Tag Archives: Italian

Carmelo Greco, Frankfurt

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Frankfurt is filled with financiers and businessmen who need a good feed and consequently the fine dining scene is thriving.

Carmelo Greco is a refined ristorante serving authentic Italian cuisine using the freshest produce, and as the weather changes the dishes transform making the most of seasonal ingredients. Chef Carmelo Greco is clearly very passionate about food, he hopes every guest will love their dining experience, whether they are visiting for a simple bowl of pasta or lingering over his immaculate tasting menu.

Carmelo insisted on preparing a special menu just for us, and our lovely smiley waitress introduced each course as it arrived from the kitchen. Initially I was a little disappointed as I had spotted several dishes I was desperate to try on the a la carte list, but I had to trust the man who seemed to be delighting the diners all around us, and sure enough his suggestions didn’t disappoint.

The meal began, as every meal should, with a glass of pink champagne, which we sipped whispering politely and observing the relaxed but smart ambience in the restaurant and the simple but attractive decor. We were seated at a lovely corner table, ideal for surveying the other guests. Wary not to fill up on bread, we only nibbled at the homemade olive loaf.

Mini amuse-bouches of melon with prosciutto and scallop with chorizo and cold pear soup whet our appetite; a taste of things to come. Starters were rich but petite, a creamy duck foie gras that had the texture of butter and pear ice-cream topped with Belper Knolle cheese shavings for me. My guest was thrilled to have Atlantic lobster placed in front of her: coral pink fleshy shellfish with tapioca and orange and olive oil sorbet. She loved the seafood but found the combination of flavours a little alarming.

The next course was delivered in response to my initial rant about ‘loving ravioli more than anything’. As if by magic Ravioli with Parmesan and Sicilian tomatoes arrived. It was exquisite, incredibly fresh and with a nice bite, I could eat this delicious hand-crafted pasta for every meal, everyday, it was THAT good.

For main course we tried Breton red mullet with peach and onion mousse, and Pigeon breast with polenta, cheese and pomegranate. Both were beautifully presented, carefully assembled meat or fish surrounded by ornamental vegetables. The pigeon was particularly impressive, perfectly cooked and coated in a crumbly powdery crust. The fish with a grilled golden edge and pristine white inside was paired with a soft sweet mousse.

The staff warned us about the bizarre dessert: soufflé with vegetable minestrone! The soufflé was light and airy, a sweet delight, thinly sliced and cubed vegetables definitely took on a new personality as the base of the soufflé though I still found the combination strange. Italian dessert wine was a welcome accompaniment to our pudding.

We left the restaurant almost hugging our waitress goodbye, she had been so accommodating, helpful and friendly, offering the most genuine service I have ever experienced. This personal touch, alongside the delicious and inspiring food makes Carmelo Greco a very special restaurant.

More information and book here: www.carmelo-greco.de/en/

Many thanks to the Frankfurt Tourist board for their help with this trip, more information here.

Cafe Murano, St James’

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Murano has received rave reviews since opening… Angela Hartnett’s irresistible Italian style dishes are so very delicious and the design and ambience of the restaurants encourage diners to relax and indulge. To cater for a younger crowd, in November 2013, Angela opened Café Murano in St James’ – it is a delectable and sophisticated little eatery serving up less complex dishes but similar in style to the original Murano.

Hartnett says of her newest venture: “I wanted to create a restaurant that you could drop in and eat in every day. The menu takes a simpler approach to Northern Italian cooking and we print it every day.” No two days have the same menu, although I guarantee you’ll want to return and eat the same meal you tried on your first visit.

Don’t be deceived by the word café in the title, this restaurant is gorgeous and stylish with glossy wooden tables and romantic flickering candles. The bar buzzes with quiet excitement, as guests scoff truffle arancini whilst slouching elegantly against the pale marble surface. Parched from the walk down Piccadilly, we swiftly ordered a carafe of refreshing house white. Everything we tried was exquisite, but the pasta particularly impressed. I can still recall the indulgent rabbit risotto, and the delightfully springtime Farfalle with ham and peas, a colourful bowl of joy.  Side dishes are equally appetising, a range of seasonal fresh greenery and rich treats. For dessert we opted for a boule of ice-cream which is always available in an assortment of imaginative flavours like sour green apple sorbet.

If you have never been the type to lick your plate clean, you will be now… the creamy sauces, tasty marinades and addictive seasoning are irresistible. I can’t think of a restaurant in London where I have tasted such scrumptious Italian cooking.

More information and book here: www.cafemurano.co.uk

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN, Gelato making class at Snowflake, Soho

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“So it’s ice cream, then”, said a friend of mine, nonplussed, as I told him what my next write-up was. “I don’t know why they insist on calling it gelato, just call it ice cream”. After my latest experience at Snowflake Gelato, I know now why “they” insist on the separation of ice cream and gelato, and why from now on I shall insist on it too.

Snowflake’s proprietor Asad set out to make gelato with one guiding principle: the best of everything. When one’ product consists of milk, sugar, cream, and then one or two all natural ingredients, from strawberries to caramel to rich pistachio or spiky mint, there is nowhere to hide if they aren’t absolutely top notch quality. You won’t find any fluorescent green mint chocolate chip in Snowflake, because the mint flavour is made from freshly blitzed mint leaves; if you order the strawberry or blood orange (and I advise you to do so), strawberry and blood orange is exactly what you’re getting, and nothing else. All of this wonderful produce is lovingly crafted by energetic head chef Paolo, to deliver the stunning spectrum of flavours available from the tortuously inviting glass display case in Snowflake’s Soho store.

There is some science that goes into the taste sensation that blows “ice cream” clean out of the water. Less air in the mixture gives a much denser flavour on the palate, and the process of blast chilling the freshly made gelati and sorbetti stops the ice crystals from forming too large, preserving the impossibly silky smooth texture. There’s even less fat compared to normal ice cream, which compensates with extra cream to achieve that desired smoothness. So – and I think this is the first time I’ve ever said this, as those who know my diet will attest – the tastier option really is the healthier option. That extra scoop wasn’t that bad after all, then.

As a privileged member of the press, I was even allowed into the inner sanctum to try my hand at making my own sorbetto and gelato. Under the watchful eye of Paolo and Asad, we sliced and diced and blended and churned, and in a matter of two hours we had four flavours done, dusted, and thoroughly sampled. But fear not, you too can see behind the curtain, and chance your arm in Snowflake’s laboratory. For groups of up to ten, Paolo will whisk you around the world in a chilled culinary adventure, with the added bonus of eating what you produce. The opportunity to see the passion that goes into making truly great gelato is to be missed, so get in before the summer rush truly takes off in earnest. For you West London purists not keen on venturing into the maelstrom of summertime Soho, fear not, your friendly neighbourhood gelateria’s original location is situated in lovely Westbourne Grove, so there are no excuses for not getting yourself down to dig in to the frozen treats that await.

More information on Snowflake here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.