25-07-2016
Seared mullet filet on a warm salad of organic "Podere Pereto" black chickpeas and cream of spring courgettes, a great dish by chef Mario Cimino at restaurant Dama Dama at the Argentario Golf Resort & Spa in Porto Ercole. A nice culinary spot presented by Identità Golose
Massimo Bottura is at the top, and we’re all happy. Yet the health or even the excellence of a cuisine – in this case the Italian one – is real only if the primacy of one induces many others, if not all, to improve. At every level. Only then, the system works. This is why it’s nice to show, on top of Bottura, Crippa, Alajmo, Romito, that Italy today has a big number of great professionals with a modern mentality, grateful to their territory, aware of its excellence, yet without lingering in a past that’s been outdone. Chefs who are also capable of mastering technique and serving products, yet with a contemporary logic. The other day we met one of these quiet chefs. His name is Mario Cimino.
Born in Calabria in 1974, as of April he’s the executive chef at the Argentario Golf Resort & Spa, a five star resort surrounded by nature in Porto Ercole, with an international and wealthy clientele. Cimino knows this target well, having spent most of his career in top hotels, such as those in the Baglioni group or, more recently, the Palazzo Montemartini start-up in Rome.
Mario Cimino with two more of his successful dishes, Maremman panzanella with steamed lobster, onion from Tropea, vegetable court bouillon and guacamole sauce and Home made spelt vermicelli with trawler prawns from Porto Santo Stefano, courgette cream and courgette flowers
Cimino is really good at avoiding these three obstacles. He changed the looks of restaurant Dama Dama in the Argentario Golf Resort (“dama” is the Maremman word for the deer that live in the surrounding woods) which until recently was settled on old Tuscan recipes, always the same, with fiorentina steak and pappa al pomodoro. He introduced fish, which he’s very good at using, with a line that matches seafood with a Mediterranean style and multiple local inspirations. All this with good ideas and excellent techniques.
Dinner with a view
There are few flaws, perhaps a little too much salt here and there, while the desserts need improvement. On the other hand, there are many positive notes; and it’s impressive, first of all, how in such a location Cimino shows the enthusiasms that leads him to look for local small excellent products so as to interpret them in the best possible way in dishes with a soul.
A luxury certainly not everyone can afford, yet restaurant Dama Dama – open to non-guests too – has an excellent quality-price ratio: the tasting menu, including wines, is 90 euros; in the menu, starters are priced 20 euros, first courses around 18, and main courses around 24. It’s worth it.
Argentario Golf Resort & Spa Via Acquedotto Leopoldino, Porto Ercole (Gr) Tel +39.348.5540367 www.argentarioresort.com
An outdoor trip or a journey to the other side of the planet? One thing is for sure: the destination is delicious, by Carlo Passera
by
journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief