Italian

Go to Naples for a 'pizza' the action

admin — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Ditch Pizza Hut staples for a slice of the real deal in one of Naples' prestigious pizzerias.First stop should be Antica Pizzeria Brandi, the home of the Margherita since 1889. Now a little touristy, the restaurant still offers great pizzas as well as a huge variety of other Italian classics.Diners with an appetite for tradition should try Da Michele, often touted as the best in the city. Choice is restricted to pizza marinara, Margherita or the baked cheese calzone, but lack of range is more than offset by the finely tuned flavours.For the pizza of presidents, head to Di Matteo - the restaurant picked to serve Bill Clinton during a state visit.Perfect pizzas are matched by prime location on the main street of the old city and the menu also boasts a good selection of nibbles to sate hunger during the restaurant's busiest hours.As of this summer, Naples' famous Pizza Napolitana will be officially recognised by the European Union as a "regional speciality", much like French Champagne and German beer.

Feast on mozzarella in Rome

admin — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:30:00 +0200

A new 'mozzarella bar' has opened in Rome, providing diners with the chance to sample the cheese in all its varieties.Obika (Neapolitan for 'here it is') is a quirky and original eatery that showcases mozzarella in a similar way to sushi bars displaying fresh fish, serving it alongside delicately cured meats, tasty sauces and fresh vegetables.The restaurant-bar provides a range of dishes that foreground mozzarella, from cow's milk and water buffalo milk varieties from the Campagnia region to the intensely rich burrata from Puglia.Obika also has its own outdoor deck alfresco dining and is committed to using the best Italian products in its dishes, combining excellent service with innovative food.Rome has countless excellent eateries serving Italian cuisine and dishes from around the world.For example, Antico Arco above Trastevere provides well-priced dishes for local gourmets, while Casa Bleve is a luxurious wine bar in the courtyard of a 16th-century palazzo and Gelato is an upscale ice cream bar.

Eat with the chic in Milan

admin — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:30:00 +0200

Da Giacomo, a stylish family-run restaurant in Milan, may be nothing to look at on the outside, but it is the regular haunt of fashion icons, designers, architects, businessmen and financiers. Located on an ordinary street near Milan's fashion district, this high-class trattoria is not pretentious but is a good place to take a loved one for a romantic evening that won't break the bank.As it is Milan's most exclusive restaurant, booking is essential, but once inside diners will enjoy the old-fashioned service and the Tuscan cuisine including swordfish steak.Decor-wise, the dining area is a blast from the early decades of the last century thanks to its arches, art deco lamps, and yellow and green walls.For $95 (£47), diners can enjoy get a three-course, while wine enthusiasts will appreciate the comprehensive wine cellar brimming with quality vintages.Meals are served most evenings and lunchtimes.Other trendy restaurants in Milan include 10 Corso Como Cafe, Dolce and Gabbana Gold, Joia, Luini and Moscatelli.

Delectable delights in Venice

admin — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:30:00 +0200

One of Venice's most well known restaurants, Osteria Da Fiore is renowned for chef Mara Martin's delectable creations.Hyped around the world as the best in the canal city, guests here certainly pay for the reputation, as the menu is notoriously expensive.However, the prices are justified when it comes to the food, which includes a wide choice from the amuse-bouche through to the desserts.The menu is predominantly fish-based, although there are a number of vegetarian options.Dishes on offer may include turbot baked in a potato crust, sea bass with balsamic vinegar and the slightly more adventurous fried eel with celery and blueberries.The home-made desserts have also received acclaim, as have the cheese board and wine list.Da Fiore, which has been open for around 30 years, achieved fame following the release of its cookbook in 2003.The restaurant is located near San Polo square, which is the second largest public square in Venice.

Fine dining in Padua

admin — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:30:00 +0200

One of Italy's finest restaurants, the three Michelin-starred Le Calandre in Padua is run by a family that has been in the business for four generations.The present chef Massimiliano Alajmo gained the accolade as the world's youngest chef to have achieved a third Michelin-star, after gaining his first when he was only 22.Voted as one of the top 20 restaurants in the world by Restaurant Magazine in 2007, Alajmo is known for his experimental dishes, inspired by local cuisine.The restaurant is most famous for the chef's tasting menus. Some of his most renowned dishes include saffron risotto, squid ink cappuccino and suckling pig with mustard and coffee powder. For a more traditional dish, try a tiramisu for dessert.There is also a good selection of both Italian and international wines, which can be presented by the in-house sommelier.Massimiliano's profile has recently been raised by the publication of his cookbook in.gredienti in English.The Alajmo family has recently launched a satellite of Le Calandre in Tokyo.

Fine dining gets creative at Agata e Romeo

admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:30:00 +0100

A husband and wife team of restaurateurs have lent their names to one of Rome's favourite eating establishments, which specialises in putting a contemporary twist on traditional cuisine from the Italian capital. Chef Agata Parisella designs the menus and is also known for her food journalism and pedagogy, while Romeo concentrates on service and maintaining a selection of domestic and international wines for diners' pleasure. Risotto with saffron, taleggio cheese, rabbit croquettes and thyme is one of the specialties on the menu, according to Frommers, along with sesame seed-coated medallions of tuna served in a sweet-and-sour sauce. The combination of creative flavours and rustic standbys has attracted a loyal following of locals and savvy tourists since 1980. Fodor's suggested that although a night of culinary pleasure at Agata e Romeo's can carry a large price tag, the quality of the food and service results in "a real treat" for diners.

Sample traditional Italian cuisine in style a

admin — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:30:00 +0100

People considering taking a trip to the north of Italy should be sure to visit Padua where their tastebuds will be tantalised at one of the country's finest restaurants. Le Calandre, run by the Alajmo brothers, has recently been voted 16th in a list of the 50 best restaurants worldwide and it is not difficult to see why.Boasting traditional Italian values, being a family-run enterprise, the kitchen is not behind the times when it comes to cuisine. In summing up the tasting menus on offer, including Adesso, I Grandi Classici and ingredienti, the website states: "All showcase the experimental bent you'd expect of a Veyrat alum, but one that's married to deep regard for his local cuisine."Some of the dishes on offer include Saffron Risotto, Squid Ink Cappuccino and Tiramisu, meaning that when visiting this restaurant, food lovers will be able to sample some of the best Italian dishes in style.Recent additions to the menu include a selection of pastries which have a "strong Italian identity", Le Calandre's website states.Massimiliano Alajmo was the world's youngest chef to attain a third Michelin star at the age of 26.

Michelin-starred, family-run hotel and restau

admin — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:30:00 +0100

Livia and Alfonso Iaccarino are dedicated to hospitality and catering in their home on Italy's Sorrentine Peninsula.Their hotel and restaurant Don Alfonso 1890 was founded by Alfonso's grandfather in the village of Sant' Agata sui Due Golfi, close to Sorrento and Positano. Don Alfonso is so dedicated to the excellence of his kitchen that he has established his own organic farm, Le Peracciole.The farm provides hand-harvested olives, artichokes, eggplants and lemons as well as raising geese, cows and goats. The lemons are used to make Alfonso's famous Liquore di Limone, which, like other produce of the farm such as olive oil and preserves, can be purchased from the shop attached to the restaurant.He is a chef who believes that "great cooking is made in the field", writes Nicole Medvecky-Riggs in Cognoscenti magazine.The sommelier oversees a wine cellar containing around 25,000 bottles, including some 1,200 different labels, in the ancient cave under the restaurant.Accommodation is available in four suites, four junior suites and an apartment in Sant' Atata sui Due Golfi, all set around a peaceful garden.The hotel will reopen on March 15th after renovation work.