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| View overlooking Lake Garda 2017 Villa Cortine Palace. Sirmione, Italia |
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| Courtyard at Le Salette winery 2017 Le Salette. Fumane, Italia |
Our destination was the Villa Cortine Palace, an opulent mansion-turned-hotel located at the tip of the Sirmio peninsula - the peninsula that juts into Lake Garda from the southern end. En route we stopped at Le Salette, the first winery on our list, in nearby Fumane.
Named after the nearby sanctuary that overlooks the valley, Le Salette is a family owned winery with 20 hectares (49.42 acres) within the Valpolicela DOCG. Led by the winemaker's son, the Madre and I took a tour of the winery, and then had a delightful tasting of their portfolio. The tasting also included cheese and selection of salami, and both were outstanding. Just an outstanding visit!
Leaving Le Salette, we made our way to the hotel, and unpacked and relaxed for a couple of hours. As dinner time approached, we made our way into town for dinner at the subject of this restaurant review: La Speranzina. Located on the shores of Lake Garda in the heart of old town Sirmione, La Speranzina takes advantage of wonderful lake views by offering both fine dining, and a three suite inn.
Arriving for our 8:30 PM reservation, we were seated in a long and narrow main dining room featuring large windows and canvased roof that undoubtedly allows for an open and airy vibe during the day. White dominates the motif, with white tablecloths, chairs, walls and canvas ceiling, contrasted by inky black of night that has replaced the lake views. During the day, a sizable patio is also available to take advantage of the natural beauty.
La Speranzina offers both an a la carte menu, as well as a three prix fixe options. The first is a selection of their greatest hits over the past fifteen years, while the second features newer dishes. The third and final offering is one geared specifically to fish crudo, the Italian preparation of raw fish. The Madre and I selected the "Discover new tastes" menu (the second option), and soon our evening commenced.
Kicking off tonight's meal was a selection of amuse-bouches from the kitchen. These include: tube filled with crab, crispy potato with herbs, egg filled with potato foam and pork, and beetroot with crème fraîche.
The collection of delights offered a nice selection of different flavors. The egg dish merged salty notes from the pork, with sweet of the potato foam. The tube filled with crab displayed perfectly the harmonious sweet and saline notes of the crabmeat, while the beetroot combined a nice mix of earthy and creamy flavors. Finally, the potato with herbs yielded a nice platform for various fresh herbal flavors. In conclusion, a nice assortment of flavors and textures to get the palate ready for the meal to come.
Tonight's first main entrée featured coffee smoked tuna. This was paired with a cauliflower purée, and served in an oblique white bowl to match the overall motif.
I really liked the marriage of subtle saline flavors from the tuna, with the earthy rustic notes of the coffee smoke. It's reminiscent to a coffee rubbed BBQ, only in the case of the tuna, its natural saline notes replace the salt found in a pork/beef rub. Balancing these flavors was the cauliflower purée, which added a rich, creamy sweetness to compliment the dish.
Following the coffee smoked tuna was another seafood dish: crab salad and pea shoots over pickled daikon. The base liquid also featured jellyfish water. While prevalent in Asian cooking, this would be the first time I have ever had jellyfish. There's always a first time for everything!
I loved the combination of crab and pickled daikon, where the crab's sweetness is balanced perfectly from the acid of the pickled radish. From a texture perspective, the two also contrast each other. The subtle crunch of the daikon emerging every now and then, with the softness of the crab flesh. Finally, the jellyfish water brought a nice brine flavor to round out the dish. Just excellent!
Moving along, we were next offered our first pasta course. Shells were stuffed with smoked tomato, served with tomato water. The tomato water had a green hue, set apart by the white bowl, and a nice backdrop to the shells filled with red of the smoked tomato.
Another excellent entrée. The smoked tomato reminded me of confit tomato, offering rich, concentrated tomato flavor and a hint of smoke. The tomato water balanced the dish by providing acid to balance the richness of the smoked tomato, and fresh herbaceous notes. The shells themselves were a perfect al dente. Simply outstanding!
Returning back to the sea, the fourth entrée featured sole over smokey potato purée. This was then garnished with powder from vegetables.
It looks like we have another winner. The sole was prepared perfectly, yielding a delightfully subtle saline flavor. The potato purée had richness that contrasted the delicate sole, while providing sweet and salty notes. But by far, the secret ingredient was the vegetable powder that graced the top of the sole. Its herbaceous notes balanced out the richness of that potato, and the delicate saline nature of the sole. All was in perfect harmony, yielding just an excellent dish. Bravo!
Moving along, the next entrée is styled as "Ode to Porcini," with porcini mushrooms in four preparation. This includes porcini purée, fried porcini in panko, sautéed porcini, and raw porcini.
What I loved most about this dish was the diversity of flavors and textures by utilizing the same ingredient. The fried preparation provided a crunchy richness, while the sautéed added similar richness but with a softer texture, and more herbaceous flavors. The purée, serving as the base of the dish, was rich and creamy, which contrasted nicely with the simpler olive oil flavored raw porcini. Just a wonderful mushroom dish.
Next we were served a risotto, served in a beautiful white server featuring artistic grooves. The small bowl center was filled with risotto, which was then topped by two pieces of sardines.
As expected, the risotto was perfectly cooked with just enough bite to the rice. Buttressing the risotto was a cream and fish stock, yielding a saline-infused richness that serves to unify the other ingredients. Sardines lend overt saline elements, while capers add contrasting herbaceous flavors. Furthermore, the capers add a nice touch of acid, which helps temper the creaminess of the stock. Finally, the herbal notes round out the dish's flavors to create a rounded profile with each bite.
Following up the risotto was the first of three terrestrial-focused entrées. Beef salad is tossed in juniper, and is served with pepper mayo, pickled vegetables and a polenta chip.
The juniper really caught my interest, as the only other time I have had it is in gin. I certainly was not disappointed, as it added incredible freshness to the beef. Pepper mayo lends creamy and peppery foil, which is tempered by the acid of the pickled vegetables. Furthermore, the pickled vegetables add another dose of freshness, continuing the theme set by the juniper. Finally, the polenta chip adds a nice crunchy texture to the overall dish, and is a natural pairing with the pepper mayo. Overall, I love the freshness, as well as the unique juniper flavors. Excellent!
The second of three meat courses offers something a bit more rare on restaurant menus: sweetbreads. This is served with caramelized fermented black garlic, artichoke, and sour cream.
What I like most about sweetbreads is that its gamy flavor is a bit more subtle, thus allowing the richness of the meat to really help it shine. The accompanying artichoke adds a bit more rustic flavors, which bridges nicely to the caramelized black garlic. This component added incredible depth of flavor, with the concentration of the fermentation, while the caramelization adds just a touch of sweet, toasty notes.
This brings us to tonight's final entrée, and the last of the three meat dishes. Duck is served with kumquat and celery, plated over some celery sauce.
Unfortunately, this entrée was a bit of a disappointment to close out the meal on. The duck was slightly overcooked, and thus a bit dry and tough to cut. On the flip side, I absolutely loved the combo of the celery - which was pickled and charred - with the celery sauce. The pickling adds a touch of acid, while the charred adds rustic notes. Finally, the kumquat lends a nice sweet flavor that pairs well with the herbaceous celery flavors. I would love to try this with better cooked duck!
With the dinner entrées complete, we were first presented with an assortment of pre-deserts. This include a zabaione (Italian custard), hazelnut chantilly cream (whipped cream), hazelnut ice cream, and creme panna cotta. They were all very good, but to be honest, perhaps a bit too much after the many courses provided.
The pre-deserts led us to our final entrée: cheese cake with fennel ice. I can safely say that I have never had fennel ice before, and to be honest, by itself it wasn't very good. However, when combined with the delicate creamy richness of the cheesecake, the duo of flavors was excellent. I always find it fascinating when perhaps disparate ingredients come together to provide something wonderful. Compliments to the chef for going with a new take on a classic dessert!
When it was all said done, I was completely stuffed by the ten plus courses offered this evening. At €112 per person, one certainly gets quite a bit of food for the money. Aside from the duck being slightly overcooked, the rest of the menu was prepared very well, and offered an assortment of flavors. A few even offered some truly new and interesting combinations.
I think - in my humble opinion - there are only a couple of things holding La Speranzina back from breaking into that next level of cuisine. Obviously entrées need to be cooked properly, but also the chef and his team need to perhaps push the envelope a bit further with new flavors and different flavor combinations. And finally, some of the furnishings in the dining room were a bit chintzy. At one point, the Madre and I were invited to tour the kitchen, which we found to be recently renovated. Coming back to our seat, I was shocked to see that the chairs were made of white plastic. For such a nice restaurant in such a sublime location on the water, I would expect just a bit more.
Small detraction aside, the service was excellent, and as I mentioned, we were given a tour of a very beautiful kitchen. For the most part, the food was excellent, and at only €112 for a ton of courses, not a bad value. With room for improvements, it will be interesting to see how La Speranzina evolves going forward, and if it can crack that next level of haute cuisine.
Dining date: September 27, 2017.
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| Sun set over Lake Garda 2017 Villa Cortine Palace. Sirmione, Italia |
La Speranzina offers both an a la carte menu, as well as a three prix fixe options. The first is a selection of their greatest hits over the past fifteen years, while the second features newer dishes. The third and final offering is one geared specifically to fish crudo, the Italian preparation of raw fish. The Madre and I selected the "Discover new tastes" menu (the second option), and soon our evening commenced.
 |
| Selection of amuse-bouches, including: tube filled with crab, crispy potato with herbs, egg filled with potato foam, and beetroot with crème fraîche 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
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Coffee smoked tuna with cauliflower purée
2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia
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Tonight's first main entrée featured coffee smoked tuna. This was paired with a cauliflower purée, and served in an oblique white bowl to match the overall motif.
I really liked the marriage of subtle saline flavors from the tuna, with the earthy rustic notes of the coffee smoke. It's reminiscent to a coffee rubbed BBQ, only in the case of the tuna, its natural saline notes replace the salt found in a pork/beef rub. Balancing these flavors was the cauliflower purée, which added a rich, creamy sweetness to compliment the dish.
 |
| Crab salad and pea shoots over pickled daikon and jelly fish liquid 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
I loved the combination of crab and pickled daikon, where the crab's sweetness is balanced perfectly from the acid of the pickled radish. From a texture perspective, the two also contrast each other. The subtle crunch of the daikon emerging every now and then, with the softness of the crab flesh. Finally, the jellyfish water brought a nice brine flavor to round out the dish. Just excellent!
 |
| Shells with smoked tomato, served with tomato water 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
Moving along, we were next offered our first pasta course. Shells were stuffed with smoked tomato, served with tomato water. The tomato water had a green hue, set apart by the white bowl, and a nice backdrop to the shells filled with red of the smoked tomato.
Another excellent entrée. The smoked tomato reminded me of confit tomato, offering rich, concentrated tomato flavor and a hint of smoke. The tomato water balanced the dish by providing acid to balance the richness of the smoked tomato, and fresh herbaceous notes. The shells themselves were a perfect al dente. Simply outstanding!
 |
| Sole over smokey potato purée with powder from vegetables 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
It looks like we have another winner. The sole was prepared perfectly, yielding a delightfully subtle saline flavor. The potato purée had richness that contrasted the delicate sole, while providing sweet and salty notes. But by far, the secret ingredient was the vegetable powder that graced the top of the sole. Its herbaceous notes balanced out the richness of that potato, and the delicate saline nature of the sole. All was in perfect harmony, yielding just an excellent dish. Bravo!
 |
| Ode to porcini 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
What I loved most about this dish was the diversity of flavors and textures by utilizing the same ingredient. The fried preparation provided a crunchy richness, while the sautéed added similar richness but with a softer texture, and more herbaceous flavors. The purée, serving as the base of the dish, was rich and creamy, which contrasted nicely with the simpler olive oil flavored raw porcini. Just a wonderful mushroom dish.
 |
| Risotto with wild herbs, capers and sardines 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
As expected, the risotto was perfectly cooked with just enough bite to the rice. Buttressing the risotto was a cream and fish stock, yielding a saline-infused richness that serves to unify the other ingredients. Sardines lend overt saline elements, while capers add contrasting herbaceous flavors. Furthermore, the capers add a nice touch of acid, which helps temper the creaminess of the stock. Finally, the herbal notes round out the dish's flavors to create a rounded profile with each bite.
 |
| Beef salad tossed in juniper with pepper mayo, pickled vegetables and polenta chip 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
The juniper really caught my interest, as the only other time I have had it is in gin. I certainly was not disappointed, as it added incredible freshness to the beef. Pepper mayo lends creamy and peppery foil, which is tempered by the acid of the pickled vegetables. Furthermore, the pickled vegetables add another dose of freshness, continuing the theme set by the juniper. Finally, the polenta chip adds a nice crunchy texture to the overall dish, and is a natural pairing with the pepper mayo. Overall, I love the freshness, as well as the unique juniper flavors. Excellent!
 |
| Sweetbreads with caramelized fermented black garlic and artichoke 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
The second of three meat courses offers something a bit more rare on restaurant menus: sweetbreads. This is served with caramelized fermented black garlic, artichoke, and sour cream.
What I like most about sweetbreads is that its gamy flavor is a bit more subtle, thus allowing the richness of the meat to really help it shine. The accompanying artichoke adds a bit more rustic flavors, which bridges nicely to the caramelized black garlic. This component added incredible depth of flavor, with the concentration of the fermentation, while the caramelization adds just a touch of sweet, toasty notes.
 |
| Duck with kumquat, celery and celery sauce 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
Unfortunately, this entrée was a bit of a disappointment to close out the meal on. The duck was slightly overcooked, and thus a bit dry and tough to cut. On the flip side, I absolutely loved the combo of the celery - which was pickled and charred - with the celery sauce. The pickling adds a touch of acid, while the charred adds rustic notes. Finally, the kumquat lends a nice sweet flavor that pairs well with the herbaceous celery flavors. I would love to try this with better cooked duck!
With the dinner entrées complete, we were first presented with an assortment of pre-deserts. This include a zabaione (Italian custard), hazelnut chantilly cream (whipped cream), hazelnut ice cream, and creme panna cotta. They were all very good, but to be honest, perhaps a bit too much after the many courses provided.
 |
| Cheese cake with fennel ice 2017 La Speranzina. Sirmione, Italia |
When it was all said done, I was completely stuffed by the ten plus courses offered this evening. At €112 per person, one certainly gets quite a bit of food for the money. Aside from the duck being slightly overcooked, the rest of the menu was prepared very well, and offered an assortment of flavors. A few even offered some truly new and interesting combinations.
I think - in my humble opinion - there are only a couple of things holding La Speranzina back from breaking into that next level of cuisine. Obviously entrées need to be cooked properly, but also the chef and his team need to perhaps push the envelope a bit further with new flavors and different flavor combinations. And finally, some of the furnishings in the dining room were a bit chintzy. At one point, the Madre and I were invited to tour the kitchen, which we found to be recently renovated. Coming back to our seat, I was shocked to see that the chairs were made of white plastic. For such a nice restaurant in such a sublime location on the water, I would expect just a bit more.
Small detraction aside, the service was excellent, and as I mentioned, we were given a tour of a very beautiful kitchen. For the most part, the food was excellent, and at only €112 for a ton of courses, not a bad value. With room for improvements, it will be interesting to see how La Speranzina evolves going forward, and if it can crack that next level of haute cuisine.
Dining date: September 27, 2017.
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