10-09-2017
Federico Gallo at Locanda del Pilone. The service, led by Sofia Brunelli (photo by Tanio Liotta) is professional, competent and confident
Our dinner at Locanda del Pilone, depicted by Tanio Liotta. First the appetizers: Chips of sweet potatoes, sour cream and salted cod carpaccio
Sandwich with almonds and octopus pâté
Bau (or baozi, that is to say the Chinese steamed roll stuffed ) with a sauce of hare. Excellent
Sphere of olives with Aperol spritz
The real beginning: Carpaccio, rocket pesto, hazelnut, snow of Parmigiano
Raw scallops and beetroots, with lime zest, leaves of radish and sauce of scallop coral
La nostra finanziera with red prawns from Mazara
Ramen Piedmontese style
Duck leg confit, cherries, hazelnuts and braised lettuce
Partridge and whisky, black truffle and chanterelle mushrooms, first serving: the breast in whisky and black truffle
Partridge and whisky, black truffle and chanterelle mushrooms, second serving: the leg with a sauce of chanterelle mushrooms and sautéed chanterelle mushrooms
Lemon pie: a tart with flambé lemon cream, cream, burnt meringue and meringue ice cream
There’s a perhaps a way to sum up the soul of Locanda del Pilone. It’s a word: sobriety. Of great elegance, of course: but sobriety. This belongs to the Borolis, to begin with, that is to say to the reserved family of great and historic entrepreneurs (since 1831. First in textile industry, then in the book industry and now in wine making too) who had the idea of this place. The site, an old farm preserving its historic characteristics, charms with its old noble Piedmontese attractiveness; the ancient furniture, a rustic-chic elegance without ostentation, with details that reveal the careful attention of a noble, never grotesque luxury in the bedrooms: Artemide lamps, Acqua di Parma toiletries… This is surrounded by the view, overlooking vineyards of Barbera and Dolcetto and the glorious Alps. Nature is allowed to be over-the-top beautiful, if it wishes.
A view of the Langhe
The staff at Locanda del Pilone. Left to right Sofia Brunelli (the soul and director of the dining room), Francesca Negusanti, Marco Loddo (sommelier), Davide Saglietti, Davide Picollo, Francesco Demartino, Matteo Zanin, Luca Bendinelli (sous chef), Umberto Rizzi, chef Federico Gallo, Mattia Melchionna
The meat is also excellent: the two servings of Partridge and whisky, black truffle and chanterelle mushrooms, or Duck leg confit, cherries, hazelnuts and stewed lettuce. It ends with a delicious Lemon pie: Gallo has no flights of fancy, but a real talent. Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
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