Jumping out of my taxi I’m worried that I’ll be too late to dine at All’Oro, the ballet having overrun slightly. Yet worrying was needless and the staff at All’Oro welcomed me with big smiles and the bubbly Italian spirit that one only finds in Italy.
I’m fortunate enough to be staying at The First Luxury Art Hotel so am able to (over-)indulge in some wine, my lodgings being so near. To celebrate this resolution, the sommelier presents a curved line of glasses. Firstly I am poured the Metodo Classico Italiano La Grazianella, a spumante from the Piedmont region. This was clearly an Italian’s champagne and had a nice, smooth, and slightly sparkling taste. At this junction I was presented with a bread basket full of the most intriguing articles: bread with saffron, bread with salt and ciabatta. A side plate was filled with olive oil from Lazio. A mineral rich, greeny yellow colour, it was fantastically good and smooth like water although with a slight after-kick on the palate. A fabulous olive oil, the temptation to dunk those pieces of bread into the small pond was irresistible…
A small appetizer of Carbonara is presented. The waiter informs me, in earnest voice and with a jesting grin that due to the economic crisis in Italy there is no spaghetti with this. Laughing away I pop the spoon into my mouth…A really rich and creamy sauce, with a fluffy cover of Parmesan lingers on my palate. A sumptuous dish, it justifies the lack of any carbohydrates and whilst it is slightly heavy, it is a small and delicious initiation into contemporary Italian cuisine, topped with a Michelin star.
My second glass is promptly filled with Geoffroy Expression Champagne, another sparkling and smooth wine that is a little oaky with hints of pears and oranges. It has a slightly acidic aftertaste and tastes more like a wine but accompanies my next course marvelously.
The first dish presented was the Smoked buffalo’s mozzarella “Panna cotta” with lobster and potato croquette. This dish reminded me of the arancini that the Italians are so famous for, only it was a far superior version. Its presentation was in a tea cup. The first taste alerts me that the chef knows what he is doing for the seasoning is unquestionably perfect. Rock salt in the cheese with the fried croquette, filled with warm, soft potatoes and mouth-watering delicate strips of lobster was a divine combination of ingredients that satisfies everyone’s taste buds.
The charming waiters remove my dish and a Blanc de Blancs Bruno Michel is poured into my third glass. It is exclusive to All’Oro and they have made an excellent choice on this monopoly. My notes say ‘green smell’ and I guess it was just an overwhelming fresh and clean taste that flowed down my pipes. The wine is elegant, smooth, robust and deep and I kept the glass with me throughout the night.
Dessert came early with the “Tiramisu” of potato and baccala’ with lardo of Conta Senese. A dish that was almost like rillettes, but of cod, with flavours of cocoa and olive oil dressing the potato and baccala, it was even better than dessert. Whilst the flavours didn’t counter each other out, their combination was lush, sitting on top of those softly broken potatoes.
A simple wine, the Greco di tufo Pietracupa 2012 followed the lovely “Tiramisu”, a wine that was sweet and simple. The fourth dish was the Fassona beef sushi with truffles, parmesan and balsamic vinegar using all traditional Italian ingredients. The Piedmont beef was delicately wrapped in truffles and parmesan. Topped with parsley, and with a generous amount of salt applied allowed for a sophisticated and sumptuous dish which shone in all its Italian glory, doing justice to the Michelin star All’Oro has gained.
The Mascarpone ravioli with duck ragout and red wine reduction was washed down with the Chianti classico Fattoria del cerro 2012. The Chianti was a little young and so had a little too much tannin yet the wine smelt of grape juice and with a smooth and sweet taste, was perfect for the ravioli. There wasn’t much release by way of the wine reduction within and so the dish was reliant on external ingredients, which is by no means a bad thing. The dish was smooth, a little creamy and the meat was succulent. The combination of a drop of balsamic, parmesan and meat was irresistible.
At this point I reflected. A Michelin star denotes sophistication but not necessarily extravagance. Obviously, some of the ingredients used are very special but it is the excellent combination of these which are truly spectacular. A Michelin starred restaurant is like the upper-class society: it has nothing to prove, yet is welcoming and pleasant to all. After this reflection I felt like slipping upstairs and changing into my pyjamas. The atmosphere at All’Oro is one of total relaxation and the ease with which one can do so is a compliment to the set-up.
Yet I was deterred in my ideas by the broth-filled cappelletti with parmesan, saffron and lemon, the piece de resistance. Hot liquid is contained inside the cappelletti for a real wow factor. The acid of the lemon was balanced by the generous use of saffron and cheese. The cappelletti didn’t dissolve but the broth was a luscious release and the lemon rind lingers long enough for a truly wonderful merging of the distinct flavours.
The selection of lamb with wild chicory and a cacio e pepe macaron was next on the menu. A cheese filled macaroon was sweet and milky. The wild chicory with the minty lamb, coated with mint galore was a really sophisticated dish and one which calls for a savouring of each flavour. A hearty round off to the savoury dishes, my dessert followed quickly.
Tiramisu’ All’oro with Vin Santo Da Sangallo Fattoria del cerro 2007. The Tiramisu had an igloo meringue surrounding it and the base had absorbed the coffee liquid – tiramisu as only the Italians know how. One thing I will say about this tiramisu is the delightful lack of cream which was replaced by the subtly sweet meringue. Accompanied by the Vin Santo, a slightly acidic and lively, yet not excessively sweet, dessert wine was a sensational round-off to the glorious gastronomic experience that All’Oro presented me.
The Petit Fours were then served – a comprehensive and innovative selection. The staff were all so very lovely and the service impeccable. Surrounded by the contemporary Italian art that the hotel offers and digesting contemporary Italian cuisine, you can’t go wrong dining at All’Oro and it is a firm fixture on the gourmand’s to-do list when in Rome.
Restaurant All’Oro
The First Luxury Art Hotel Roma
Via del Vantaggio, 14 – 00186 Roma
T. +39.06.97.99.69.07
info@ristorantealloro.it
http://www.ristorantealloro.it/#
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