At the Atlante Star, the idea of accessible ease bounces between the suites overlooking the Vatican and the terrace set up on three levels to accommodate outsiders as well in a plurality of enjoyable reunions. The focal point? Les Etoiles, a self-proclaimed fan of josper, an obsolete cooking mode to scan an entire menu from entrée to dessert. Here's what to expect from chef William Anzidei's menu.
Conciseness is a largely underrated skill in the competitive arena of Urbe chic: how many times has the menu failed to repay your trust, in booking that exclusive panoramic table with the sole benefit of a bland Instagram opportunity? Given the stage premises, the experience at the Atlante Star could weave the usual plot all action and no surprise. Instead, it has the virtue of unraveling the Roman skein tangled by trends, aiming straight for substance: the food here is in “no filter” mode, with the pure and simple goal of planting the essentials done right.
A mission far from obvious, at the top of a hotel punctually packed with polyglot visitors lining up for a sunset selfie. The silver lining? Beyond the wiggly-lettered business card, there's more. First and foremost, William Anzidei's cooking, hands firmly on the product and script set to the audience. It is he, executive chef of the in-house restaurant Les Etoiles, who pulls out all the stops for a cosmopolitan demand, making the hotel just minutes from St. Peter's an alternative berth to fashionable destinations for travelers on gastronomic pilgrimage.
The rehearsals begin, however, as early as late afternoon, on the terrace enlivened by the motions of the bartenders and the relays of the waiters in direct contact with the bar, where the aperitif bears the stamp of Roberto Marinelli (food&beverage consultant, already a stalwart of numerous projects within Jerry Thomas) and Valerio Visentin (bar manager of great empathy as well as method).
So all of a sudden you're on the sixth floor and lifting a glistening Mimosa as a trophy, with Champagne Lallier embellishing the orange and lemon cordial along with fresh orange juice. More gold than old: the right ending to the day, a shot at the Dome and the sip prone to encore. Except that the easy-bite baby burgers and chef's tempura crustaceans appear as well, to be dunked in the green sauce on the side until dinner do us part.
Then comes the time to take refuge in a brace of bonton reception, as hunger rises and lights go down in unison. Same watercolor with rooftops on the horizon, but inside a glass-walled muffled room that gives way to fine dining.
Les Etoiles and the cuisine of William Anzidei
Perhaps it is the history of the "Mencucci dynasty" that has inspired the prototype of a restaurant that is both charming and, at the same time, family-oriented, where there is no need to downwardly modulate one's tone of voice or pretend to study the wine list to disguise ’first time” gourmet embarrassment. Yes, because the Atlante Star has gradually evolved with generational turnover, from founder Benito Mencucci's mini-business of room rentals to the progressive expansion in the complex located between Prati and Borgo Pio, always resting on the foundations of homemade management divorced from the big hotellerie brands.
Pulling the strings of hospitality today are the owner's children- Federico, Roberto and Francesca - whose idea of accessible ease bounces between the suites overlooking St. Peter's and the terrace set up on three levels to accommodate outsiders as well in a plurality of enjoyable reunions. There are those who celebrate graduation with pomp and circumstance, those who welcome the weekend “bubble in hand,” and those who choose to stay overnight after grinding out miles and miles downtown.
Or those who, like us, wish to test the waters of a sign that is a self-declared fan of josper, an obsolete cooking mode to scan an entire menu from appetizer to dessert. We are talking, after all, about a technique capable of fusing grill effluvia with the precision of the oven, pushing smoky hints without altering the material. At Les Etoiles, Anzidei refines its potential in lightness, since the ingredients hold on to their moods with relative juiciness inside: a barbecue effect streamlined by respect for natural fibers and fabrics, whether a filet or a side of zucchini.
To chase away the redundancy of the smoky gust, the chef “takes aim” starting with the fruit sauces, the fragrance of the different oils and the playful meat-fish partnership, capturing interest through continuous staccato bursts of flavor. It is up to the dining room to follow the pace of contrasts thanks to the quick pace of mâitre Paolo Bicorni, prone to flexible service devoid of austerity.
In the same environment, therefore, you will travel from the intimacy of the gallant date to the banter of a gourmand table, to the punctual attentions for diners only. A curiosity: the “good living room ”in which you will eat has also been a movie set. So, let's start the show.
The dishes at Les Etoiles
It runs along the waterfront the itinerary proposed by Anzidei (5 courses of seafood at 110 euros; 155 with wine pairing), skirted, however, by a menu that makes due introductions to the Roman surroundings - see the Gnocco cacio, pepe e animelle or the Carrè d'agnello alle erbe. Among the “headlines” stands out the cod in an evening outfit: don't expect the usual savory filet to share the plate with ritual potatoes. By contrast, the cod “heart” flaunts a tight-fitting breading that redesigns the volumes of the fried fish, finding in the pungency of the horseradish sauce and the crispy wok greens a further leap of style.
There is smoked mango to reinforce the smoky flicker of roasted scallop with Calabrian licorice powder. Seemingly basic in its presentation, on tasting it brings out a strong character. “We grill the exotic fruit until its sugars caramelize,“ the chef explains, ”then it is sieved and whipped with extra virgin olive oil to return the various nuances in creamy form." The mussel treated in two steps-low temperature and over a direct flame-preserves its sweet, almost “nutty” soul, which then veers toward a pleasant impression of diffuse roasting.
From the first course list jumps out an unusual Spaghettone with Cinta Senese Guanciale, yellow cherry tomatoes and salt cod. The latter, this time prepared espresso al roner, engages in new discourse with the succulent meat topping, holding its own against the persistence of the cured meat. Instead, the vegetable brings a velvety roundness, pandering just the right amount.
It now has the maison's second-best maison fabric, the Grilled Octopus, Corn and Spinach, with fresh corn cobs flavored by shallots and translated into a backdrop of “creamy” cream. The leafy greens, made intense by a balsamic stravecchio di Modena IGP, duly balances the saline charge of the shellfish, whose slight outer toastiness is appreciated to mimic the texture of the last beach barbecues.
Finally, a cautious sugary promise hovers over the dessert: despite the classic choice of Crème brûlée and iced tiramisu macaron, Anzidei seems to have his finger on the pulse in creating subtle concluding alchemies. Our praise goes, however, to the 100% Chocolate Baba, which in spite of the generous filling dares a not bad bittering lunge.
A harmonic constant as well in the sideboard desserts and hot dishes of the morning buffet, from the sour cherry tart to the spongy pancakes, ending with the omelet stuffed with pan-fried vegetables. We enjoy them “sitting in a postcard,” the Vatican in front and the cappuccino smoking...good morning, Rome, from here you appear as opulent as our intercontinental breakfast.
Contact
Atlante Star- Les Etoiles
Via dei Bastioni, 1, 00193 Rome RM
Phone: 06 686386
Menu: terrazzalesetoiles.com
