Mamma mia! It’s an Italian feast at Intercon

Prince Albert Rotisserie, Hotel InterContinental Manila’s fine-dining restaurant, dishes out the stuff that serious foodies’ dreams are made of. Count me as one of its many fans. Some of my fondest food memories were made there and they still linger in my taste buds.

My last visit to the country’s finest of fine-dining destinations was for its showcase on Danish cuisine. The theme was fairytale, a tribute to Denmark’s famous storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. Indeed, the dinner experience was nothing short of magical as I immensely enjoyed their sumptuous, elegant offerings. If one stared up at the sky on that starry night, they would have found five stars missing. And I was sure I had a taste of them!

This month, as the Hotel InterContinental Hotels and Resorts Group marks its 60th year in the business, Prince Albert will hold a festival on Italian cuisine. In collaboration with Intercontinental De La Ville Rome, patrons can look forward to a special degustacion menu of regional Italian favorites from the latter’s Ristorante La Piazzetta. Among these Roman gastronomic pleasures are rack of lamb with aromatic herb crust and plum mustard, mushroom risotto; spaghetti tossed with garlic prawns and extra virgin olive oil; osso bucho or braised veal knuckle in red wine tomato sauce and cheese risotto; and sugar-free tiramisu. A selection of fine Italian cheeses will also be served.

And la dolce vita, it surely was as I had the chance to preview and sample some of its offerings during the press lunch held on Aug. 14 .

What’s the next best thing to good food? Experiencing it with great company. I had the pleasure to be seated next to the distinguished Rubens Anna Fedele, Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Italy. Our conversation centered on the obvious — food! He grew up in Puglia, and if you look at a map of Italy, that part is on the heel of the “boot.” Puglia is surrounded by water, the majority of its coastline along the Adriatic Sea. And according to the ambassador, throughout Puglia one eats what is closest in proximity — seafood and vegetables. He described the food in his hometown to be light, rustic simple and pure. Fish is grilled without seasoning or salt. He says washing fresh fish in seawater adds natural flavor to the fish. The dishes are mostly tomato-based as opposed to heavy creams.

As he was sharing this, he would set aside some food on his plate, untouched because it was just too heavy for his taste. He says because of Filipinos’ hospitality and love for food, he gets invited to one too many dinners and luncheons. For this affair, he came with an empty stomach so he could enjoy the meal. No wonder, the ambassador was fit and looked good in his suit.

Should I have felt a bit guilty about sating myself with the glorious food in front of me? Well, we were guests there for different reasons. His was to uphold and promote Italian sensibilities; mine was simply to indulge in the great food!

We were heading to a sophisticated finish as dessert was being served, an elegant slice of tiramisu, which he says literally means “lift me up” or something sweet to dispel the blues. Being a coffee connoisseur, the ambassador ordered for a cup of espresso. When his order came, he had it taken back and gave specific instructions for the barista to let the water drip first so as to keep the espresso strong and undiluted. He then gives me tips on gauging the measure of a good cup of espresso. Try adding some sugar on top of its foam, if the sugar remains on top and doesn’t settle, then the espresso is strong as it should be.

Impressed by his knowledge of food I asked him if he would recommend to me an Italian chef or cooking school should I further my study on Italian cuisine. He says to capture the authentic taste of Italy there is no better teacher than Mamma Mia herself. Mother, she knows best. Simple as that and yet profound. Home cooking is the sacred thread that keeps culinary traditions for generations alive. And I couldn’t agree more!

* * *

The Italian food festival is ongoing until Sept. 14, as part of a series of food fests that Prince Albert is holding for restaurant patrons, treating them to gastronomic gems from Hotel InterContinental around the world.

* * *

You may e-mail the author at info@henysison.com or log on to www.henysison.com.