2023 has been undoubtedly a good year. I finally made it to 🌟🌟🌟 Le Calandre in Padua, a restaurant I’d wanted to visit for years. What makes this place special is not only the precisely executed creativity that characterizes every dish but also the wonderfully serene atmosphere and the warmth of the @alajmo family. Sophistication without the stuffiness, showmanship that never feels over the top.
Signatures did not disappoint: the sunny saffron risotto with a gentle and earthy note of licorice, the psychedelic Murrina cappuccino inspired by Murano glass that delivers the comforting creaminess of potato puree on the palate along with the umami depth of cuttlefish and uni. I also loved the vegetarian “forest tripe” stew of mushrooms, the perfect bite of tartare with truffles and, being from Louisiana, I had to order the deep fried soft-shell crab sandwich that arrived like an elevated Italian poboy. Delicious.
