Reale Castel di Sangro

“Interrogate the product until it confesses to its strengths.”
As I taste the new menu at @ristorantereale from Niko Romito in Abruzzo, this old advertising strategy saying comes to mind again.
The phrase is attributed to famous British adman Robin Wight (1979-1999), known for advocating the approach of starting by discovering an unequivocal truth about the product and then exploiting it to its fullest extent.
And here I am thinking about this at Niko’s restaurant where they question each ingredient extensively, one at a time, exploring its limits and possibilities, discovering its essence and making it shine.
In a process which often involves extraction, reduction, and concentration in search of more depth of flavour and spectrum of textures for each ingredient.
And then expressing it with simplicity, pureness, and minimalism. Remember “L’assoluto di cipolle” (“The Absolute Onion”)?
This plant-based menu asks again the same questions. How far can a leaf of broccoli go? (“Broccoli leaf and anise”, here in the picture) Or, a humble potato? (“Potato soup”). Niko will show you.
You just have to close your eyes to conventional thinking and let yourself go. Less

This collage was all the dishes included in the vegetables menu at Reale in March 2022. It is a menu that shows a lot of confidence, techniques, sophistication, and forward thinking. When you put these singular colored and seemingly simple dishes together like in this collage, there lies a colorful, vibrant spectrum of flavors and textures. The simplicity of the presentation makes it unexpectedly mind boggling when I tasted the multiple dimensions Chef Niko developed from singular or just few ingredients, often the results of many years of research and experiments. Even their bread course took incredible amount of time to perfect.

I found Chef Niko so “Japanese”, much more so than many chefs in Europe who claimed to be Japanese inspired, despite nothing in his food is japanese related nor has he travelled to Japan. The fundamental mentality is parallel - they both want to showcase the optimal possible facet of each ingredient and elevate it without the use of excessive add-on.

The approach and technique of how Japanese vs Chef Niko do their cuisine are nothing similar - Japanese chefs try to optimize by accentuating the purest taste of the ingredients; Chef Niko transforms the ingredients into different forms and put them back together, almost like a reconstruction of the ingredient itself to a single unit again, alternating everything within but maintaining loyalty to the mono-ingredient. Japanese do it to preserve the traditions ; Chef Niko does it to push Italian cooking techniques forward to another phase.

Because the food by Chef Niko is like an art form and art is highly subjective, I can see Reale may not be for everyone. After all it is up to the audience, whether they can connect and resonate with the artist and their arts. I felt so happy during and after the meal as I was intrigued, inspired, and in awe in many occasions. Even after two months, I still remember and savor the dishes. My writing is not enough to express my feelings of Chef Niko’s food as they are so complex under the simple presentations, it is at the highest level of gastronomy. I can for sure tell you that this is one of my favorite meals ever in my life Less

(SWIPE FOR MORE PICS) We stayed at Casadonna Reale as we know they are famous for the breakfast and we had dinner so it was more convenient not to have to drive after. What you see here are everything they already included with the breakfast, you can order more from the menu or also add some a la carte items but this was already substantial enough for us. I put the breakfast menu at the end.

Some of the items we had :
Brioche with chocolate • Brioche with custard cream
Melba toast • Ferratella • Apple tart
Plum-cake with carrots and almonds
Whole grain bread with chocolate and black cherries
Solina, saragolla and perciasacchi bread
Manteca butter • Organic jams • White yogurt
Casadonna wildflower honey
Scrambled egg and omelette
Etc.

The juice extractions : GREEN celery, fennel, lemon
YELLOW apple, pineapple, pear
Were great 😄

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #sweet #breakfast #egg #chocolate #juice #butter Less

16 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗮 (pic 1-3)
@[instagram] (March 2022)

This was an add-on dessert from a la carte menu and the final dish of the meal. I knew it is a signature here and really wanted to try. Although this is a dessert, it is not meant to be sweet and has no sugar. There was a yellow extraction of passionfruit, brown emulsions of cocoa, hazelnut and almond, coffee powder at the base, gentian root ice cream in the middle, tarragon and toasted saffron.

The whole idea is to have a “sweet” without being sweet, and I love that idea. I am a big fan of unconventional dessert like ginseng or deodeok (root of bonnet bellflower) ice cream in Korea or sorrel snow in nordic countries and this dessert was pushing boundaries to the next level by forgoing not just sweet components but also sweet flavor. Video 3 shows the texture, you need to eat all the elements together. What I found interesting was that usually we did not include bitterness in desserts and we found it ok. Now we remove sweetness and will we really miss it? Why do we discriminate against bitterness? Isn’t it just one of the flavors like black is one of the colors? And is sweetness really needed in a dessert? This dish is almost philosophical in a way, I found it very intellectually simulating.

And at the end of the dessert I found myself not really missing the sweetness. This dish was created in 2009. Now we are 2022 and this is still so forward thinking (and chic!). Just that Chef Niko was more than a decade ahead of us.

Pic 4-6 are the petits fours, which included plum marinated in vinegar, "Ferratelle" (the crunchy biscuit, pic 6), a small bite with white chocolate, caramel, coffee & black pepper, and a nut infusion.

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #sweet #dessert #gentian Less

15. Arancia
𝗢𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲
@ristorantereale (March 2022)

We had two desserts but I am writing them separately as they were so spectacular. The center of this dessert was orange gelato. Oranges cooked in syrup were used in two ways: the juice is used as the sauce , and the slices on top of the ice cream. The most interesting part is the cream which was made with the white pith in between the peel and the orange flesh. The whole point was to provide the dimension of bitterness with the orange itself. Super genius to me.

The dessert was finished with saffron gin , citron oil , ginger, and extraction of lemon leaf. It was so delicious and refreshing, in fact the bitterness from the pith is what made the dish extraordinary. I love it so much 🧡

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #sweet #dessert #orange #bitter #gelato Less

6.1 Anguilla, limone, aglio arrostito e peperoncino
𝗘𝗲𝗹, 𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻, 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶 𝗽𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 (pic 1-3)

6.2 Costine di agnello e maionese di patate
𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗯 𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗲𝘀 (pic 4-7)

Because it was our first time to visit Reale, we ordered two extra a la carte (fish and meat) to share just out of curiosity. The marinated eel (new dish pic 1-3) was grilled and served with garlic cream, topped with a bit of oil, lower of lemon and chilli pepper. The eel itself had a bouncy and gelatinous texture which I loved, and the fact that it didn’t get overglazed with sauce like in many restaurants, I thought this was so pure with just a touch of additional seasoning to elevate.

Lamb ribs (pic 4-7) looked amazing with the fat and meat ratio, they were steamed first hence very moist and then grilled on pan which gave more texture. A hint of smokiness came through and they told us after that it was smoked with aromatic herbs. Very tasty.

Both dishes were fantastic BUT I completely agree with Chef Niko, this menu does not need any meat to be better or fulfilling. It is perfect the way it is.

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #eel #lamb #potato #lemon Less

10. Fagioli e bieta
𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 (Pic 5-7)

13. Radicchio e arachidi
𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘂𝘁𝘀 (Pic 1-4)

@ristorantereale (March 2022)

I put these two dishes together in one post because both of them involved a lightly creamy and soupy texture that gave a lot of soothing comfort when eating, and the two ingredients in each dish worked in such harmony.

For the first dish (pic 5-7), Borlotti (cranberry beans) appeared in 3 textures: sauce at the base, purée of beans, then soft cooked beans on top. Swiss chard was lightly cooked and glazed with Swiss chard extraction. I loved the feeling when I started scooping the contents with my spoon - it was so smooth, almost sensual. The bitterness of the Swiss chard and the beans came in such balancing act - like a little bit more bitterness it would become too strong; a little less it would make no difference. The ratio of flavors was perfect.

The radicchio and peanut dish looked almost like a painting (pic 1-2)❣️ Radicchio was put in foil and baked till soft. There was peanut paste at the bottom, then peanut water around. On top was radicchio extract. The initial taste was the bitterness from radicchio but slowly got mellowed out by the nutty peanut flavor. The salt level in the peanut paste, the fluidity of the peanut water, you must eat everything together (video3), the harmony of the ingredients was mind boggling 😌

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #borlotti #extraction #peanut Less

(SWIPE FOR MORE PICS) 14. Cavolfiore gratinato
𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲́𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿
@ristorantereale (March 2022)

One of the signatures at Reale that continues to evolve over time. For the version I had. The globe of cauliflower was steamed then macerated for a week. One part was gratineed and the other part they extracted the water and made a glaze on top. The base was a cauliflower cream with the cauliflower scraped from oven and cooked on pan.

Every component and flavor on this plate came from cauliflower, nothing else. The solo ingredient that created such diverse layers of flavors and textures :

• The center was a concentrated flavor of cauliflower, so tender

• The top was velvety and smooth, like a glaze we do in Chinese cuisines for velveting ingredients and gave another layers of flavor, but this time only from cauliflower itself. In between a hint of grilled aroma permeated

• The bottom cream, wow, tasted like a miso paste to me, savory and so intense in umami.

Everything together was so complex, yet it was just cauliflower. I love every bits of it as it was so “simplistic” but still made my palate dance and my head 🤯 Mono-ingredient expressed in the highest level

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #bestmeal #cauliflower #extraction #water #miso Less

9. Infuso di bosco con ravioli di mandorla
𝗙𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗥𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗶 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗹𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (pic 6-9)

11. Linguine e peperone
𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 (Pic 1-5)

@ristorantereale (March 2022)

First pasta of the menu was fresh ravioli filled with almond purée in an intense flavored mushroom broth (pic 5-6). My Asian association to the broth is the image of bak kuh teh as it has a strong herbaceous and earthy note which was familiar for me, but with the almond filling in the ravioli it became another flavor profile which surprised me.

Second pasta was linguine with red pepper (pic 1-2) which sounded straightforward but of course it wasn’t. The pasta was pan sautéed with salty lemon and anchovy oil, red pepper extraction made from red peppers that were charcoal roasted and reduced, and two kinds of powder red pepper powder for its sweetness & dried pepper powder for bitterness 🤯. Wow

I love this whole thinking process because most of the time we tried hard to extract as much sweetness as possible from red pepper, but here Chef Niko tried to bring out the bitter attribute of red pepper. But the most intriguing part is that when the bitterness was present, the sweetness also got amplified, like when you put white with black in a painting, the black becomes more black. The little touch of salty lemon (citrusy and savory) and anchovy oil (umami) brought the red pepper flavors to another level. The overall result is that with just red pepper they created a complex flavor profile and an elevated taste level as a whole.

How genius is that?

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #bestmeal #ravioli #pasta #linguine #sweet #bitter Less

3 of my favorite trio of leafy vegetables, all with very different textures and flavor profiles @ristorantereale (March 2022):

5. Foglia di broccolo e anice
𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗶 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲 (pic 1-3)
• one of the signatures at Reale, broccoli leaf was marinated in brine solution then brushed with broccoli extract and anise when cooked. The broccoli flavor was so elevated with an expected nuance from anise. So simple but so wow 🤯 I mopped the plate clean

8. Verza arrosto
𝗥𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗯𝗯𝗮𝗴𝗲 (pic 4-5)
• They said that this dish took 5 years ago develop, Savoy cabbage was steamed and matured for 30 days, then they only took the hearts and served.

The base was potato purée which gave a creamy texture, while the brown top was made with all the bits of the matured leaves leftover and cooked on pan to become a cream. They then spread it on top. This had so much umami like a very balance sauerkraut but with so much more texture contrast. My head 🤯 again

12. Arrosto di indivia con patate e rosmarin
𝗥𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 (pic 6-8)
• This is one of my favorite courses on this menu. The process was complicated as they explained:
4 pieces of endives each marinated in potato water (extraction of water of potato) with a lot of starch so each layer got a very velvety texture and some acidity. Then it was grilled with glaze of potato water and rosemary extract.

The grilling created a very crispy top like layers of thin chips while the inside was soft and smooth because of the potato water marinade. I had never experienced endive like this or in this flavor.

Every of these dishes used the one main ingredients but taking all parts and all forms through extraction or further processing with minimal addition of flavors but the elevation was so noticeable. Even the same ingredient like potato in two dishes did not have any trace of overlapped taste or texture. Completely mind blown 🤯 🤯🤯🤯 and so delicious. Less

3. (Pic 1-2) Cipolla rossa, Vermouth e pepe rosa
𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗣𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿

7. (Pic 3-5) Sedano rapa, nocciola e cardamomo
𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗰, 𝗛𝗮𝘇𝗲𝗹𝗻𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗺
@ristorantereale (March 2022)

The use of extraction is seen all over the menu but they came from different sources and achieve different purposes. Red onion was baked whole in foil in the oven, which created almost like a steaming effect, and grilled at the end for a textural contrast of crispy on the top and soft inside. Drops of vermouth, drops of pink pepper extract and a little bay leaf extract together with acidity cream (pic 2) gave layers of flavors from bitterness to herbaceous note to hint of peppery aroma which accentuated the onion flavor

Celeriac was baked in salt then sliced thin for the top part while turning into tender filling underneath. The emulsion of hazelnut (pic 5) in the base with extraction of cardamom gave a balance profile of bitterness and earthiness.

Both dishes allow me to experience the ingredients in flavors I never associated them with before!

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #bestmeal #dinner #redonion #vermouth #pinkpepper #celeriac Less

Normally I go through dishes one by one in sequence of the menu but for @ristorantereale I wouldn’t do it the normal way as it is not a conventional restaurant. Chef @nikoromito has the “brushstrokes” of an artist on the plates but with the wisdom of a scientist. He develops techniques and scientific approaches in his lab that update on traditional Italian cooking and flavors but he expresses it with such beauty of simplicity and so much emotions and personality that every dish is cutting edge yet such a work of art ❤️

Our tasting menu happened to be a very bold vegetable menu (pic 4) with the option to add a la carte (pic 5). We started our meal with pistachio foam (pic 2, in the small bowl) followed swiftly by “Gelato di piselli”
(Green pea gelato), raw green peas, black pepper, and green pea extraction. The very fresh taste of pea in cold temperature reminded me of having salty edamame to start a meal in Japan. Acidity from the fermented pea extraction provided a good balance while adding more concentrated flavor of peas. A bed of pea purée at the bottom and the peas themselves soft and moist. It was such a refreshing way to awake the tastebuds; all with just peas.

Carota (Carrot, Pic 3) came next with a base extracted from carrot marinated in black olives. It came in purée, sliced form glazed with carrot caramel. Once again a sense of freshness came with vibrancy like a cold breeze. I so love the beginning already, it was so “simple” on the plate but so complex with the taste

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #bestmeal #dinner #peas #carrot Less

Back in the days we (at least I) always had the impression that when travelling in Italy, the best places to eat were the small trattorias or osterias for some hearty homecooking while fine dining was more filling than fulfilling 😅. But in recent years the scene has definitely changed, with many fine dining establishments finding their ways to strike balance in refinement, excitement. satisfaction, and even intellectually stimulating. Just a few examples, @ristorantelido84 by Chef Riccardo Camanini, @ristoranteuliassi by Chef @maurouliassi , D’O by Chef @davideoldani are all fine dining restaurants with different style of interpreting Italian cuisine and expressing it with chef’s own personality.

In my most recent trip in Italy in March 2022, I had one of the most intriguing meals in recent years, right at one of the biggest names in Italy, @ristorantereale by chef @nikoromito . We had been traveling for a week from Rome to south of Italy hitting Naples, then all the way back to Reale after we had amazing pizza tasting at @pepe_ingrani by my favorite pizza master @francopepeingrani ❤️. After 3 and 1/2 hours of driving, we reached Casadonna Reale, where we stayed for the night, settled with our luggages and got ready to have dinner at the restaurant in the same establishment.

I had high expectation only that the meal exceeded every aspect of it

#littlemeg_best2022 #littlemeg_europe2022March

#littlemeg_italy #littlemeg_casteldisangro #littlemeg_reale #reale #casadonnareale #nikoromito #theartofplating #gastroart #gastronogram @gastroart @theartofplating @gastronogram #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #instagramers #gourmet #amazing #iphonesia #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily @theworlds50best #bestmeal #dinner #intriguing #mindblowing Less