of Italian influence (the owners, after all, are of bel paese heritage), but with a twist that doesn’t scream ‘I’m trying too hard’ – quite the opposite, actually.
Bonne Nouvelle gives off the same vibe as that effortlessly cool group in high school that always looked great without even trying.
The terrasse of Bonne Nouvelle is always pretty crowded when temperatures hit above 20°C © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
Inside the bar there’s a cosy neon sign and a vintage cd player © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
Bonne Nouvelle has a great selection of natural wines from all around Europe © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
They also can do basic café menu © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
It’s a vibe that’s very on-trend in European capitals, but quite rare in Luxembourg without feeling sloppy. Everything is unpretentious (no mise-en-place, just small personal plates reminiscent of little plant pots and saucers) but incredibly curated. The place also changes as it hosts chef residencies throughout the year and adapts like a chameleon. The interior is industrial, with mid-century modern and brutalist influences.
Inside, you’ll find the chefs finishing up dishes and sautéing right in front of the stainless-steel counter, with music blending into the buzz of conversation that fills the small and cozy space.
The vibes inside the bar make you feel in a big european capital. © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
Given the heat of the hottest week of the summer, we decide to sit outside, right in the middle of the terrace, which abuts the municipal park, the tram, and – quite randomly – an impromptu capoeira performance that kicks off (literally) after 22:00. Much appreciated, by the way.
Free capoeira show that – apparently – it’s very common to experience during summer © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
The place is packed, and we’re served by a waitress on her first day, doing her best to accommodate our requests with the shyness of someone still finding their footing.
We order the “whole menu” to share – €75 for a tasting selection – along with an apricot blanche draft beer and a sparkling wine: a Malvasia blanc de blanc from Catalonia, Spain, which was lovely and crisp, though on an empty stomach, a bit regretful. We order a bottle of water to compensate, but it arrives at room temperature, despite the 32°C heat.
We soon start with the shared plates: the first thing we try is a chickpea and beetroot hummus, served with a crispy focaccia topped with the most pleasant fleur de sel. The hummus is tasty – just the right texture – and topped with a drizzle of raw olive oil that we really appreciate.
Next up, a watermelon, cucumber, and feta salad, which helped us rehydrate and was delicious. The saltiness of the feta balanced perfectly with the watery freshness of the cucumber and watermelon.
First dishes that stared off our tasting menu © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
Chickpea and beetroot hummus (€8) © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
Watermelon, cucumber, and feta salad (€12) and burrata with zucchini (€14) © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
Then comes a burrata with zucchini (which I regret to spell this way – fellow Italians, I’m sorry, they don’t know it’s actually zucchine, plural and feminine!) and pistachio crumble. In this case, the burrata was a little bland, and while the zucchine cream was nice, there were raw slices that, in my opinion, didn’t really make sense. No mint in sight, nor taste. A forgettable dish, both my companion and I agree.
By now, the place is buzzing. Servers are darting around, trying to fulfil every request. It’s nearly impossible to flag someone down to order a warm focaccia – so much so that we never got to try it.
The second ‘act’ of the menu takes a while to arrive, but in the meantime, we let ourselves be soothed by the laid-back vibes of a southern European-style evening, thanks to the warm weather.
Before the final appetizer, we’re served the pasta dish: paccheri with tuna, stracciatella cheese and Taggiasca olives. A delicious, abundant dish that reminded me of summer afternoons, coming back from the sea all sandy while my mom got ready to make pasta. The tuna was fresh and served in chunks, the olives perfectly salted, the pasta al dente and satisfyingly chewy, and the stracciatella added a creamy richness to the dish. My dining companion – who’s not into fish – missed out on what might have been the menu’s crown jewel.
Or so we thought – until three shredded oxtail sandwiches with cheddar and bbq sauce hit the table: soft, indulgent, and straight-up guilty pleasure. Maybe a bit too much after all those courses, but the sauce was excellent.
Paccheri with tuna, stracciatella and taggasca olives (€18) © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
Shredded oxtail sandwitches (€18) © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
Right before waving the white flag (maybe going for the full menu on the hottest day wasn’t our best idea), the dessert arrives: a sweet ricotta with blueberries, raspberries, and cannoli crumble- which, for the sake of this review, we’ll call solidified heaven.
A dessert with the dreamiest texture and not too sweet, cleansing your palate completely from the oxtail.
A hit of fleur de sel pops up here and there, and the blueberries balance everything out. We’re both happy and full, and head up to pay, congratulating Stefano for the best dessert we’ve had since moving to Luxembourg.
As we renamed it ‘solified heaven’: A sweet ricotta with blueberries, raspberries, and cannoli crumble (€8) © Photo credit: Lucrezia Reale
For two people, we paid €103.50, with drinks and dessert included. Not exactly cheap, but Bonne Nouvelle is the kind of place where you share a few plates while chatting the night away.
With an average price of €10 per dish, you could easily spend less than we did, and perhaps invest in a few more natural wines if you want to. Keep in mind that the menu changes every week or so.
Did we feel betrayed by the Italian tradition? Not at all. Were we bothered that it wasn’t nonna’s kitchen? Neither. That’s because every dish had effortless meaning and intention.
Info
16a Av. Emile Reuter, 2420 Luxembourg
Monday: closed
Tuesday to Friday: 17:30 – late
Saturday: 12:00 – late
Sunday: closed