In the splendid setting of the Hotel Villa Bartolomea, near Verona, the epic of the famous starred restaurant continues
What a thrill to arrive here, in the silence of the Transpolesana, the highway that connects Verona to Rovigo, to breathe the usual atmosphere, with Francesco (Carlo) Tamani who welcomes you, almost perched next to the reception of the majestic hotel that houses the ” new ”” Embassy, today inside Villa Bartolomea.
We are not far from Isola Rizza, where Giancarlo Perbellini made his first moves, confirming the high gastronomic value of a territory not too well known by contemporary gourmands.
Of course, Quistello is missing, down there in the Mantuan countryside, land of pumpkins and Lambrusco, of embankments and river cuisine: imprinted in the memory, that place remains a memory, the myth of all time, with that “theatrical” location in which to taste dishes from tradition and in which to enjoy Carlo who “waters” the carpets with impromptu splashes of precious Champagne.
For twenty years and passes, at every Vinitaly, that stage was a must, with the Secchia river just a few meters, Pegognaga exit of Modena-Brennero, towards the two Michelin stars then the most iconic of all.
The grandiose figure (in every sense) of Romano Tamani, the chef patron of the legendary Embassy, today as then, governs the cuisine of a place out of time.
Here at Villa Bartolomea, a four-star hotel and spa surrounded by greenery, thanks to an attentive and passionate entrepreneur, the splendor of the old Embassy has been reborn which, let’s face it, today has even improved compared to the previous location: the open kitchen is splendid.
In front of the main room, with marble floors covered with fine carpets (in the usual style), with a mise en place made of porcelain, crystal and English designer ceramics.
The reproduction of a painting by Giulio Romano is the background to the flavors of Romano Tamani’s great cuisine: seventy-eight years of passion, heart, energy.
Not a moment of inattention, not a distraction, a lightness: his presence at the kitchen fires is incessant.
Chef Michele Pasetto (a number one) and sous chef Luca Soffiati (good and precise) are always attentive to the direction of the master, executing his instructions perfectly.
The result is excellent: Romano’s cuisine expresses itself according to expectations, even surpassing them, in the fantastic Pumpkin Tortelli with pumpkin cream and Quistello Parmigiano Reggiano, in the Mantuan Risotto with pigeon with Amarone Riserva Giulietta, in the legendary Tortellini in broth of capon and oxtail, with celery, carrots and onion, to continue with the crispy baked Duck, reduced to Sherry, roast potatoes.
A stellar dish which, in honor of the raw material and the care taken in cooking, deserves great recognition.
And what about the fresh goose liver in a pan with Recioto di Anselmi, with berries? The room, managed in an excellent way by Carlo, is validly supported by Gioia Beltrame, sommelier, whose smile is aligned with the solemn but in its own way informal atmosphere that characterizes the service.
A restaurant like the Embassy gives added value to the splendid hospitality, thanks also to the rich wine list, whose Champagne selections are proverbial and, to stay on the territory, whose Venetian reds are startling for power and structure: on this occasion we have tasted an Amarone 2010 Riserva, from the Buglioni winery: fragrant, pleasant, intense.
