Ora D’Aria *
Ora D’Aria
Via dei Georgofili 11R
50122 FLorence, Italy
39 055 200 1699
Official Site
On my way back to Milan from Rome I stopped at Florence. It’s truly a beautiful city, rich in history and arts. The artistry of the Renaissance is seen at every corner of the city. After a long day walking around sightseeing, when it was time for dinner, Ora D’Aria was the restaurant of choice. The location couldn’t be better, a block away from Ponte Vecchio and walking distance from the town center.
Considered among the top dining establishments in Florence, it was first awarded a Michelin star in the guide’s 2012 edition and held on to it ever since. This was the one of only three Michelin starred restaurant in Florence, a surprisingly small numbers of stars awarded in my opinion especially for such a distinguished city.
The kitchen operates under a young chef and owner, Marco Stabile—a home grown talent from the region of Tuscany. Chef Stabile worked in some of Italy’s finest restaurants and is a member of the prestigious Jeunes Restaurateur D’Europe.
Ora D’Aria offers two types of tasting menu, “The Tuscan”, inspired by regional produced and the seafood centric Il Pesce, Il Marea , Il Bosco . A la carte options are available as well. The tasting menus consist of six courses valued at 70 and 75 euros respectively and since I dined with a companion, I was able to sample both.
Dinner started out with a beef tare-tare, accompanied with an Italian beer, freshly diced beef that melts in your mouth and is a sizeable portion for an amouse-bouche.
In the Tuscan menu, the first course called The Hen, the egg and the egg, were all of the components of the dish stemming from a chicken cooked in different ways and in different flavor profiles. Pieces of chicken were soft, the egg was poached flawless and the broth made out of chicken was added flavoring.
The next two courses were the risotto and the game filled tortellini. Freshly made and al dente, the risotto rice was cooked just right. The tortellini and its stuffing were simply delicious
Tuscan Menu:
The following course was supposed to be the suckling pig, but since my dining companion and I were non-pork eaters, the restaurant more than gladly substituted a roasted pigeon dish. This was the first time, I was having pigeon and it tasted like the dark meat of the chicken. The way that it was roasted has a beautiful crunchy outside and the meat was tender. The pigeon was seasoned rightfully.
This was followed with an assortment of Tuscan cheeses with sliced bread. Each cheese has a distinct taste that is only known to this region.
On to the predominantly sea food tasting menu, the first course was Sea Bass sashimi that was marinated with citrus and fruits. The sashimi was fresh and clean, the orange and the persimmon added a lovely touch of acidity and the chestnut crumble provides an additional texture.
Il Pesce,Il Marea,Il Bosco Menu:
That was followed by roasted scallops. This was an appetizing dish. The caramelized onion went well with these fresh scallops that were roasted to perfection.
Next course was the cream of yellow pumpkin soup. The buttery soup with a touch of sweetness was cleverly inserted in between courses to balance the different flavor from each dish. It was also a dish on a cold night, which made it even more fitting.
My pasta dish was the pappardelle with cod fish and black truffles. The sublime combination of saltiness and earthiness with the texture of the fresh pasta made this my favorite dish.
I learned my lesson from previous dinner at Rome’s Pipero Al Rex, that by the time the fourth course came, I was helping my dining companion with the food. The staff asked us if we were ready for the dessert. This time I requested for remaining course: the fish of the day, which happens to be the branzino. The fish is fillet and roasted with proper seasoning. Served with black truffle puree, it adds flavor to this mouth watering fillet.
To finish up the tasting, we had the sorbet with chocolate and coffee powder and the sweetened pears for dessert. Guests can also choose the desserts a la carte. Desserts were good, unfortunately I’m not too fond of sweets. My companion on the other hand, who has sweet tooth, enjoyed both dessert.
Both tasting menus were terrific and there was not a single dish that I was displeased with. The food is simple, uncomplicated and only uses the freshest seasonal ingredients from the region. Each course were served with correct timing that allows the right progression of flavors. While the combination and the balancing of flavors are also well put together.
The wines are predominately from Tuscany. I requested a wine pairing with the tasting menu, but there was a miscommunication with the sommelier. I ended up with a wonderful regional white wine anyway. It has a similarity with Sauvignon Blanc and its fruitiness and acidity that helps enhanced the taste of each dishes. I also had lovely Chianti that Tuscany is known for.
Just like its food, Ora D’ Aria interior is simple and clean. The main dining room is airy, with high ceilings, wall of mirrors opposite the sliding glass door that leads to kitchen where guest can see the chef and his brigade in action. The night that I visited, there were a mixture of locals and tourists occupying the cloth covered two tops tables that is paired with stylish Saarinen designed arm less tulip chairs. The downstairs section with its exposed bricks, low ceiling and dimmer lighting is designed for a more intimate setting. There you also find the wine cellar.
There was an issue with the language with the staff, but it was nothing serious that would diminish the dining experience. The staff seemed a little uptight at first, but warmed up as the night went on. Each and every one of servers were attentive and very courteous, they were there to provide the service at the utmost.
By this time I was already spoiled by the hospitality that I’ve been receiving from the restaurants that I’ve visited on this trip that it came to no surprised to me when Chef Stabile served some of our dishes and introduced himself to us. As guest departs, Chef Stabile was waiting in the front bidding each and every guest farewell and thanking them for their patronage. When he found out that we were visiting from New York he gave us a parting gift, a bottle of Tuscan olive oil.
Many rank this restaurant behind the three Michelin star Enoteca Pinchiorri which is a valid statement. But after dining at this restaurant I can agree why Ora D’Aria is one of the top restaurants in Florence.
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Food Waste & Composting
Food Waste & Composting from Leah Li on Vimeo.
Pipero Al Rex *
Pipero Al Rex
at The Rex Hotel
via Torino 149 I
00184 Rome, Italy
39 06 481 5702
Official Site
Before I left for Rome, I spent much of my fall New York nights doing a lot of research of where to dine. One of the gems that I came across is a popular local called Pipero Al Rex. Finding out it was indeed a gem came much later after experiencing the real deal. Its home page offers no detailed information about the place, but a lot of the online reviews were favorable. In addition, Rome’s food community has been talking about how good this restaurant is and how it was a “must-try”. So, I had to try it.
The dual ownership of Alessandro Pipero and a young chef named Luciano Moncelino is behind this hidden restaurant in the lobby of Hotel Rex. Its location is in a heavy populated tourist area, within walking distance from Roma Termini station. Much like a restaurant close to public transportation, I expected the place to be littered with tourists—and yet it seemed like I was the only out-of-towner during my visit.
From the get go, Alessandro himself was there to greet me with his big smile when I walked in to the restaurant. He continued the warm welcome by ushering me to my table, and we even talked a little about Rome and how I liked the city so far.
The dining room is diminutive; there are only six tables for twelve covers a night. The space is elegant with minimalist designed. It has high ceilings which had two Taraxcum chandaliers hanging above. To add to the motif, there were half circled red leather seats, wood floorings, and an artisanal crafted fire place that display luxurious bottle of liquors. There’s also a painting of Alessandro on the wall that was very reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock.
Alessandro’s presence in the dining room allowed his guests to have a more personal experience with the restaurant. He visits every table numerous times to reassure guests are well taken care off. The staff mimics his quality of hospitality. They were attentive but unobtrusive.
There was a slight misunderstanding on what I wanted from the menu when I first made the reservation, so Alessandro, like the good host that he is, made me an offer on the tasting menu that I just couldn’t refuse.
Before dinner began, Alessandro made sure that I didn’t have any food restrictions. When I nearly scoffed at the idea, the dishes started to come out of the kitchen. First up is a fried chip with mayonnaise and yogurt, a palate awakener for more to come. Then came the small bites like Marshmallow with Parmesan cheese and orange; Waffles with chicken liver pate and sweet wine jelly; Blue cheese balls (should have ask why it was green) with fried potato, all hit the taste buds with a burst of flavor. Each dish was complimented with an Austrian sweet wine Cuvée Auslese 2010 Weingut Kracher.
The Mushroom porcini with turnips and shrimp were so fresh that when combined with the vegetables broth served in a lab test tube container, it gives a veggie and earthy taste. Scallops ravioli with anchovies was my favorite dish. Mixing anchovies with cheese was a cleaver technique to neutralize the saltiness and enough flavor to blend in with the ravioli. The al dente Linguini pasta with oyster sauce and fish roe was lovely and with the artisan genius of Alessandro’s excellent bread I was able to drain the sauce from the plate. The small plates were paired with an excellent Il Guardiano 2010 Montecucco Sangiovese red wine.
They fed me until I was stuffed. My gluttonous desire caught up to me that I had to raise the white flag early and agreed to an early offering of dessert. I complied even though the meat dish was not served yet. White chocolate cream with sorbet was the dessert. It serves as a period to end of an excellent dinner that night.
The only regret that I had with this place was that I never had a chance to sample their daunted Spaghetti Carbonara. I was lost in the moment of Chef Moncelino dishes that it totally slipped out of my mind as one of the key dishes to try.
Chef Moncelino’s contemporary approach to Roman cuisine combined with his technique and creativity earned Pipero Al Rex a Michelin star after a year it opened and held on to it this year. In just almost three years of existence this restaurant has become one of the Eternal City’s top restaurants.
The combination of Alessandro’s personality and Chef Moncelino culinary magic makes dining at Pipero Al Rex an experience that I will never forget. It is truly an excellent restaurant that needs to be visited when in Rome.
For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be elaborate. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to consider about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your pharmacist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are as a rule able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may include erectile malfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other people even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.
The Deli
The Deli from Benjamin Chew on Vimeo.
Innocenti Evasioni *
Innconeti Evasioni
Via Privata della Bindellina
20155 Milan, Italy
02 33001882
Official Website
Innocenti Evasioni in Milan was the first Michelin starred restaurant I visited on my week long trip in Italy last month. Located about 15 minutes taxi ride from the city center, this restaurant is situated in a quiet and small residential street.
Two chefs Tommaso Arrigoni and Eros Picco took over Innocenti Evasionin back in 1998, and turned it to a Michelin starred dining establishment. The menu changes monthly and the chefs take on Italian cuisine is an incorporation of their own modern twist. It’s best described as “playful cooking” (in a 2011 article High End Dining in Italy.) by former NY Times food critic Frank Bruni.
Once my dining companion and I arrived for our 8 pm reservation, we were the only ones in the dining room along with sommelier and the two servers. Unlike in the U.S., dinner in Europe usually starts at 9 pm, so for the first hour we had the place all to ourselves.
The dining room is quiet and serene. It overlooks a Japanese garden that serves as back drop. The space is full of round tables covered in white table cloth and red-cushioned old wooden chairs. The walls looked like they needed to be repainted, and red tiled flooring seemed like it was there on their opening night. Though outdated, the décor added to charm of Innocenti Evasioni.
Our dinner started well with an amuse-bouche of fried pasta, with vegetable puree and thinly sliced raw fish. We were both eager to savor our very first meal in Italy, that we decided to forgo the bread basket despite of the aroma and appeal it exuded.
For starters, we had the Octopus and the Cardi or Cardoon, the only vegetarian dish in the menu.Cardoon’s similar texture to a half boiled potato is seasoned accordingly. The octopus meat on the other hand was firm and tender, breaks easily using minimal force. The dish is plated with tomatoes, cheese and powdered dehydrated olives sprinkled throughout the plate. It’s one messy plate of goodness. Both dishes were quite palatable.
Our pasta dishes were the freshly made Ravioli and Gnocchi. I liked the ravioli and it stuffing of mushroom, which was topped with cream sauce and beans. But the gnocchi, with its fish cheek confit and shell fish sauce, also packed a lot flavor.
The Fillet of Beef for the main course is a lovely piece of flavorful beef. The beef’s outer layer was gloriously roasted, creating a crusty texture while the inside is soft and juicy. The sauce added a touch of sweetness to the meat. The other main course was The Swordfish. Presented with pieces of thinly sliced mushroom, it blankets a nice cut of sword fish meat that is moist and clean. In addition, this was drizzled with puree’s of spinach and nutmeg, which provided another level to its multiple layers of flavor.
We let the sommelier pick a bottle of white. We gave her our budget and wanted something fruity with some acidity. She came through with an excellent bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that paired well with our meal.
To cap off an excellent meal, we had the dessert sampler which was more than enough for two. It consisted of four dessert items from the dessert menu that the kitchen handpicks for the table. My dining companion, who is a devout dessert enthusiast, enjoyed the sampler very much.
We were tempted to go for the tasting menu priced at 68 Euro’s. but instead decided to go a la carte. Tasting menu is usually more economical way to go when dining in Europe, but at Innocenti Evasioni, a la carte prices are reasonable. Between the two of us, we both had three courses each and shared a dessert sampler and a bottle of wine for 157 euros (212 US dollars).
The service was top notch, attentive and polite. Language barrier was never an issue and that night, one of the chefs, Eros Piccos, was present. He introduced himself to us, explained the menu and took our orders. He even brought some dishes to our table. A gesture in which I was unaccustomed to back in the US since I have never had a chef introduce himself/herself before the start of the dinner in my years of dining out. It’s usually during or at the end of the meal, the chef decides to show up in the dining room.
My visit at Innocenti Evasioni gave me an idea what the dining culture is like in Italy. It’s a slow paced where diners can take their time and not be rushed unlike in places such as New York. In between courses takes a little longer than what I’m used to. The restaurant allows you to digest your previous dish before the next one arrives.
Innocenti Evasioni delivers high quality food with hospitality to match at a reasonable price. A top notched restaurant that is worth the cab ride outside the city center.
Before I went on this trip, I did my homework on the best places to dine in Milan, and yet I was still undecided up until that morning. I guess some things are just better left to the last minute because my experience at this restaurant was nothing short of phenomenal. I was glad that I had my first dinner ever in Milan at the Innocenti Evasioni.
For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be elaborate. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a treatment prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to regard about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your pharmacist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In supplement, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are ordinarily able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may turn on erectile dysfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other folk even if their state appears to be the same as yours.
Foodies: The Culinary Jetset
Foodies Promo from B-Reel on Vimeo.
The interest in haute cuisine has grown exponentially. Now, we enter the world of one of the most influential people on the food scene – the foodie. A subculture of blogging food critics with a mission to eat at the best restaurants on earth. Through our close study, we get access to the world’s most exclusive restaurants and get to know a group of slightly bizarre but charming food maniacs. (B-REEL.COM)