Restaurant Review: Enticing slice of Italy rooted in tradition

It is comfort food for most of us. Italian food is bold and satisfying without being heavy. Rich and textural, it uses a whole palette of flavours. Above all, Italians believe in simplicity and respect for good produce, so most dishes comprise just a handful ingredients, carefully selected and served at their prime. And it is this uniquely enticing taste of Italy that Chef Alessandro Davide Persico has brought to Chennai as The Flying Elephant opened a refreshing new chapter with The Italian in its premises. 

At the launch of this new fine-dining space, a restaurant inside another, we were hosted by none other than Chef Alessandro himself, who has come down from Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, and curated a menu inspired by his hometown Genova, Italy. A cheerful and funny man, Alessandro’s passion was quite evident when he explained about how he had put the menu together, while we nibbled through some deliciously soft focaccia (Italian bread). His spread includes recipes refined through centuries, tested and perfected at home by mothers and grandmothers, including his own, using ingredients distilled, cured, aged and fresh. 

Few minutes into the conversation we were served beautifully plated tuna tartar. The tuna was insanely fresh, while the light and flavourful sesame ginger sauce was o  point. We were then served rucola (leafy vegetable) and quinoa salad with roasted eggplant and garlic vinaigrette. While I’m not a big fan of quinoa, I quite fell in love with this preparation. The rich, peppery and exceptionally strong flavour from the rucola, the smoky flavour of the eggplant and the bitter from the quinoa created the perfect medley of flavours. Next in line was salmon rolls stuffed with spinach and topped with salm on roe. Although roe might look like caviar, they’re not one and the same. Roe are fish eggs (or male fish sperm), while caviar is roe that has been salted or cured and then placed in tins for storage and aging. The salmon had a lovely texture and a sweet taste, while the gooey roe had a sweet, mildly savoury flavour when they burst in my mouth. However, my favourite from the starters was the roasted Portobello mushroom. Thick and meaty, the mushroom was like a steak sitting under a bed of smaller mushrooms like porcini, button and shimeji. This one is a must have. 

For the main course, the chef treated us to duck ravioli with marsala wine reduction. The duck was rich in texture complemented by the sappy sweet flavour of marsala. As we were devouring the duck while listening to Alessandro’s hilarious casino tales during his stint in Las Vegas, came a bowl of piping hot risotto. The rich and creamy risotto flavoured with tangy gorgonzola (one of the world’s oldest blue-veined cheese) was comfort food at its best. The slight drizzle of sweet and tangy balsamic reduction was the perfect seasoning. We finished the course with perfectly cooked chicken Francesca served with thick and creamy lemon butter. Italian food is best savoured with a glass of wine and the recent alcohol sale ban in properties along the highway didn’t quite hamper our experience. Because, much to our delight, Alessandro’s food had a generous dose of wine. 

For dessert, I opted for coppa baci di dama. The name, baci di dama or lady’s kisses, originates from the cookie’s resemblance to two lips intent on giving a kiss. Placed one above the other, the hazelnut and almond cookies with nutella cream and chocolate was crispy, crunchy and crumbly. Quite high on the calorie meter, this delicacy was a sinful indulgence. So, if you’re planning to treat yourself to some Italian food this week, you know where to head.

Restaurant: The Italian

Address: The Flying Elephant, Park Hyatt 

Ph: 044 4991 9962 

Cuisine: Italian 

Must have: Roasted Portobello mushrooms, risotto balsamic reduction and gorgonzola, and coppa baci di dama 

Star rating: 4/5