Ego, with two youngsters and a mission: to step out of the comfort zone with a cuisine without boundaries. Lorenzo De Lio and Beatrice Venturini are the creators of this new Rome-based sign, with only six tables and a gastronomic proposal that goes outside the box, and is distinctly international.
The story
In one of the most populous and venerable neighborhoods of the Roman gastronomic tradition, namely San Giovanni, Ego, opened in March, is a culinary format that sums up the experiences of Lorenzo De Lio (chef) and Beatrice Venturini (sommelier). A couple (also in life) that is young, dynamic and with the clear goal of going "outside the box": those who come to Ego will find a distinctly international cuisine, with ingredients from different countries of the world, with a focus on preparations and raw materials from Mexico - where they took a six-month itinerant journey to broaden their taste buds - and South America.
"Ego is the self, the consciousness of knowing who you are, and we chose this name because it represents our idea," says Beatrice Venturini, "what we are, our passions. It is a very personal place, sum of all our experiences, what we like, the research that led us to be what we are and what we want to show with this restaurant."
The two leading faces of this new sign in the capital met in the Madrid-based three Michelin-starred DiverXo, where Lorenzo worked for five years (often taking care of the pastry). It was in Dabiz Muñoz's kitchens where the Roman-born chef made his name, having first been at Mugaritz (two Michelin stars) and at the beginning of his career at Bistrot 64 in Rome, under the wing of Noda Kotaro.
Beatrice, on the other hand, has her roots in Lodi, earning her diploma in Front of house service, Bar and sommellerie at Alma school and then growing up professionally at Madonnina del Pescatore in Senigallia, where she was mainly in charge of the dining room; later she got closer and closer to the world of wine, showcasing her extensive knowledge at Ego. A menu that tells the story of our country and of France, with wine insights coming from Germany, Hungary and South America and a small selection of Saké.
The restaurant
"When we opened, we had eight tables, but since it was just the two of us and we wanted to dedicate a true tailor-made service to our customers, we reduced the number to six ," Beatrice explains. "As for the menu, the situation was similar: if at the beginning we went for three tasting menus (of 3, 5 and 8 courses), now we have removed the 3-course menu and are working on a 13-course option.
When we ask Lorenzo where he wants to go with his cuisine, he answers without hesitation, "We opened with the desire to propose what we do best, always with freshness. I have worked mainly out of Italy and wanted to get out of the classic pattern: there is no lack of quality and avant-garde here, but often the tradition that I consider fundamental is, at the same time, a double-edged sword. You have to get out of your comfort zone, and so I have fun playing with flavors and ingredients of all kinds."
The dishes
The synthesis of Lorenzo De Lio's culinary thought is not decipherable, as it is a whirlwind of creativity, fun and a desire to bring dishes to the table that are never ordinary. The amuse bouche finds concreteness in "Croqueta alla Carbonara" - that is, an Iberian-style croquette with the béchamel of the typical Rome preparation -, a "Tacos de Huitlacoche", - made with corn mold that attacks the cob - and a "Frog's Leg glazed in a Cambodian curry". Notable.
The first appetizer is an "Egg yolk marinated in soy and sake with sautéed peas over charcoal and tripe jus", a nice game of flavors with incisive smoky hints. We continue with the "Steamed Octopus with Turbot's Leche de tigre, cajun and tomatillo - a type of tomato from Central America that grows on trees, with a more bitter flavor than ours - and choclo" (a very large corn). Here we can see Lorenzo's awareness, who without hesitation, has created a recipe completely far from European tastes, but totally in tune with a well-behaved palate.
Comforting is the "Duck Fillet", which is cooked only on the skin side and served with a condensed milk cream sauce and a Calvados caramel. "This sauce is usually used in America for desserts, but I wanted to try experimenting on a savory dish," the chef explains. The result? We would have happily asked for seconds.
On thin ice in both concept and execution, the "Saddle of Lamb" with chopped fasolari, nori seaweed, salted butter, mojo picón (a typical Canary Islands sauce) and miso to complete the preparation. The lamb of English provenance allows Lorenzo to serve it rare, but here the winning flair is having created a combination with seafood. "The idea was to put a seafood flavor with the herbaceous notes of the lamb. It is the most identifying dish we have on the menu." Yes, both at reading the ingredients and during the first bite, one may be puzzled, but past this step, the end result of the dish is amazing.
Closing the course is the "Mexican-style Profiterol", filled with "mole negro" flavored with chilli, cumin, coriander, cream, guanciale and chocolate, a sauce that tends to be used to glaze meats, whereas here Lorenzo De Lio has fun "conventing" it for a sinuous and affable dessert, finished with dulche de leche and peanut butter.
Contacts
Ego Ristorante
Via Etruria 35
Phone 342 5470 485
