7Pines, a mouth-watering resort

The maritime pines are there, and there are even more than seven, but this five-star luxury Sardinian resort owes its name, 7Pines to the mother house in Ibiza built much earlier. Here the German owners, with a direct relationship with the Hyatt group, opened the area three summers ago, after a total renovation of a very unattractive hotel.

There’s nothing in common now between yesterday and today at Li Mucchi Bianchi in Baja Sardinia the municipality of Arzachena. Where once there were all sorts of things, and everything was mediocre, now 15 hectares accommodate 75 rooms spread out in the greenery, two swimming pools, three restaurants and, of course, sea and beaches as well as spaces for various sports activities. What is surprising is the feeling that the glass is half empty, that there is no full house. But there is, of course, except everything is designed so that there are no crowds, not even the impression of one. And this even though children are welcome. This is thanks to director Vito Spalluto, whose vision goes beyond the boundaries of ownership.

The design and investment in the gastronomic offer is impressive. Three distinct areas: the gourmet offer, only in the evening at Capogiro, the seafood offer, lunch and dinner at the Cone Club and, finally, pizza, signed by Franco Pepe from sunset, with Pasquale D'Ambrosio, a very attentive Neapolitan chef with no flights of fancy, who looks after the ensemble. His strong points are his constant search for local raw materials, his cooperation with the most diverse jewels, his trust in the employees, and his staying focused on the needs of the resort. He doesn't act out, in other words.

The central space, where breakfast is served in the morning, is called Capogiro (dizzy) because of the beauty of the view, with a sky that is set ablaze at sunset, an assured dizzying spectacle, although at first some feared someone might misunderstand by thinking of dizziness as a prelude to fainting. Then you think of the Stendhal syndrome and the whole thing makes you feel good.

The chef proposes three set menus, in addition to the à la carte one: From North to South, which sounds like a journey through Italy, then My Tailoring Island and the island is of course Sardinia, and finally seven free-hand tastings under the heading Meravigliarsi. A very important but little-practiced detail: the last page lists all the people involved so that you can read “The menu you have tasted was made thanks to the passion of...”. Seven names follow, including sous-chef Douaa Qarchaoui and chef patissier Fabio Capasso.

Then the other part of the work: “and everything was presented and served with love by...', six figures in all, including sommelier Giuliano Mulas and restaurant manager Daniele Truddaiu.

The island as D'Ambrosio proposed it, starting with his welcome with Purple prawn, root leaves, sea pine, Gavina watermelon. Then Non hai Scampo, dressed with conchiliaceiola pizzaiola, burnt sage bread, buffalo colatura; Il riccio, served in a bowl in the shape of a hedgehog and its needles: Sea urchin, purple prawn sweetbreads, stewed lemon, potato.

Fumuderra, redfish cheek, sea fennel, myrtle oil. For Profondità here is a durum wheat Fregula, Sandalia oyster, salicornia, seaweed butter, fig leaf broth. Maialino in mare because a Sardinian suckling pig from Mario, a top supplier, is married to tuna, Annurca apple, roots, just as the Rombo Velato is a turbot with squid, local prawn, spiny artichoke herb tea and sea fennel. We close with Che bell'albicocca, with the fruit enriched with hazelnut and lemon.

The most Italian experience there is is Pasta al pomodoro, which brings with it the most Italian of gestures: making long pasta rolls with a fork. Pasquale harvests and ripens over 12 different types of tomato, which vary: classic San Marzano, san Marzano nano, grappolo, riccio, date, cherry, piennolo del Vesuvio Pizzutello, corbarino, beefsteak, fiaschetto, regina, pera d'Abruzzo, siccagno and manduria camone.

All bound by Parmigiano Reggiano 24 months and 48 months, Gran Campidano di 24, Taggiasco oil, sea fennel and basil oil.

My wife Luisa laughed worriedly because she knows how intense I get with food, even too much. Then a second waiter arrived with a richly filled pan and everything took its rightful course. Total delight.

At opposite ends of the spectrum are the other two 7Pines establishments: Franco Pepe's Spazio open only in the evenings with its classics such as Margherita sbagliata, Scarpetta and Ritrovata, and other pizzas more thoughtfully designed for the place such as Spazio Mare with shrimp, Sensazione di Costiera and Senti-menti di Gallura. Further afield, the Cone Club, in the Mediterranean bush, exalts fish, but also meat, open for lunch and dinner, under sails that form a sort of dome that does not suffocate because the triangles of orange fabric are only attached to each other at the corners, so the wind passes and the sun and shade play between them. Of course, we did not limit ourselves to two first courses, but the Spaghettone with clams, lemon and basil, and the Linguine with garlic, oil, chili pepper and sea urchins showed they had that extra oomph compared to the usual standard you can find almost everywhere in Italy.

Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso