Mangia Pizza is a small picturesque Pizzeria located in Florence, Italy. It is located just off the main street filled with tourists and boutique shops. The Pizzeria is on a very picturesque street, that is only accessible by walking. As you walk in, there are only a few tables and one small pizza oven inside. When we went there, we ordered the Margherita pizza, which came with a homemade sauce, and chunks of bufala (buffalo) mozzarella. The pizzaiolo (a chef who specializes in making pizzas) cuts the tomatoes and mozzarella right in front of you, as well as knead and stretch the dough by hand. Once in the oven, the pizza only takes a few minutes to cook because of the very hot temperature, and comes out sizzling and smelling amazing.
As I opened the box, I was hit with the smell of the aromatic tomato sauce and the richness of the mozzarella. As I bit into the pizza, I first tasted the soft dough, followed by the smooth tomato sauce, and then the decadent mozzarella cheese. The dough was perfectly cooked and had a great texture that was perfectly chewy and soft, with crispy edges. The tomato sauce wasn’t too sweet like pizza sauce in the USA, and was fresh, with hints of thyme and rosemary. The star of the pizza was the mozzarella, which was by far the best cheese I had ever tasted. It was smooth and rich, yet also stretchy, and bubbly. Overall this pizzeria is worth a stop if you are in Florence, and is by far the best pizza I have ever tasted.
Ristorante Local is a Michelin-starred restaurant located along the quaint streets of Venice, Italy. Situated among the canals, Local sits in one of the most unique locations in the world. Local opened in 2015 and serves New Venetian cuisine under the executive chef, Salvatore Sodano. In 2022, just 7 years after opening, they were awarded their first Michelin star. The restaurant boasts very unique interior design, with an open kitchen, which guests can look into. In addition, some of the glassware is Murano glass, from the island of Murano, which is just a few miles north of Venice. Ristorante Local lives up to its name, as ingredients are locally sourced, and made into gourmet dishes using local techniques and traditions.
After walking through the beautiful streets, and over the canals of Venice, you will arrive at Ristorante Local, where you will be greeted by the hostess, who will take you to your table. The table we were given was in the back of the restaurant, right next to the dry aging refrigerator, which was full of gigantic tuna, lamb, and many other assortments of meat. Above the dry ager, there were shelves of fermenting vegetables, in jars, which was very unique decor.
Once we were seated, we were given the option between the 7 and 9 course dinner. After looking at the menu, we couldn’t resist choosing the 9 courses. Soon after ordering, the first course arrived from the kitchen.
For the first course, we were served cicchetti, which are small amuse-bouche-sized portions of food, which are served with aperitifs, to avoid drinking on an empty stomach. We were not told exactly what was in them, because the chefs rotate between options based on what is fresh that day. The first cicchetti was a bright yellow square with a type of fish with caviar on top. It tasted very good, and the caviar on top added a nice saltiness to the bite. The second cicchetti was a thin green cracker filled with cheese filling. The cracker was thin but still crispy, and the cheese filling was smooth and cold. The third cicchetti was triangles that were reminiscent of Indian samosas. Although we were unclear what was in them, they were very warm and delicious and were filled with delicious spices. The final cicchetti was a gelatinous blue orb. It had an ocean-like smell and tasted like seaweed and fish. It was very savory, salty, and fresh, which was a great way to end the course. Overall, the cicchetti was a very unique and delicious start to the evening and gave us a teaser of the meal ahead.
For the second course, we were served tuna, cucumber, and nervetti. Nervetti is a cartilaginous part of a calves leg and is a traditional staple in Venetian cuisine. The tuna was freshly caught, dry-aged, and had a great flavor that wasn’t too fishy. The cucumber, which was made into the green sauce, was fresh and fragrant, Pairing very well with the meaty tuna, and the nervetti. This was a delicious, super fresh, and well thought out dish with flavors that complement each other brilliantly.
The third course of the night was bread and olive oil. The bread was fresh out of the oven and still bursting with steam. The bread was sourdough, but also had rye and spelt flour in it. The rye and spelt gave the bread a slight nuttiness, which was really unique. Even though the bread was delicious, the star of the show was the olive oil. Fresh, authentic olive oil from the Tuscan countryside. The oil was extremely high quality and had an amazing flavor that is so different from olive oil at a grocery store. Pairing the bread and olive oil created the perfect combination of warm, nutty, and salty flavors. Overall this was an amazing course and made me realize how amazing olive oil can be, especially with good bread.
For the fourth course, we were served fresh blue crab. Blue crab is an invasive species to the Adriatic Sea, off the coast of Venice, and therefore is eaten in abundance. The crab was prepared very simply, with only a few ingredients served with it. The crab was super moist and tender and had so much salty flavor. There were some green pearls on the bottom, which added some nice freshness to the dish. The crab was seasoned just enough to bring out the subtle flavors, but not be overpowering, which was a great balance. Overall this was a great dish, that was simply yet very elegant and delicious.
For the fifth course, we were served pelusiello (the pasta), with red pepper and black lemon. The pasta was arranged in a pinwheel shape, which was very unique. As we expected, the pasta was perfectly al dente, with a great bite and chew. The red pepper and black lemon sauce has a nice acidity, whilst also having hints of sweetness, which paired very well with the pasta. The sauce was very strong, but not overpowering, because of the perfect quantity of pasta on the plate, which created a nice balance of flavors. Overall, this was a very simple dish with simple ingredients, but still had a wonderful taste and was perfectly executed by the chef.
For the sixth course, we were served a seafood risotto, made of mantis shrimp and seaweed. The dish was very elegantly plated, with six mounds of sea urchin on top. The risotto was perfectly creamy and had a great seafood flavor. The seaweed and spices added a great peppery and salty flavor to the dish. the sea urchin was soft and delicate, with a nice meaty flavor. All of the seafood had many fo the same types of flavors, which helped them create a very cohesive dish. Overall this was a delicous course that had very unique flavors that worked together perfectly.
For the 7th course, we were served the catch of the day, which was a type white fish (it was not specified which type), served with a green sauce. The fish was so tender and flavorful, and the inside was so juicy that it would flake apart every time you tried to eat it. The green sauce was fresh and complimented the meatiness of the fish very well. Overall this was a very delicious dish using very simple ingredients, yet was prepared very professionally and tasted amazing.
For the 8th course, we were served lamb with onion, which was accompanied by tofu, and medlars sauces. The lamb was perfectly cooked and was tender and juicy. The ratio of fat to meat was perfect and provided a very balanced bite every time. The onion had a great crunch and paired perfectly with soft and tender lamb. Both of the sauces were delicious and complimented the meaty flavors of the lamb. Overall, the flavors and textures in this dish were extraordinary, making this by far my favorite dish of the evening.
The 9th and final course was dessert, which was Venere rice, oxidized banana, and amaro. This dessert was unlike any other I had tasted before because the banana had been oxidized. When eating everything all together it almost tasted like a mixture between a banana split, and freeze-dried banana. It was very airy and smooth, and the flavors burst in your mouth. It is very hard to give it justice by just explaining it, you must go and try it for yourself. This was one of the most unique desserts I have ever had and tasted delicious as well. Ristorante Local thoroughly impressed us with the quality and taste of the food, as well as excellent service, which made for a night that I will never forget. Ristorante Local is one of the finest restaurants in Venice, and should definitely be on your bucket list.
Aroma is a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant, serving classic and refined Italian cuisine. Aroma is located on the top floor of the Palazzo Manfredi, a five-star luxury hotel in Rome, Italy. The executive chef, Giuseppe Di Iorio, has cooked at the restaurant since its founding in 2013. In 2015, just two years after opening, he helped the restaurant earn its first Michelin star. What separates Aroma from the 16 other Michelin-star restaurants in Rome is the view. Located less than 500 feet from the Roman Colosseum, Aroma has an unparalleled view that you cannot find anywhere else in the city. The tables are perfectly situated for everyone to have a view while they eat. In addition, because the restaurant is facing west towards the Colosseum, the sun perfectly sets behind it, adding to the already impressive view.
To get to the top floor of Palazzo Manfredi, you can either take the elevator, or there is a spiral staircase, that is adorned with pictures of famous people who have visited Aroma. Once at the top, the staff warmly greets you, and leads the way to your table on the terrace. There are five tasting menus to choose from at Aroma: Corinzio, Ionico, Dorico, Colle Oppio, and SmartMenu. When my family visited Aroma, we decided to do the Ionico, so that is the tasting menu that I will be talking about in this blog post.
A few minutes after deciding on our tasting menu, the servers brought the amuse bouches to the table. There were seven unique amuse bouches, all beautifully plated and presented. The first amuse was a very thin breadstick with flaky salt and Italian seasonings. The breadstick was very thin and crispy, and the salt enhanced the Italian flavors from the seasonings. The second amuse was a mini braided cracker, shaped like a mini bread roll. The shape of the cracker was very unique and differentiated it from crackers you would buy at a store. The third amuse was a arancini, which is a Sicilian fried rice ball with mozzarella cheese. The outside was perfectly crispy, with a great breaded flavor, while the inside was warm and cheesy, and added perfectly contrasted the outside. There was also a white, yogurt and basil-based sauce on the bottom, which added some freshness and coldness. The fourth amuse-bouche was a pakora, which is an Indian-style fried batter and zucchini ball. The pakora was sitting on a bed of cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom pods, which gave it a very autumn-like smell. The pakora with very moist and soft, and had a very earthy taste from the cloves and nutmeg. Even though it didn’t fit in with the theme of Italian cuisine, it still tasted amazing and was definitely worth putting on the menu. The fifth amuse was a fried pasty filled with a cheese-type filling, almost like a savory cannoli. The outside pastry had a very nice crunch and buttery flavor, while the inside filling was smooth and savory, providing wonderful contrast, and a perfect bite. The sixth amuse was a leaf-shaped cracker with cod foam on top. The leaf cracker had a great crunch and paired perfectly with the cod foam, which was cold and soft. The 7th, and my favorite amuse was cherry tomato stuffed with buffalo mozzarella. On the outside, it looked like a regular tomato, but when you bite into it, it was like an explosion of creaminess, which was delicious.
After the delicious amuse’s, the first course was brought out, which was Marinated “scapece” char, velvety peas, and nut crumble. The dish was served in a very uniquely shaped bowl, which was very twisty. The scapece char was very smooth and was served at the perfect temperature, while the peas and nut crumble added a change of texture, and were crunchy. Overall this dish was perfectly balanced and had great texture and flavor. After finishing the first course, the servers whisked away our bowls, and soon after, our second course came.
For the second course, there was Mullet stuffed with broad beans and pecorino cheese, all plated beautifully with green sauce and basil. The mullet was like butter, and melted in your mouth, while the skin was crispy and had a crisp crunch. The broad beans were excellent and added another layer of contrasting textures. One of my favorite parts of the dish was the sauce, which had a distinct basil flavor and was really fresh. This dish was plated very elegantly and tasted even better, with complex layers of flavors, and textures.
For the third course we were served battered and fried sea bass, with fried artichokes, cheese, and basil sauce. The entire dish was plated with precision and looked very professional. The batter on the outside of the sea bass was crispy, while the inside was soft and warm. The basil sauce cut through the fried flavors in the dish, and added notes of earthy and freshness. The fried artichokes were crispy, and combined with the cheese and sauce, were an excellent combination. This dish was a contrast of fried and earthy flavors, but in the end was balanced perfectly, and made for one of the best dishes of the night.
The fourth course was white fish (I could not find which type), with roasted artichokes, and a rich blueberry sauce. The fish was very tender and juicy and would be so soft and melt in your mouth. The artichokes added a bit of crunch, which added to the complexity of textures. The blueberry sauce was rich and tangy and combined well with the light and simple flavor of the fish. The fish was not seasoned a lot, which allowed the blueberry sauce to stand out, and exert its flavors across the dish.
In between the fourth and fifth courses, there was a palette cleanser, which was sorbet in the shape of a green cherry. The sorbet was light and cold and cleansed the palette very nicely. It was very unique that the sorbet was shaped like a cherry, which shows the creativity and ingenuity of the chef. Underneath the imposter cherry was a bed of pop rocks. The pop rocks added a perfect crunch and made it very fun to eat. This was a very fun, yet also effective palette cleanser, that readied up for the final course.
The last course of the day was dessert, which was white chocolate “pizza dough” with tomato jam “sauce”, some white chocolate “cheese” dollops, and a chocolate crust, which was served with basil sorbet. The white chocolate and tomato jam paired well, and added a lot of sweetness and texture. The Tomato jam was sweet and had a tomato essence that was very good, but not too overpowering. The basil sorbet was also very cold and smooth and had a very nice basil flavor. It was a very nice contrast to the “pizza”, because it wasn’t too sweet, and instead had a somewhat savory taste from the basil. I really liked how the dessert looked like a pizza, but instead was sweet, which was a very creative move by the chef. Aroma is truly one of the finest restaurants in Rome, and should definitely be on your bucket list, not only for the food, but also for the spectacular views and memories that you will never forget.
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