Le Calandre is the restaurant of chef Max Alajmo, which has held 3 Michelin stars since 2002. The chef was solely 28 years previous again then, and thus turned the youngest chef with three Michelin stars of all time. This was the primary time we had been visiting this a part of Italy since our earlier dinner at Le Calandre in 2015, and so we had been glad to have the chance to return.
Upon arrival we seen instantly that there was nonetheless a ball of wool within the middle of the desk. This represents the chef’s motto: “Cooking is sort of a needle that, repeatedly passing by means of small holes, stretches a thread so skinny and powerful that it makes us all unconsciously tied collectively.” The restaurant has a big choice of dishes for a restaurant at this stage. There are three degustation menus by which you too can make some decisions, or you’ll be able to construct your individual 3, 4 or 5 course menu with dishes from all of the menus. The three degustation menus are all 8 programs for 280 euros. There may be one menu with the traditional dishes of the restaurant and two with novel dishes known as Max and Raf. We opted for Raf with wine pairing (150 euros, 5 completely different wines with refills, the primary 3 wines are paired with 2 dishes every).
We began with a glowing Verdicchio, as we had been curious to attempt it. Made with the traditional methodology and aged for 48 months on the lees.
The snacks to start out had been very nice.
The primary wine was a mix of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewurzrtraminer from Alto Adige (Italy), very fragrant.
This was an excellent pairing for the “Nudo e crudo”, which implies “bare and uncooked”. Six completely different appetizers of uncooked seafood. The “nude” refers back to the appetizers to be served immediately on the desk (on a sheet of transparant plastic although). This included lobster with caviar, calamari and scalliops, oyster, and shrimp. Scrumptious.
The second dish with the identical wine was a peanut paste that appeared like a light vegan goat cheese, to be unfold upon seed crisps, served with an asparagus salad.
The second wine was a Trebbiano d’Abruzzo by Valentini, a well-known white wine aged in oak barrels. Properly aged and complicated.
The wine was dropped at reside by the risotto with tuna tartare, that was misted with whiskey. The risotto was very al dente and the tuna very tender.
The wine was additionally an excellent pairing for the tortellini with a creamy sauce constructed from fishbones and caviar.
The third wine was a Rebula (Ribolla Gialla) orange wine from Slovenia, pores and skin maceration for 2 weeks and aged for 3 years in oak barrels.
This was first paired with the third and final primo: dumplings of black rice, a soup constructed from fish entrails, and a puree of recent fava beans. The dumplings supplied principally texture, the soup was fairly hefty, and the fava puree supplied a recent aspect.
The second dish with this wine was the secondo di pesce, a monkfish Rossini, with truffle, monkfish liver, and spinach. This was not as wealthy as an everyday Rossini and the monkfish was a bit dry. though that was compensated for by the liver and the sauce.
The wine with the secondo di carne was a 2013 Aglianico del Vulture, properly aged.
The younger sommelier likes massive glasses, because the glasses had been getting larger and larger with every wine. This glass was big and will simply include greater than a bottle in a single glass.
This was an excellent pairing for the pigeon with herbs and witlof. The pigeon was very tender and the jus very flavorful.
After the secondo the bread was eliminated, and the ball of wool returned to the desk. We confirmed the employees the photograph of Kees knitting ten years in the past, in order that they got here out with the knitting needles once more.
The dessert wine was a 2022 I Capitelli by Anselmi, a passito from Garganega much like Recioto di Soave. Properly candy and balanced.
First there was some properly marinated fruit.
The dessert was a gentle meringue with strawberries, mint, and verbena.
To complete there have been some good friandises.
Ten years in the past we had the classics menu and questioned whether or not the opposite menus had been extra inventive. This menu undoubtedly was extra inventive, however I’m uncertain if it was extra scrumptious. It was actually all technically excellent and a few dished had been scrumptious, however some dishes had been maybe extra of an acquired style. This time across the service and the pacing of the meal had been wonderful. Though I’d personally want a wine pairing with a distinct wine for every course (as having one wine for 2 programs is at all times a compromise), these wine pairings all labored. The wines had been maybe a bit on the astringent aspect, maybe a choice of the sommelier. And essential facet that remained was the continuous presence of the chef within the eating room. It is vitally clear how concerned the chef is and that a technique of holding three stars for 23 years is his unrelenting deal with the happiness of his friends.
