À Moro Franco-Italian Kitchen in Marseille – The culinary backstreets

Every table is occupied in the small dining room with Italian terrazzo floors, warm lighting, and rustic, aged walls. Regular neighborhood customers, a couple on a quiet afternoon date, a father and his young son giggling over pasta, and colleagues sharing plates at a long table in the corner. We grabbed the only remaining seats at the end of a long zinc rod.

Amid the hustle and bustle, you'll be greeted warmly by the restaurant's owner, Benjamin Moro. Benjamin, who avoids social media and publicity, comes across as a shy, confident, and unconventionally charming person. Practical and wearing many hats, there's a pulse in the air when he's in the room. His menu reflects this trend.Combining his classical French training with the inspiration of his Italian grandmother Wilma Raghu, where he created an unorthodox French-Italian version of the classic trattoria. Benjamin elaborates on the creation of the menu: I decided to open a restaurant so that I could always have something to eat. ”

Benjamin's loyal customers return again and again for his flavorful pasta sauces, mellow ricotta and spinach. Gnudi sage butter and his signature Socis fenouille puree (Sausage with mashed potatoes) Made with roasted fennel seed sausage from Haut Grand Saint Antoine, a local butcher in the Capucins market in Noailles.

À Moro's menu includes popular classics and daily specials. First, select parma ham Sprinkle olive oil or Vitello Tonnato (veal with tuna sauce) is Benjamin's interpretation of a classic recipe, but is loaded with anchovies. His take on this is dreamlike. Mainly, Calamarata with ragu bianco di manzo (calamarata pasta with beef, veal, carrots, onion, celery, garlic and rosemary ragu stewed in a creamy and delicious Parmesan stock) and sauce fenouille puree.

À Moro is located on a modest one-block block of Rue Venteur, just off Rue Paradis, which is lined with high-end designer shops. We ask Benjamin what the neighborhood is called. Is it the Opera House or the prefecture? He paused for a moment and said:Ce la venture! ” (It’s a venture!) a fitting name for both the street and the beginning of his new business. Benjamin says he knew the moment he saw the space where A Moro now lives, it was the place. Inspired by one of his favorite restaurants, his 150-year-old trattoria His Sostanza in Florence, he referenced the simple, classic interior of his Moro restaurant. It created an intimate atmosphere. There is no sign outside the door that says “'' except for a temporarily painted window.non-saint valentino! ” Avoid calling in for a run-of-the-mill romantic meal, no New Year's Eve or Valentine's Day dinners here. Instead, Benjamin is dedicated to honoring its no-frills, rustic roots. Food is more important than anything else in Moro.

Born to a family living in Gemenos (a suburb of Marseille) and grandparents from Torre di Most and Alba (near Venice), Benjamin grew up in Provence and spent summers in Italy. He studied culinary arts here in Marseille at the Lycée Terre ed his Marseilles and then headed to Paris to further his career as a chef. In 2020, Benjamin moved back to Marseille to be closer to his family and worked as head chef at Olea. In November 2022, he decided to open his own restaurant and À Moro was born.

Benjamin is particular about the ingredients he uses in his dishes, and this is reflected in each plate. He sources his vegetables from local vendors, sourcing them from a garden in Etin-de-Berre (a lagoon about 26 miles northwest of Marseille), and sommelier and manager Guillaume Morgan (who Benjamin claims is the boss). He works closely with the chefs (who are also known as the chefs) to create impressive dishes. carte des vins We carry over 60 types of natural wines from France and Italy.

Benjamin reminisces about his childhood trip to Italy and says he grew his teeth on Parmesan cheese rind. His trademark cheese became his favorite, as did his mother's lasagna. The time spent cooking with his family in the kitchen was the genesis of his career and a dedication to his family's memory. Benjamin speaks highly of his family and staff. He has a sense of dedication to those close to him. Front and center back of his Moro bar is a small framed sign that reads “Ébénisterie – Moro P.” This is a family heirloom inherited from his grandfather Plinio, who moved to Paris in 1946 after the war and started a wood furniture shop. The name ÀMoro is a play on his son's name, his family's name, and the Italian word for love. A passionate OM (Marseille soccer team) fan, he avoids drawing attention to himself, insisting that staff members are photographed with him under the OM banner.

Lunch time is coming to an end and you're feeling satisfied, but you can't leave without trying the all-homemade desserts. Arrives at panettone ice cream drizzled with olive oil. What could be better than creamy panettone?

As we were stealing the last bites, a customer next to us at the bar said, “They're all so good, how do you make them?” Guillaume answered without hesitation. Everything is made with love. ” Exactly, Moro.

Published March 19, 2024

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