Ten times Gioia

 

The first time I crossed the gate of La Posta Vecchia was more or less 8 years ago. After a series of wrong attempts, what with the roundabouts and the outskirts roads of Ladispoli, I managed to take the right avenue, directed to Castello Odescalchi, in Palo Laziale. I passed a centennial garden, I camouflaged my economy car among the far more powerful and expensive ones, and remained speechless on the terrace of this 17th century manor.

Once belonging to Paul Getty, in 1992 – together with the furnishing and some precious artworks inside – it was purchased by the current owner, Roberto Sciò, who returned it to its old hospitality use. This wasn’t a memorable experience. There were still the defects that afflicted many hotel restaurants, including the luxury ones: a cuisine with no character, a distant service, a boring wine list. Meanwhile, many years went by.

Chef Michelino Gioia – born in 1974 – grew up, he travelled and gained experience and he’s deserved his first Michelin star. He hasn’t forgotten his origins (he’s from Campania, on the border with Molise) but he’s fallen in love with the coast of Latium. Which is not just about sea, but also about land, with excellent suppliers and high quality products. Plus there’s the hotel’s private park where the chef cultivates all the aromatic herbs he uses in his dishes.

Today, the hotel’s restaurant, The Cesar, has switched gear and objectives. It’s become a culinary destination within the destination. And last Saturday Gioia celebrated his tenth anniversary as the executive chef of the relais. Quite a news, considering the continuous turnover that increasingly characterises the Italian culinary scene. This is a finish line that reveals the trustful relationship with the owners and the management, “Always very attentive – as Michelino himself pointed out – to human resources”.

The party began at sunset, on the fairy-tale terrace where guests were still walking by, returning from the swimming pool in their bathrobes (almost all the suites were already booked, and this is another excellent news in the tourism sector). For this occasion, Gioia chose the ten most emblematic dishes of this ten-year journey (in the photo-gallery below, you can find all the photos). After the aperitif, the evening began, totally dedicated to the sea: Anchovy staffed with salted codfish, lardo and tomato cake; Sicily king prawns with foie gras, fig and cocoa beans cream; Scallop with a crispy pork cracker, apple sauce and smoked potato. Even the Japanese couple sitting a few metres from the monumental table in the centre of the room immediately tuned in to the style of the chef: a culinary Esperanto with decisive flavours and lots of local hints.

We continued with the Risotto with red prawns, candied lemon and thyme. Then came one of his recent classics, a shamelessly pleasing dish: Foie gras tortelli with a leek and pumpkin cream. And then two successful technique showcases, the perfect blend of sea and vegetables that is typical of his cuisine: Sea bass with agretti, scorzonera truffle and a spicy orange sauce and Lamb medallion with caprino cheese, grapes and chard. The best dish of the evening. After the Limoncello mousse with liquorish crumble (a tribute to his origins from Campania), the dinner ended with a new dish from 2013: Pistachio with blackcurrants and tequila sorbet. It was remarkable – but then, everything is taken seriously, here, even the pastry-making.

The Cesar is a winning bet. It is a continuous surprise. You certainly wouldn’t expect this noisy and messy part of the coast could conceal a golden refuge for bon vivant. With a proudly local-oriented cuisine.

And you wouldn’t expect that in the menu, among foie gras and sea bass, there would also be space, with no shame, for producers of agretti and chards from the Roman countryside.