On September 5th, the new Casa Perbellini was inaugurated, relocated to the iconic spaces of the 12 Apostoli restaurant, redesigned by the architect Patricia Urquiola. An opportunity for a grand relaunch: "I've always dreamed of returning under that dome," says the renowned chef with a smile.
The restaurant
It's neither apostasy nor apocrypha at 12 Apostoli in Verona, a restaurant with three centuries of history, one of which was under the prestigious management of the Gioco family. Giancarlo Perbellini had indeed started his culinary journey there for almost a year, working as commis under Mrs. Jole, primarily assisting with pasta dishes. However, he was captivated by Giorgio Gioco, a historical rival of Gualtiero Marchesi, who diligently prepared his salmon in crust every morning.
It was a bit faded, yet filled with nostalgia. The kitchen's ceiling resembled more of a dome than a hood, opening up towards the stars. And that's where he wanted to start again when, at the age of 59, he pondered whether to stop, already having nine establishments under his belt (plus two pastry shops), or to embark on a new journey. The fateful proposal from the Gioco family to take over came, with his wife Silvia pressing him to accept and expressing her vision directly.
It's a relay game between the old and the new: Perbellini has asked the Gioco family to resume organizing the literary award from 2024 onwards, while the young kitchen team mostly comes from Locanda Perbellini in Montallegro. The four head chefs are all in charge of the main courses (Gianluca Rizzioli, Matteo Bertoli, Vincenzo Grillo, Lorenzo Cibecchini), and in the dining room, there are Chantal Feletto and Filippo Cancogni, while the wine cellar is managed by Mirta Margaglio and Stefano Zandarin. The five-month renovation of the premises was done with utmost respect, considering the restaurant's status as one of the most charming in Italy, thanks to the frescoes by Pino Casarini, who reproduced the scenery of Romeo and Juliet at the Arena in 1947, encapsulating the essence of Verona.
It couldn't be entrusted to just any architect: Giancarlo and Silvia aimed high, selecting the renowned designer and architect Patricia Urquiola, who played with the original shapes and colors, dividing the spaces and creating new lighting effects. The decorations remained intact, as did the wood paneling. Meanwhile, the kitchen is dominated by the sacred, almost Giotto-like hood, bright with wall washer lights ("I dreamed of returning here as a chef"), surrounded by the red kitchen, disassembled and reassembled from the Piazza San Zeno restaurant.
There is also a chef's table space for 12 guests, like the apostles, in addition to two rooms featuring portraits and frescoes, accommodating a total of forty diners. The first formula includes a surprise menu, the same appointment time, and the chef at the helm, directing the culinary and service performance. Going down the stairs, the old spaces remain intact: the room where the literary award was conferred, the cellar (one wall of which is lined with bottles from Piazza San Zeno, but there's also a glass cube on the upper floor for the most precious labels), and the view of the visceral Verona archaeological remains.
On the table, the New Testament of 12 Apostoli represents the quintessence of the Veronese master's cuisine: high-level craftsmanship, classicism à la page, and above all, the elegant sense of taste and nuances of the host, capable of moving a dish with the finesse of a sauce droplet. Simplicity reigns, with a foreign and disruptive element that seems to confirm its assimilation capability through contrast. It's a bit like Camus' Mediterranean, which, in collision with any doctrine, has always remained intact and has mastered it.
The dishes
There are three menus: "Io e Silvia" (Me and Silvia); "Io e Giorgio" (Me and Giorgio), dedicated to the history of the venue and the signature dishes of both chefs; "L'Essenza" (The Essence), which is gluten-free and dairy-free, focused on intolerant diners, plus a dessert menu. There's also the option to mix and match a couple of courses. There's a touch of Sicily in the caramelized anchovy with mint. "But it was actually born because my wife adores them. They are Cantabrian anchovies, caramelized for a second, plus the herb for freshness." The sesame wafer, sea bass tartare, chive goat cheese, and licorice sensation need no introduction. This dish has come of age (it's nineteen years old) and still appears ingenious for the sauce calibration on the dirty spoon: it's food design in the truest sense.
Simplicity and a sense of taste, without special effects, are found in the sole bouquet with friggitelli pepper cream, tosatzu, and spring onion, as well as in the divine lobster, lightly cooked for an airy texture, served with zucchini emulsion, oven-baked olives, and tamarind. "The Perbellini style remains: seasonal ingredients and precise cooking methods that bring out the essence of the ingredients. We have more space here, but the preparations are still expressive."
Among the homages, the Risotto alla Barbarani is a tribute to Giorgio Gioco's tagliatelle: rice has always been Perbellini's fetish ingredient, and this is an exemplary execution, linked to the original by celeriac, Marsala wine, and a finely smoked cooked ham brunoise. Alternatively, there's the modern reinterpretation of salmon in bread, seared on top but raw underneath, with horseradish emulsion, chicken broth, and crispy bread. It's a bit reminiscent of the old "Oggi Classico" menu.
For the main course, the most robust dish is guinea fowl grilled with notes of undergrowth, lemon, and bottarga, with its sauce and field herb bread for a bitter touch, reminiscent of both breadcrumbs and "pearà" sauce. The extremely reduced mushroom water brings umami, bottarga adds saltiness, the lemon reduction brings acidity, and the field herbs with anchovies add bitterness; the sauce is almost collagen-like from the bones, rounding off the flavors.
The meal concludes with the sweet treats from Casa Perbellini. "We've returned to a dessert menu that includes a Chartreuse soufflé, paying homage to Robuchon, as well as the ever-present millefeuille."
Address
Casa Perbellini 12 Apostoli
Vicolo Corticella San Marco 3, 37121 Verona
