Vicenza serves another ace

Despite the still biting economic crisis, the province of Vicenza proves to have a desirable gastronomic sparkle: new restaurants, new philosophies and many young chefs. In a few years, the historic restaurants that have made the province famous, such as La Peca, Casin del Gamba, La Locanda di Piero and Pippo’s Appaloosa in Gallio have been sided by restaurants such as Lorenzo Cogo’s El Coq in Marano Vicentino, Alessandro Dal Degan’s La Tana in Asiago, and the brand new Aqua Crua by Giuliano Baldessari in Barbarano Vicentino, not counting Corrado Fasolato’s great return in Schio with his Spinechile Resort.

Today, Alessio Longhini, another young and brave chef who just turned 25, has decided to hold the helm of the kitchen of Asiago’s most prestigious hotel, namely Hotel Europa, a 4-star-hotel run by the Mosele family. The historic hotel in the centre of Asiago, already boasting many comforts for quite some time, such as large rooms, immaculate bathrooms and an avantgarde spa and beauty centre, today offers the ever more numerous crowds of gourmets a craveable and varied offer. This is three folded: for an informal and quick lunch (or dinner), there’s the Hosteria with a warm mountain atmosphere; restaurant Saint Hubertus is reserved for pleasant convivial moments and for the hotel’s guests. And now there’s also the refined Stube Gourmet with a tasting menu for 50 euros and a short yet satisfying wine list.

As of last November we experienced Stube’s atmosphere a few times – it was previously a hunting room, thanks to the inspiring paintings on the walls – and tasted Longhini’s dishes. He’s young but already has a lot of experience. He acquired it first with Alessandro Dal Degan, now at Tana in Asiago, who taught him the basics, and then with Corrado Fasolato at Met in Venice, where he learnt to look east. And finally beside Norbert Niederkofler of Rosa Alpina in S. Cassiano where he learnt the essential value of territorial cuisine as well as the rigorous rules of high cuisine. A few nights ago, together with a few food colleagues and enthusiasts and the company of another great chef from the Altipiano who tries to make the world sweeter thanks to his products, namely Andrea Rigoni of Rigoni in Asiago, we have enjoyed the craveable work of young Alessio.

First came the stimulating welcome of the kitchen: Saffron risone with smoked and caramelised eel, sponge with parsley and confit tomato sauce then Deer tartare, black tea jelly, milk and cocoa foam. The perfect dinner was opened by a very delicate Marinated salmerino supplied by Trota Oro (Trento), beautifully paired with delicate turnips and a smoked potato cream. In this case the similarly young and talented sommelier Jgor Tessari, (trained at Alajmo’s) paired a prestigious Riserva 2007 Maso Martis with the dish.

The arrival of the warmer months and the territory were celebrated with the Green gnocchi with spring scent (a symphony of wild herbs) paired with Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Saint Clair. The fragrant and voluptuous Lightly smoked duck breast with grilled shallots, puffed rice chips and liquorish demonstrated, with no doubts, that Alessio has the technique and intuition of a great chef. Then came all the sweet delicacies: first a Warm mousse with tonka beans, pomegranate and pumpkin wafer,then the Soy ice-cream with toasted almonds, yogurt mousse, caramel and cocoa. Praise to the young chefs who are brave enough to play when the game gets tough.

Stube Gourmet
Hotel Europa
Via IV novembre, 67
Asiago (Vicenza)
+39.0424.462659
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Open for in the evening only