At the 7Pines Resort in Baja Sardinia, the view is on your plate: Chef Pasquale D’Ambrosio, after thoroughly exploring the region, presents his distinctive and hidden ingredients in original forms, often pairing them with other Italian treasures.
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The chef and the culinary philosophy
With the beautiful season finally dawning, who wouldn't want to be intoxicated by the scents of myrtle and the Mediterranean scrub while gazing into the palette of the Costa Smeralda? A fresh glass of Vermentino in hand, the table set with the synesthesia of the landscape, whether it's the freshest catch or fregula tantalizing the senses. This formula for happiness bears the signature of Pasquale D’Ambrosio, chef of the Cone Club and Capogiro, the casual and fine dining restaurant at the 7Pines Resort in Baja Sardinia.
D’Ambrosio hails from Naples, but his cuisine is not nostalgic. Instead, he loves to weave a pan-Italian dialogue between regions, where the ingredients are mostly local, but the inspirations can come from any direction. “Since I was young, I chose to embark on a path that would allow me to build a personal vision without overwhelming influences. Rather, I preferred not to confine myself, being in love with and curious about Italy. I started my journey touring the major cities, immersing myself in the discovery of each territory, to highlight the local products and incorporate them into my dishes. In every place, I chose some flavors to pack in my suitcase, including humble ingredients, which I infuse into a signature cuisine that I describe as tailor-made.”
“I have been in Sardinia since the resort opened in 2022. Back then, I spent six months, from October to March, exploring the island’s most hidden corners. Instead of dining at fine restaurants, I went to small villages to seek out products and talk to the locals. Greengrocers, butchers, cheesemakers—I convinced them to supply me with their products. And it was wonderful. For example, I use flour from the Coda di Lupo estate, a small company in San Pantaleo. Its history dates back to an engineer who retired to Sardinia over a century ago, revived ancient wheat varieties with the locals, and built a mill. The flour for my bread and pasta all comes from there. For olive oil, I chose a cooperative in the Gallura region that brings together many small producers. Together they package an exclusive extra virgin olive oil for us and our outlets.
Then there's a small butcher in Fonni who, on his tiny farm, raises and produces both meat and pecorino cheese for us, as well as a bit of saffron. The fish is supplied by a cooperative of fishermen operating in Golfo Aranci area: when they go out, Giovanni brings me three types of fish, whether it’s octopus, lobster, or something else. Everything is fresh, local, from sustainable night fishing. And then there's a family in Baja Sardinia that makes fregula for us almost every day, using our semolina and flour. They are artisans and producers, and I’ve tried to build a cohesive network among them. Each one brings their face and origins to the plate, which is always well positioned. The exception is the dry pasta from Gragnano, representing another family history and another strongly identity-rich territory.”
The menu
The result is three tasting menus, in addition to the à la carte options. From North to South consists of 7 courses at a cost of 130 euros. It tells the past, present, and future journey of the chef through Italy, a source of endless research and inspiration. An example is the Triglia alla Nerano, modeled after the famous pasta dish, where the fish is coated with an intense zucchini velouté and finished with Podolico Caciocavallo cheese, marine pine nuts, and local sea lettuce, topped with shrimp sweetbreads (heads) to enhance the seafood flavors with a seafood salad. It’s a colorful play that’s also a whirlwind of flavors in delicate contrast.
Another example is the Plin del cuore, a personal homage to Piedmont, the homeland of D’Ambrosio’s partner and the birthplace of their daughter. In this case, the filling, distinctly Campanian, consists of smoked provola and escarole, but the connection to the northern region, aside from the shape, is the crunchy hazelnut in hazelnut oil and the cocoa sauce, which conveys both sweetness and bitterness.
The Sartorial menu, consisting of 8 courses at 150 euros, has a freer flow. An example is the sea urchins served with Olbia’s mussels stuffed with sea fennel, scorpionfish cheeks with a seaweed salad, potato foam with the scent of Tonka bean, and a veil of dried fig leaf powder for an intoxicating summer aroma. A dish that delves into marine flavors.
For the past two years, the menu has featured Sardinian suckling pig cooked for 60 hours at low temperature and stripped of its rind. Served in a well-pressed little loaf, but so tender it calls for a spoon, it is topped with a well-seasoned red tuna carpaccio with lemon zest, plus two salads of Annurca apple and wild roots with chicory for freshness. "I liked the idea of bringing together two local icons. At first, the customer is often skeptical, but once they taste it, the softness and flavor win them over." Another dish is Esperienza, a shared plate consisting of mixed Gragnano pasta (12 types in total) cooked risotto-style with 12 tomatoes, from datterino to Pachino, piennolo to riccio, prepared in oil and then reduced to a creamy sauce; finally mixed with three cheeses: Sardinian pecorino Granglona, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a young Grana Padano, fig butter, Berchida cooperative oil, and a Ligurian extra virgin olive oil, plus a potpourri of wild herbs. The concept is to bring together both the ingredients and the guests at the table.
For the more adventurous, there is a third freestyle menu that includes no dishes from the other sections, but seven improvised tastings each evening, likely never to be repeated. And who knows who might have tasted the low-temperature egg served with a sea urchin and razor clam salad, sea bass carpaccio alla cacciatora, pecorino foam, and sea herbs. "All ingredients that tell the story of the region, already present in my menus, but paired with other dishes. It’s a mystery to discover them under the reassuring and perfect appearance of the egg."
To finish, there’s a dessert menu with five options, including a standout classic babà, but flavored with myrtle instead of rum and served with a fruit salad of syrupy or candied fruits from the house’s small orchard, which includes strawberries and cherries. Pairing options are also available, curated by sommelier Giuliano Mulas, who has selected Italian and French wines, with a special focus on the region and a spotlight on niche bottles that can be tasted almost exclusively here.
Contacts
7Pines
Spiaggia Li Mucchj Bianchi, Via Mucchi Bianchi, 07021 Baja Sardinia, SS, Italy
Phone: +3907891775000
Email: info.sardinia@7pines.com
