A safe harbor to savor Sardinian excellence (and more). From the gastronomic challenge of Fabio Desteghene, an entrepreneur in love with his island, a sign was born, telling the story of the territory with creative grafts, focusing on the cuisine of a young Marco Calabrò.
All photos of Stefano Mileto
The story
Porto Rotondo: the place is exclusive, the view, from the small square defiladed from the center that sweeps over the sea and the harbor area, is stunning. At Deste 's the tables are all set under the stars, just a couple are inside a small, elegant space that also includes the bar counter and open kitchen. Fabio Desteghene, a spirited entrepreneur with a past full of different trades, opened this restaurant in early 2018.
He says, "I was the factotum for a major Russian family, and for them I had the opportunity to travel quite a bit in Europe and around the world-I always saw a much more evolved gastronomic reality than the one I knew here in Sardinia. Once I came back on a permanent basis, it was hard not to think of a way to take advantage of what we have here, both as a raw material and as a location. Sticking to the standard concept, creating the classic tourist trap, would have been the wrong thing to do."
Therefore Fabio set out to create something that would enhance the best of his land: "I had to seek excellence. I was born a shepherd, until I was 15 years old I worked for my grandfather following him everywhere, so I went in search of the things I always experienced and touched as a child." Grandfather died when Fabio was 17, so he set out to study computer science, "my passion, computers and the countryside." Plus, in Piazzetta Rudalza, he had already worked there, again as a very young boy, when he was a gardener for the Porto Rotondo Consortium.
"I've known this place all my life, when I saw that there was a place for rent there, I didn't hesitate to make a restaurant out of it: before there was a clothes boutique. And so slowly, as we grow and make ourselves known, customers appreciate us more and more." Desteghene believes a lot in young people and has entrusted the constantly evolving dining room and wine list to the very talented under-30 Lorenzo Graglia.
The cuisine
On the gastronomic side, a number of chefs have passed through here: the latest season, which was preceded by the entry as a mention in the Michelin guide, has Marco Calabrò of Villa San Giovanni, in the last strip of Calabria, as its frontman in the kitchen. Ambitions are important; after all, Marco tells us of an irresistible vocation.
"I had it in mind to become a cook from a very young age, I keep a video of kneading cake pans with mom when I was two years old. When I finished middle school, when filling out the form and indicating my chosen alternatives to continue school I wrote hotelier or... hotelier. So, they called my mother and told her that maybe I had been distracted in writing. Instead I had done it on purpose, going against everyone, because they thought I should have gone to science college." Long story short, of his 31 years of life, Marco spent 16 of them in the kitchen.
He first worked in his country, then toured Italy "until I found myself working for Heinz Beck in Milan, then in the Langhe in Serralunga d'Alba with Fabrizio Tesse. I arrived in Sardinia in the summer of 2019 and eventually embraced Fabio's project. The intention is to grow." When asked to describe his style, Marco confidently replies, "My cuisine? I define it as not only Mediterranean, because it is contaminated by my whole evolutionary path. I carry with me memories of various experiences, both from work and from my childhood."
The dishes
Certainly, his dishes focus decidedly on taste, in a modern and elegant way. As in the case of the snails with parmentier cream, green "bagnetto" and sweet garlic inspired by his memories of the Langhe and Cherasco, where heliciculture is a practice of excellence. "It has always fascinated me to bring somewhat 'discriminated' elements to my menus."
One example is love is brain, a dish in which fifth-quarter (quinto quarto) subjects, such as liver, lungs, brains, and lamb belly, are found together, "revisited in a way that prompts the diner, through curiosity, to overcome certain stereotypes."
The pork-filled bottoni are served with the smoked herring and celery extract, "a tribute to a product that reminds me of my land, just as the bottone is a tribute to the Sardinian land. Tunnilingus plays on the ambiguity of the name, provocative, in which a 'poor' product like beef tongue and a fine tuna ventresca are found together, to which I wanted to add an oriental touch, a cuisine I love."
Successful is the revisiting of a typical island recipe such as anchovies, garlic and parsley, to which the chef has added an earthy touch with a cream of leeks and potatoes. Still a bit of Orient is found in the desserts, with a final dish like the hazelnut creamy, with caramelized hazelnut, matcha 'meadow,' sake jelly and matcha tea ice cream.
Deste is a place to get to know, even better off-season, because Fabio Desteghene, in a vision we think is enlightened, plans to keep it open outside the busy months.
Contacts
Deste
piazza rudalza, 6, 07026 Olbia SS
Phone: 393 260 7600
