[Italy: Abruzzo] 3* Ristorante Reale by Niko Romito

Rating: 5/5

Follow me to 3* Ristorante Reale in Abruzzo, Italy - helmed by self-taught Chef Niko Romito and his sister Cristiana! Located in a 16th-century monastery nestled on a hill in Castel di Sangro, the beautiful restaurant is also home to a boutique hotel with 10 rooms and the Niko Romito culinary academy. Chef Niko never thought of becoming a chef but when his father passed away, he took over the family restaurant together with his sister and the rest is history. With no culinary background, the chef developed his own culinary style through in-depth research and experimentation, and Reale was awarded the coveted third Michelin star in 2014.

I have been wanting to visit Reale for a while now and while I’ve had the chef’s food before in his other restaurants at Spazio and Bulgari Hotel, the food served here is more cutting edge with deceptively simple yet complex dishes dedicated to the purest expression of each ingredient. The chef brilliantly transforms a single ingredient through many different preparations while layering its flavors and textures on top of one another. Throughout the meal, I was constantly astounded dish after dish as the ingredients - such as the seemingly common carrot and eggplant - tasted unlike anything I’ve had before. Definitely one of the top meals we’ve had so far this year!

Vegetables are a big part of the menu. Our tasting menu started with the amazing Carrot which is taken to the extreme in vertical complexity - the entire dish is comprised of “just” carrot but sliced, puréed, steamed, grilled, and fermented. Next up was the delightful Watermelon and Tomato which were tied together perfectly by a layer of savory anchovy sauce. Another favorite was the brilliant play on temperature with a cold risotto and hot cocktail. My absolute favorite of the night - the signature Eggplant with peach caramel! The texture and flavor of the eggplant were simply unparalleled. The Spaghetti with tomato and lemon was a surprising hit with its spicy flavors. Lastly, the roasted Endive prepared almost like a potato rosti served as the perfect ending to our vegetable exploration at Reale.

Our menu:

- Apricot, capers and oregano

- Carrot

- Roasted cuttlefish and pink pepper

- Bread

- Watermelon and tomato

- Trout, bay leaves and almond

- Cold rice, green pepper and golden apple

- Warm Swiss chard salad

- Eggplant and peach caramel

- Lamb, sheep milk and cinnamon

- Spaghetti with tomato and lemon

- Roasted endive

- Cherry and chocolate

- Pistachio and sage ice cream

- Parrozzo

- Peach marinated in Montepulciano and anise

We complemented our dining experience at Reale with a stay in one of the ten beautiful guest rooms at the boutique hotel Casadonna onsite! The breathtaking Reale Suite had panoramic views of the surrounding mountains from the balcony along with a jacuzzi bathtub for relaxing. The decor of the room was modern and chic with a white and black color palette interspersed with colorful pieces of furniture.

The next morning, we started the day with a gourmet Italian breakfast featuring local quality products and traditional recipes! The breakfast spread was extensive with selections including the chef’s famous breads served with homemade jams, honey from the bees of Casadonna, manteca butter, fresh juices and fruit extracts. What a great way to wrap up our experience at Reale!

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