The concept is that of an elegant trattoria that sums up the idea of a quality menu in a setting where every detail, from the brightness of the lighting to the choice of music, from the gestures of the maître d' to the friendliness of the waiters, is specifically designed to put the customer at ease and make them feel welcomed in a family-like and sincere environment, yet with a certain class. Moreover, in an era when chefs are hailed like television stars, in this restaurant the yardstick, for those who create in the kitchen, is simply the humility of bringing food to the table and managing to amaze the diners with their own experience and imagination. We therefore place complete trust in Stefano Maruccia - chef - and Samuel Mele - sous-chef - who, banishing the hierarchies existing in gastronomy, describe themselves as long-time friends, having grown up together in the lands of Lecce, cultivating the dream of one day being able to run a venue. And the future arrived with the opportunity they seized in Zurich. (the inauguration took place on Sunday 21 October 2018). On 21 October 2018 the inauguration of the venue took place.
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Two roles that cover different specialisations, with different techniques and both Italian and international influences. Stefano trained in Parma at Alma, the academy of Gualtiero Marchesi from which illustrious names such as Oldani and Cracco have emerged. After experience in prestigious restaurants in Italy, he arrives in Zurich, where he brings his specialisation in fresh pasta, pastry and meat: “Knowing how to choose the correctly aged, high-quality cut of meat - the chef confides - is of fundamental importance for the success of a dish. It is not easy to understand the right timing of ageing in the cuts of meat, but my expertise shows because the tartares, marinades and carpaccios come out of the kitchen with a buttery consistency that melts in the mouth.” Samuel Mele, on the other hand, is the fish expert, able to blend tradition and innovation with the appropriate reinterpretation that is, a separation and subsequent recomposition of the recipe, re-evaluating for each ingredient the shape, the cooking and the colour. Samuel explains to us the preparation of his Bisque from prawn extract, a flavour enhancer, specifying the long preparation process that heightens the value of the dish. The chefs do not push the recipes to excess, but one senses the study and preparation that every dish conceals.
We will find Stefano's experience in the seasonal menu offered in dishes such as the paccheri with a 4-cheese cream and sautéed salsiccia. The spaghetti on a chickpea cream and red tuna are also among the best proposals, studied in the smallest detail, for a sensory involvement: not only of taste but also of smell and sight. The raw materials used are excellent, as demonstrated by the pasta of Benedetto Cavalieri, awarded among the best pasta factories in the world, and the choice of ingredients is essential, since the aim is to include few main products in order to enhance their flavour and appreciate them on the palate. The choice of the wine list is entirely Italian, with red wines among which labels from southern Italy stand out, but also whites from Franciacorta, with top-of-the-range references by the glass that the experience of Matthias, who runs the dining room, recommends for us. “In addition to the gourmet proposals - Stefano continues - the venue also has an oven that offers 5 classic pizzas and 5 of our own imagination, among which the ‘Porcini e Sarde’, the ‘tropea’ enriched with typical Calabrian products such as the Tropea onion and the nduja, or the ‘fumè’ with cheese and smoked cured meat.”
Info and reservations:
Tel. 044 492 21 21
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Official website: www.al21.ch
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