La Mirage, Luxury Restaurant of Tuscan contemporary cuisine, at Villa Conti
In the Historic Residence Villa Conti, you will find La Mirage Osteria Contemporanea, a true luxury restaurant located in Fauglia, in the Pisa area.
This exceptional partnership has opened its doors both to guests of the historic residence, seeking relaxation and elegance, and to the most refined diners, lovers of Contemporary cuisine and gourmet experiences.
An innovative gastronomic concept that draws inspiration from tradition and the fantastic ingredients from the Tuscan territory.
The setting is the elegant and refined Historic Residence Villa Conti, which you can read more about here.
La Mirage Osteria Contemporanea is located on the ground floor of the Villa. Entering through the main door, after just a few steps, you reach the threshold of the main dining room, which appears spacious and very comfortable.
La Mirage offers the possibility to have lunch and dinner both inside the restaurant and outdoors, under the gazebo overlooking the pool and the Tuscan valley.
La Mirage Osteria Contemporanea is innovation and tradition but, above all, essence.
La Mirage Osteria Contemporanea
at Villa Conti Historic Residence
Via Pontita n. 8
56043 Fauglia (PI)
Tel: 050 7214785
Open from Wednesday to Sunday from 19:00 to 23:00
And on Sundays for lunch from 12:00 to 15:00
The service is extremely discreet and professional. The chef de rang, Mauro, elegantly guides us to our table, set with minimalist refinement in the largest of the three dining rooms, which partially reflects the distinctive furnishing style of the Villa.
Ancient elements (such as the fireplace, the dark wooden sideboard, and the enormous mirror with a baroque frame) are softened by large open spaces and light, neutral colors that balance their presence.
COSA TROVERAI IN QUESTO POST:
The menu at La Mirage, Luxury Restaurant
Reading through the “à la carte” menu, I immediately noticed the limited number of options, about fifteen in total, including appetizers, first courses, and main courses, plus a separate menu dedicated to nine desserts. I also appreciate the highly detailed descriptions of the dishes, ingredients, and unique pairings.
Each dish is designed to offer a gourmet experience with a perfect balance of flavors and textures—what the Chef herself describes as “informal elegance, a countryside cuisine like in the past,” but presented in a modern key. This impression is fully confirmed upon tasting.
Following the recommendation of Executive Chef Chiara Daveri, we had the pleasure of trying two tasting menus: one for dinner and one for lunch. This is the ideal way to sample the various offerings of the restaurant through a succession of exquisite proposals.
“First Encounter” is the tasting menu for Saturday dinner, consisting of five land-based courses, while the lunch menu, enjoyed on Sunday, consists of three seafood courses.
The courses combined in this selection create a journey through traditional Tuscan flavors and a meticulous search for quality in the region’s finest ingredients. These are then presented in a contemporary way, thanks to thoughtful touches of flavor: lightened textures, respectful cooking techniques, sauces that enhance the flavors, presentations that carefully consider color contrasts, and complex yet immediately recognizable taste profiles.
To complement the meal, the extensive wine list offers labels from all over Italy, with a particular emphasis on Tuscany, of course. The cellar also features prestigious and carefully selected brands of the finest Champagne.
Appetizers from the Dinner Tasting Menu
Dinner begins with a Chianina Beef Tartare, accompanied by a tapenade sauce with caper fruit, which has a milder taste than traditional capers, a parsley crudité, and a selection of raw vegetables: fennel on one side and orange and purple carrots on the other. The dish is finished with white pepper and a hint of garlic.
The presentation is beautiful, starting with the unusual shape of the tartare itself, enhanced by the vibrant colors of the vegetables, which not only create a striking visual contrast but also flood the palate with freshness.
The second appetizer, my favorite of the evening, is a Warm Potato, Leek, and Ricotta Pudding (made with both cow and sheep’s milk ricotta), drizzled with a fondue of 24-month-aged local Pecorino DOP cheese. The salty note and crunch are provided by a slice of aged pancetta and crispy leek filaments that adorn the dish.
Knife-cut Chianina Tuscan steak tartare, with topenade sauce with caper fruit, parsley dip, fennel carpaccio and orange and purple carrots with white pepper and garlic scent
Warm potato pudding, leeks and cow and sheep ricotta, on a DOP pecorino fondue, aged stretched bacon.
First Courses from the Dinner Tasting Menu
The “I Conti” Tortello is particularly interesting, offering a complex and refined taste. This handmade half-moon raviolo is filled with lean Chianina beef, simply seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and sage, and is accompanied by a brunoise of white onion stewed in Vernaccia wine from Siena, along with pepper-cured pork belly. The sauce is presented as a delicate two-tone drop, made from clarified carrots and zucchini, which refresh the palate.
The second first course, Pici’s “Like in the Old Days,” fully embraces Tuscan tradition. The durum wheat pici is dressed in a sauce of Piccadilly and cherry tomatoes, Senese garlic, and a creamy base of Acciaiolo Pecorino DOP cheese. A crispy basil crumble adds the final touch.
“I Conti” tortello made with homemade egg pasta, filled with lean Chianina beef, with white onion stewed in Vernaccia Senese, pork belly seasoned with pepper.
Pici “Come una Volta”. Durum wheat pici with Piccadilly and cherry tomatoes, Senese garlic, on a cream of Acciaiolo DOP pecorino cheese and basil crunch.
Second Course of the Dinner Tasting Menu
The five-course menu concludes with Braised Scottona Beef, marinated in double malt beer and served with a flan of polenta “taragna” on a bed of braised diced vegetables.
The Presentation of the Dishes
As seen in the photos, each dish is meticulously presented, highlighting every ingredient. From the main component to the garnish, every element is purposefully arranged, much like an orchestra playing in harmony to create the perfect melody. Every part of the dish has a specific role in delivering a complex and multi-layered taste experience.
Lunch at La Mirage, Luxury Restaurant
Appetizer from the Lunch Tasting Menu
Chef Daveri’s proposal for Sunday lunch is a three-course menu, more concise than the evening selection, and entirely seafood-based.
The appetizer, which was a true revelation, is the “Cacciucco” 5 C—a reinterpretation of the traditional Livornese fish and tomato soup. Here, it is reduced to a rich, flavorful stuffing for baby octopus, plated in a stunning millefeuille-style arrangement with crispy stone-baked bread chips.
“Cacciucco” 5 C
with crispy bread chips cooked on stone
Maremma Carnaroli risotto with citrus flavour, creamed with centrifuge butter, smoked herring, chopped toasted pine nuts
The first course of the lunch tasting menu
The first course, instead, is a Carnaroli risotto from Maremma, creamed with centrifuged butter that makes it very creamy, very fine smoked herring, toasted and chopped pine nuts.
What makes this dish surprising are the lemon and orange peels inside the rice itself, which contrast nicely with the salty taste of the herring.
The Second course of the lunch tasting menu
Nordic cod heart marinated with Vermentino and lemon zest, on a delicate chickpea velouté, accompanied by fried cherry tomatoes and crunchy black bread crumble.
Heart of Nordic cod marinated with Vermentino and lemon zest, chickpea cream soup, cherry tomatoes and black bread crumble.
The Dessert
To end the lunch we were served, plated inside a Martini Glass, the very light Mousse, presented in layers of different flavors and consistencies: the base is a biscuit crumble, the Mousse rising, finally chocolate cream and sliced almonds on top.
My Opinion
The careful selection and attention to every dish, combined with the uniqueness of the offerings are deeply rooted in authentic Tuscan tradition, making this Contemporary cuisine restaurant one to watch for prestigious culinary awards.
A cuisine that remains light yet full of ideas, entirely natural, and perfectly in sync with its elegant setting—Villa Conti.
Lunch and dinner were offered by La Mirage Osteria Contemporanea, luxury restaurant. The opinions expressed are personal.
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