RISTORANTE FRESCOBALDI X AURORA CAPRI

After a much enjoyable Winemaker's Dinner at Frescobaldi a few months back, I was very much excited to return for a special lunch by Guest Chef Franco Aversa, the A-list Head Chef from Aurora, Capri's most exclusive restaurant.

Aurora, the critically-acclaimed restaurant on the island of Capri in Italy's bay of Naples, is a family business owned by Mia D'Alessio; the kitchen led by her husband, Head Chef Franco. Known as one of Capri's oldest restaurants, it specializes in Mediterranean cuisine and traditional Neapolitan and Caprese cuisine, with Head Chef Franco's personal twist. 

Hungry with anticipation after browsing through the menu, we left our choices in the safe hands of the lovely Mia, who brought us a delightful selection of tasting dishes.

 We started with some tasty, crisp arancini balls and moreish courgette fries, followed by some seafood dishes such as the octopus salad with green beans, and grilled squid with a creamy potato velouté. The fish fillet was cooked beautifully, topped with a golden, crunchy potato crust.

I was really craving for some pasta that day, and my favourite dish was undoubtedly the Pappardelle with cheese, pepper and black truffle - sometimes the simple things in life can bring great joy and comfort.

I had a mouthful of the Cannelloncino of Magro with ragu Napoletana sauce, which was also very good. 

La Tradizione: Mozzarella in Carrozza, Involtino di Melanzane, Arancino, Zucchini Scapece

Insalata di Polpo Croccante con Patate e Fagiolini

Calamaretti Grigliati su crema di patate

Pappardelle con Cacio, Pepe e Tartufo Nero

Filetto di Pesce in crosta di Patate con verdura

Cannelloncino di Magro con Ragout alla Napoletana

There was a surprise chocolatey dessert for all of us at the end, each topped with a candle just for that special touch - I'm sure that it must be someone's birthday in the world somewhere ...

Ristorante  Frescobaldi hosts regular Guest Chefs from around the world throughout the year, for a period of upto two weeks at a time.

This current Guest Chef event runs for just over a week, until Saturday 26th November 2016, so book yourself in whilst you still can for an exclusive taste of Capri.

And whilst you're there, don't forget to pair your meal with their extensive and exclusive range of Italian wines.

The Cheekster, signing out x

The meal was complimentary, but views remain my own.

ATTEMS WINEMAKER'S DINNER AT RISTORANTE FRESCOBALDI

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Attems Winemaker's Dinner at Ristorante Frescobaldi, tucked away on a quiet street off Regent's Street, at 15 New Burlington Place. The first UK restaurant and bar from the famed wine making Frescobaldi family of Tuscany in partnership with the Good Food Society, it brings together over 700 years and 30 generations of wine makers from the Marchesi de'Frescobaldi.
 
Winemaker's Dinners are held regularly at the restaurant to introduce guests to wines from the Frescobaldi Estates alongside Tuscan-inspired food. On this occasion, they showcased wines from the Attems Estate, located in the Collio district of Friuli, with a special guest wine from Luce della Vite.

We were lucky enough that the rain had passed just in time for us to enjoy a bit of fresh air and sunshine out on the outdoor terrace, where we sipped on glasses of fruity and crisp Friulano 2014 alongside canapes. 

Head Chef Roberto Reatini had created a special 4-course menu to complement the fine wines from the Attems Estate.
For the Antipasti, we were served a sea bass carpaccio, so thin and delicately sliced, topped with sweet cherries and a drizzle of olive oil. I really enjoyed the fresh and clean subtle flavours, and also had the joy of eating the Marie's portion of cherries too ...

This was paired with Pinot Grigio Ramato 2014, and a Sauvignon Blanc 2015. The Pinot Grigio Ramato, which was my favourite of the two, had a pale copper tinge that comes naturally from the skins of the grapes, and was really clean and refreshing.

The Primi Piatti was a courgette ravioli with veal ragu and almonds. The pasta was well made with delicious fillings of flavoursome veal, and a lovely added crunch from the almonds. A good, hearty dish that I would happily have second servings of.

The dish was accompanied by a glass of bright and fruity Pinot Grigio 2014, and a crisp and lemony Cicinis 2013, with its rich golden yellow colour a result of oak aging. 

The highlight of the meal for me was most definitely the Secondi Piatti of lamb rack with pea puree and dauphinoise potatoes. Grilled to perfection and still pink in the middle, I couldn't resist picking up the bone with my fingers to (discreetly) nibble on any leftover meat that I could get my teeth on ...

The potatoes were on the side were really rich and indulgent and a great accompaniment to the dish.

I also had a little taster of Marie's alternative fish dish which was also very tasty. 

There was certainly much appreciation for the special guest wine from Luce Della Vite: Luce 2012 ("20th anniversary"), which had a bright and attractive Garnett colour to it, with pleasant notes of dark chocolate and cherries. I don't usually drink a lot of red wine, but this was rather pleasant on my palate, with a good balance and lovely finish.

Keeping a close eye on the time, my eyes lit up as the dessert finally arrived, and I guzzled up the refreshing dessert of semifreddo with melon in about a minute before rushing to catch the tube home. This was of course after I had downed a glass of sweet Attems Picolit 2011 ... I do love dessert wines.

For those looking to celebrate a special occasion, they also have a private dining area and cocktail bar downstairs that looks quite charming and cosy. Some have commented that it felt somewhat like being inside a super yacht - not that I have ever experienced being in one, but I would certainly be inclined to accept the offer if one does come up ...

A word of thanks to Ristorante Frescobaldi for a splendid evening of delicious food and wines. For those who work in the area, they also do a great lunch set menu, alongside a delicious looking a la carte menu.

The Cheekster, signing out x

The meal was complimentary, but views remain my own.

CAFE MONICO + BIRDCAGE AFTERNOON TEA AT PARK LANE HOTEL

Just less than a week before the wedding (the best friend's - not mine!), and it looks like I have failed in resisting the temptation to indulge in more good food over the weekend. 

First up is Cafe Monico, located on bustling Shaftesbury Avenue, inspired by the original Cafe Monico, established in 1877, and serves French-Italian dishes in a traditional brasserie setting.

We were seated on the upper floor where natural light flowed in through the windows, on a table which overlooked the bar downstairs. Our friendly waiter arrived with a basket of warm, crusty baguette with butter. He recommended The Cafe Monico Cobbler as an aperitif, which came served in a silver cup and straw, topped with a slice of peach and a bite-sized flapjack - someone must have known that I was hungry and peckish (!)

My starter of grilled octopus was nicely cooked and well-marinated, served on a chilled salad of potatoes. The steak tartare look appetizing with a bright egg yolk on top, and had a nice texture, although we both found it a bit too spicy - I generally like spicy food, but prefer to add my own marinade to my steak tartare.

I had the lamb chops as my main, which although did not look quite as pink, was actually really tender, served with chickpeas and two flavourful merguez sausages. I would have preferred the dish to be slightly less 'wet', but overall the flavours were nice.

The skin on the sea bass was quite crisp and lightly seasoned, served on a bed of black cabbage and a squeeze of lemon to add a citrus-y zest.

The highlight of the meal for me was most definitely the Paris Brest, one of my favourite French desserts, with a light choux pastry filled with rich indulgent praline cream - so worth the calories.

The Crêpe soufflé Grand Marnier was also delicious. I would recommend to save space for dessert- one of my life rules that I strictly live by...

A great location for theatre-goers or those looking for a casual lunch/dinner, after-work drinks...

And after yet another break from afternoon tea, we celebrated Sarah's birthday at The Palm Court at Sheraton London Park Lane, where they serve the Birdcage Afternoon Tea. The beautiful lounge which features original Art Deco offers a glimpse into the magic and history of the roaring 20's.

There are 27 tea blends, from which I chose the Elderflower Darjeeling.
As the name suggests, three-tiered trays in the shape of birdcages were placed before us, displaying a selection of delicate finger sandwiches, buttery plain and sultana scones, and a variety of fine pastries.
From the savoury selection, I particularly liked the mini dill and seaweed scone topped with Severn & Wye smoked salmon and caper cream, and the confied chicken curried mayonnaise on basil bread. 
The scones were served with clotted cream and some interesting homemade preserves, such as the rhubarb and ginger jam.
 The cakes and pastries were really pretty and delicate, and not overly sweet, which I liked.

And to celebrate Sarah's special day, they also brought out a birthday cake for Sarah which was really sweet of them.

Overall we had a lovely and relaxing experience, and there was also a harpist playing music in the background, which always adds a nice touch.   

I will be flying off to Canada in a few days, and will most probably continue posting whilst I'm away - hopefully about something exciting (food and wedding-related!), and not about something unfortunate, like losing my luggage at the airport (!) 
It's okay, I've got travel insurance, just in case...

The Cheekster, signing out x