22-08-2017
Francesco Vitale, Mauro Ladu, Alessandra Meddi: the trio at Cucina.eat in Cagliari
One always wishes to write about the evolution of Sardinia’s cuisine. It’s one of the few areas in Italy that hasn’t yet been valorised to the extent it well deserves. Indeed it is divided between few very high standard places (though some are strongly connected with seasonal tourism), and many “seaside” restaurants with no particular quality, a strong tradition that finds it hard to renew itself and a few new ideas with contemporary formats. Cucina.eat in Cagliari, a modern, multifunctional space, certainly belongs to the latter category: it’s a wine bar where you can taste accurately selected specialties («We chose each single bottle following this philosophy. There’s no winery on our shelves that we haven’t visited, nor wine we haven’t tasted, drank and learnt to love», explains owner Alessandra Meddi, from Rome, in love with the island), a small shop selling cooking utensils, a bookshop with fundamental books and not-to-be-missed gems, a place for meetings and courses, a shop selling delicacies…
Cream of potatoes, roasted mutton sausage, pioppini mushrooms, powdered onion
Culurgiones filled with aubergine cream, with scorpionfish sauce, tartar of sugarello, lime, mint and pepper
We experienced this when tasting their simple dishes, but with an excellent balance, which can – most of all – honour the island’s products. The fact this is Cucina.eat ‘s main characteristic can be noticed as soon as you sit, when they serve you the delicious carasau bread from Kentos, in Orroli: semolina and Senatore Cappelli durum wheat flour, water, natural mother yeast, salt. So good.
Vitale and Ladu at work
Sottofesa [thick flank] of scottona gallurese, fruit and vegetable salad, chives, fresh oregano and reduction of Carignano wine
Cream of ricotta, crumble, chocolate and rhum cream, candied pompia, gel of lemon and pears
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