restaurant
Smart Casual italians
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ITalIaN WINES aRE MORE VaRIED aND INTERESTING ThaN yOu MIGhT haVE ThOuGhT, SayS MaRy dowey, WhO haS BEEN ExPERIMENTING
merica’s love affair with Italy’ trumpets the cover of a recent issue of Decanter, an influential wine magazine which usually speaks in a sober tone rather than shouting in large type. Loud or not, the message is important. More in love with Italian food than ever, the US is having a serious dalliance with Italian wine. And, as fashions flit across the Atlantic superfast (think of Sideways and the overnight craze for Pinot Noir), we’re seeing signs of an Italian wine renaissance here. What lies behind the latest figures linking over 30 per cent of US wine imports to Italy? It seems that, after decades of embracing rich, oaky blockbusters, Americans are finally seeking out more elegant styles. Traditionally, many Italian wines are high in acidity, giving them a refreshing, juicy edge. They perk up the palate – an attribute that’s particularly welcome around this time of year. They’re refreshingly different, too. No other country produces wines made from such a welter of unusual grape varieties – for, just as Italy has proudly clung to an array of local food traditions, it has continued to cherish a spectacular assortment of indigenous grapes. In a world that’s oh-so-weary of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and the rest, exotic alternatives like Arneis, Catarratto, Cortese, Fiano, Grechetto (whites) or Corvina, Negroamaro, Nero d’Avola, Refosco, Schioppettino (reds) make a tantalising change – especially when there are about another 200 odd varieties left to try. Italian wines also suit the way we live now, slipping into smart-casual mode as effortlessly as Armani jeans or a pair of Tod’s loafers. They’re the perfect match for those easy, Mediterreanean-style foods that we like to pick at through the summer – melon with Parma ham; seafood salad; tomato salad with fresh basil; even just a hunk of bruschetta with chargrilled peppers and parmesan heaped on top. And, as they’re less familiar than many other wine styles, you can dress them up or down without risking a raised eyebrow: up to dinner party; down to picnic lunch. What about colour? No question about it, Italy’s majestic reds have built its reputation as a serious wine-producing country: big spenders still swoon over top Amarones, Barbarescos, Brunellos, Chiantis and the like. But, luckily for the rest of us, there are heaps of terrific wines at much saner prices. These days more and more of them are white.
italian flair Villa Reale Vino nobile de Montepulciano, conteMassi 2008. While most multiples are following the cheap and cheerless route, Spar owners BWG have sourced some smart new Italian wines. Bravo! This mellow, earthy red oozes true Tuscan personality. From selected Eurospar, Spar and Mace outlets nationwide, d11.99. GaVi del coMune di GaVi, aRaldica 2010. It’s not every day that you come across a tasty version of Piedmont’s famous white at an easy price. This fresh young Gavi is perfect for salads and other light summer dishes. Soft apple and pear flavours emerge after an initial burst of yeasty zest. From Marks & Spencer, d12.79. MastRobeRaRdino GReco di tufo, caMpania 2009. Fascinating that an ancient grape in the warm south can produce such a crisp, citrussy white with an underlying mineral tang. From Corkscrew, Chatham Street, Dublin 2; Donnybrook Fair, Dublin 4; Vintry, Rathgar, Dublin 6; On the Grapevine, Dalkey, Co Dublin; O’Donovans, Cork; Next Door, Kilkee, Co Clare; usually d17.99.
An ElEgAnt SufficiEncy
The charm of Guilbaud’s hasn’t faded over time, thinks KaTy MC GuinneSS
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t’s Thursday lunchtime and there’s a birthday to be celebrated – where better, we think, than Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Ireland’s only two-star Michelin restaurant? For a while I’ve been hearing that there have been subtle changes at RPG, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary. I’ve eaten there perhaps a dozen times over the years, both in the original Arthur Gibney-designed premises on James Place East and more recently in the incarnation adjacent to The Merrion. The food has never disappointed but, on occasion, the ambience has been stiff, the service po-faced and the whole experience just a little too much. Without a drop in standards, RPG has loosened up, got over itself and become somewhere you might (whisper it) have the craic. Patrick himself is still very much in evidence (we suspect a picture in the attic), while the über-charming Stephane Robin, in an Hermès tie with crustacean motif, works the room with humour and a light touch. It’s a sophisticated, high-ceilinged space with very good art on the walls. The carpet is thick, the tables well-spaced for discreet conversation about important matters. (Try as we did, we failed to glean anything of the chat being had by John Delaney and Denis O’Brien, to whom RPG’s stated ‘no mobile phones’ policy seems not to apply. Then again, would you be prepared to tell DO’B to put his phone away?) On the the terrace outside, with its fire, post-lunch drinks have been known to segue into dinner with no one batting an eyelid. Eating in Michelin-starred restaurants that aren’t too up themselves is fun, what with the fabulous breads and all the little extras that arrive unbidden, even for cheapskates like us on the table d’hôte menu. (The á la carte is eye-wateringly expensive). An amuse-bouche of cauliflower pannacotta and lobster topped with Campari foam was a good start. Between the four of us, we covered the three starters on offer. A Contemporary Crab Cocktail served in a retro chic martini glass saw the white meat tossed with an Asian dressing and topped with lychee foam flecked with coriander, ultrathin slivers of radish and tiny drops of wasabi. The flavours zinged on the palate. Heirloom Tomato Terrine was intensely tomato-y, the fruits in aspic and accompanied by whipped goat’s cheese and black olive tapenade. Carrot Soup with Vadouvan Spice (a trendy French spin on curry) came with one of RPG’s signature Crispy Langoustines. Truth be told, we could have done without the soup (ever so
slightly dull) and been very happy with a few more of the langoustines. On the day of our visit, the fish option was John Dory – grilled fillets served with fresh peas, tiny artichokes and tubetti (outsize rigatoni) pasta. This was a subtle, pleasing dish: quite delicious. Calf liver came with caramelised onion, potato puree and sauce diable – a lip-smacking butter and stockbased sauce with minced shallots and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper – that was big on flavour. Side plates of green beans and potatoes of a size that none of us ever thought to see in RPG accompanied the mains. RPG has a new pastry chef who trained at the three star Pic in Valence – puddings are now quite spectacular. Almond Financier with Guanaja Chocolate Jelly and Passion ice cream – was as dramatic as a Philip Treacy hat – some might think it would have made a more stylish choice for Princess Beatrice than the fright she chose. A Vacherin of Green Apple with Pistachio looked like an exquisite miniature handbag; its tiny meringues burst on the tongue. The cheese selection is abundant and those we tried – Tomme de Savoie, Langres and Mont d’Or were in fabulous condition, while the handkerchiefthin seeded melba toast that accompanied them was a delight. Petits fours comprised a black cherry lollipop, a violet macaroon, pistachio sponge, a mini chocolate tart and a raspberry jelly. I thought the coffee a mite under-powered but the others disagreed. We drank house champagne – a Moncuit Grand Cru NV, 100 per cent chardonnay – and the bill for this spectacular lunch worked out at around d100 per head. For the pleasure of sitting in a beautiful room surrounded by wonderful art, breathing the same air as the great and the good and flirting with handsome French men, this seems like a fair price. Compare and contrast with a dispiriting experience the following day at Alexis in Dun Laoghaire. There, the menu was dull and heavy despite the beautiful spring weather. Neither of us could find a starter that appealed and so went straight to mains. A plate of scallops each, a shared cheese plate (the cheese appeared to have come straight from the fridge) and a modest bottle of white wine worked out at d50 a head. Half the price of Guilbaud’s, yes, but there wasn’t an ounce of glamour about the place. I know which of these establishments I’ll be excited about returning to. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Merrion Street, Dublin 2, 01 676 0192.
T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e | June 2011 | 53