Less than 2,000 inhabitants in Grinzane Cavour, but a gourmet to be discovered: Alessandro Mecca and his brigade of worthy talents bet on research cuisine in a charming medieval castle, innovating Piedmontese gastronomy.
The chef and the restaurant
Alessandro Mecca, a Turin chef born in 1984, is among the faces of gourmet dining that are making their mark in the Langhe. Inside the historic location of Castello di Grinzane, a medieval building overlooking the Unesco World Heritage hills, he brings contemporary dishes to life, but with a deeply Piedmontese soul. His passion for gastronomy was born in the experience of his family's restaurant, the “Crocetta” in Turin, where he consolidated the basic foundations of the craft, building good hands and a big heart. Throughout his career, he has enriched his background in techniques and flavors by working in prestigious restaurants.
In 2015, he took over the helm of the Turin restaurant “Spazio7” inside the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo and led it to the achievement of a Michelin star in 2018, an award that testifies to the great quality and innovation of his cuisine. But since March 2023, Chef Mecca has embarked on a new professional challenge in the Langhe, which is giving him much satisfaction in terms of public recognition.
In this area with a vocation for food and wine tourism, Castello di Grinzane is becoming a landmark for many enthusiasts who visit it especially during the truffle season. In the summer, part of the kitchen brigade was renewed, but Alessandro holds firmly to the reins at the stove, continuing to put his identifiable and recognizable stamp on each dish.
The indoor dining room is atmospheric and elegant, with a contemporary touch on the walls thanks to Art a Porter paintings; the service is conducted with professionalism, but without an excess of formality; the wine list is interesting, with niche proposals that enhance the territory and entertain the curious. The premises are good for a dinner that leaves its mark. And Mecca's dishes confirm the expectations created by a context with great potential.
The Dishes
The experience begins with the amuse bouche that make up the chef's welcome, starting with his “faux tomato” that has now become a signature dish, aesthetically beautiful and explosively flavored, and moving through the very traditional plin "al tovagliolo" with a filling of great character, plus many other tasty treats such as bao, pan brioche with butter and anchovies, and the “Arabian breakfast,” which is walnut bread dipped in oil and honey.
The appetizers amuse us with their clean and intense flavors, which tell precisely of chef Alessandro's direct and forthright personality: we start with the calamaro alla puttanesca, which brings a bit of the Mediterranean to the Langa, combining sea and land, alternating with celeriac cooked in garum and fermented tomato jelly, lashed like waves by the savoriness of dehydrated caper and the twist of Moroccan lemon, in a very successful balance. Memorable -for us- is the eel yakitori, an ingredient that tells of the richness of Piedmontese gastronomic tradition, but blended with new elements: the sweet-and-sour mousse of pink celery from Orbassano, the French soupe à l'oignon, the cooking on the grill following marination in quince extract and balsamic vinegar. The result is a rich dish with umami notes, thanks in part to the eel base concentrated in the crock, perfectly balanced by the vegetable part.
We welcome first courses with great curiosity, because Chef Mecca is renowned for his skill in preparing risottos, which he enriches with innovative combinations and high-quality ingredients. Today's proposal is “Risotto like a seafood ribollita,” a creative reinterpretation of the traditional Tuscan ribollita, enriched with marine flavors. A dish that could become iconic, as it represents a paradigm shift in the world of risotto.
This is a dish within a dish, where the “dressing” part is served at the table with a beautiful, colorful and classy aesthetic presentation, and the rice added later, as an accessory component, yet indispensable to gather and welcome the other ingredients in an embrace that envelops the palate and excites. The rice is very creamy, as the chef has always accustomed us to, with a nice fresh note given by the "mantecatura" with sour butter; the other elements are the vegetable part of the black cabbage and beans, cooked like the typical soup from which it is inspired, and then cannolicchi, canocchie, scampi and shrimp inserted in distinct droplet reductions, where each bite becomes a discovery of a new flavor, for a complex and extremely interesting whole.
But with each step of the meal we find ourselves projected in anticipation of the next one, because if we know Alexander to move deftly in the risotto world, his skill in turning the spotlight on the meaty main courses is also well known: and here comes as a sharp response the lamb churrasco, soft and juicy, cooked at a low temperature in burnt lard and then pan-fried, accompanied by skewers made with its innards, Lucanian style. One arrives at dessert already completely satisfied, and so the soufflé with a refreshing bitter orange sorbet , which does not weigh one down, is particularly apt. Those with a sweet tooth, however, can enjoy the local hazelnut cake served as a pre-dessert, petit fours, and, in the period just past, homemade panettone.
Alessandro Mecca, constantly evolving and growing, confirms himself as a promising talent, capable of combining roots, territory, and traditional ingredients, with a look that is not only contemporary, but always turned to the future, to new horizons and new challenges. An attitude accompanied by intelligence, curiosity and a lot of heart, elements that shine through in every dish. This is cooking with personality: letting oneself be met through flavor.
Contact
Castello di Grinzane Cavour
Address: Via Castello, 5 . Grinzane Cavour (cn) - Italy
Phone +39 375 540 3500
