Vanessa Markey
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Nicolò Cini, chef of an intriguing place called Aromaticus in Trastevere, in Rome. This is one of the 10 restaurants awarded at The Fork restaurants awards 2021 in Milan. Peronsally, I would complete the mantra of the restaurant like this: «Make sure food is your cure and your soul» ❤️ SOUL
TheFork restaurants awards 2021: 80 mentor chefs nominated 64 restaurants opened in the past year and a half, awarding 10 places on Monday 15th November at Triennale di Milano. Among them, Aromaticus from Rome, Trastevere to be precise, the second of two. The first opened in the Monti neighbourhood, in Via Urbana 134, in 2011, tel. +39.06.4881355, a shop with many facets, including natural cuisine but also urban gardening and aromatic plants. It's as if they tested themselves before opening this vegetarian restaurant in July 2019, owned by Luca De Marco and Francesca Lombardi, with chef Nicolò Cini, previously working with Cristina Bowerman at Glass Hostaria. The latter supported them at the TheFork award.
A souvenir photo of the 2021 edition of TheFork restaurants awards at Triennale di Milano on the 15th of November. Left to right: Luca De Marco, Francesca Lombardi, Cristina Bowerman and Nicolò Cini
Nicolò Cini and Cristina Bowerman
«In our journey we try to train ourselves and others without creating strict dogmas that will keep us further from the truth (and the final goal), we put our reality in our dishes, our open attitude, which is made of respect (for techniques, cultures, dietary choices), love (for the planet, for clients and for ourselves), serenity and sharing through inclusiveness and overcoming food dogmas, through acceptance and awareness.
Aromaticus: Sandwich with kimchi, figs and cashew nut cheese
Aromaticus: Carrot and ginger soup Carrot and ginger: «The power of simplicity, naturalness, aesthetics».
Aromaticus: Carrot and ginger soup
Insalata aromatica: «The flavour of nature. Giving new value and interpretation to an often-mistreated dish. The power of wild and aromatic herbs. Vinegar and the rediscovery of ancient techniques».
Insalata Aromatica: seeds, sprouts, leaves, flowers, fruits Polenta from Masa and falafel: «Respect and cultural coherence».
Insalata Aromatica: seeds, sprouts, leaves, flowers, fruits
Baccalà in tempura: «Fish that can be preserved, hence is resilient to waste. A bridge, an exercise of democracy, a value not to trivialise, especially now. Awareness in reducing the damage. Breaking the food barriers. Traditional techniques from around the world».
Aromaticus: Baccalà in tempura Ramen with mushrooms and peanut butter: «Chemical study of the noodles mixed with alkalinised water. Egg ageing, and preservation. The importance of fermentation in the building of taste, and transforming, making edible and giving nutritional value to food, making use of its entropic energy. The rediscovery of ancient techniques as a foundation for the future».
Aromaticus: Baccalà in tempura
Aromaticus: Miso ramen with mushrooms, egg and peanut butter Chia pudding: «Natural, Simple, and Healthy. A vision of food as a cure, for body and spirit».
Aromaticus: Miso ramen with mushrooms, egg and peanut butter
Useful Info: Aromaticus Trastevere is in Rome, in Via Natale Del Grande 6/7, tel. +39.06.88798381; closed on Monday, open every day from the morning to midnight. Average prices for dinner: starters 11 euros; first courses 13; main courses 18; desserts 6.
born in Milan in March 1955, at Il Giornale for 31 years dividing himself between sports and food, since 2004 he's the creator and curator of Identità Golose. twitter @oloapmarchi
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