Andrea La Caita relaunches in Tivoli and after Li Somari, from today Friday, January 24, opens the doors of Al Madrigale. The gastronomic offerings are curated by the chef of Rome's two Michelin-starred Acquolina restaurant Daniele Lippi, flanked by resident chef Gian Marco Bianchi. Art and elegance, in this new restaurant project, meet fine dining cuisine that speaks of shepherds and transhumance.
Photo credits: Cultivar Agency
Al Madrigale: all about Daniele Lippi's new kitchen in Tivoli
The historic center of Tivoli is one of the most picturesque villages in central Italy. Walking through the alleyways that wind through a handful of rooftops nestled between caves, Roman temples and crystal-clear waterfalls throws you into Rome's earliest history, and Villa Gregoriana, Villa Adriana and Villa D'Este, the latter recognized UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are still some of the most opulent vestiges of Roman magnificence.
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The historical and architectural potential of Tivoli's beauty, an asset undervalued by local and national policies on tourism, are a value that Andrea La Caita decides to continue to invest in. Thus, after Li Somari (with chef Adriano Baldassarre) and La Mangiatoia, comes Al Madrigale. We are in the historic center of Tivoli, and this time chefs Daniele Lippi and Gian Marco Bianchi work together in the kitchen, while the dining room and reception are in the hands of the young and talented Danilo Alessi.
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![Cultivar AlMadrigale 53](/upload/multimedia/Cultivar-AlMadrigale-53.jpg)
The restaurant
On the ground floor of a stone building, a stone's throw from Piazza delle Erbe, the elements that characterize the restaurant's identity are linked to the land and the territory they inhabit. Iron and marble in the furnishings, original cement tiles on the floors and cast-iron radiators salvaged from the renovation of the old hospital. Soft lighting, a few tables on two levels, a kitchen contained in the mezzanine level and contemporary sculpture works in a welcoming and elegant play of light.
![Cultivar AlMadrigale 102](/upload/multimedia/Cultivar-AlMadrigale-102.jpg)
The entrance is from the street level through a wooden door and immediately after a short reception hallway is the first room, a circular wooden table seating eight inhabits a small room on the right, while on the left the room has four small islands to sit and enjoy the welcome appetizers that will end upstairs.
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A small iron spiral staircase leads to the second level and here, on the landing, we find the open kitchen and a counter where the chef serves the last of the amuse bouche. Another short hallway and we are in the main dining room. Six tables and sixteen place settings, a reminder of classical sculpture in the center and ceilings with small circular arcade vaults, the colors tend toward dark tones that rest the eyes and the lights are calibrated so as never to disturb the eye. Comfortable seating, two tasting courses and an a la carte menu.
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The dishes
The names of the two courses tell the story of the restaurant idea, Misera/Mente (6 real runs at €78) and Migra/Zione (9 real runs at €100) express the desire to represent the cuisine that has always inhabited the hearths of these mountainous lands abutting Lazio and Abruzzo. Saragolla breadmaking and a focaccia steamed and then seared over embers, an anchovy colatura butter, and to open the dances a sorbet that surprises. The quenelle that arrives on the plate brings a leaf of fresh oregano to be eaten accompanied by the focaccia and to convince the palate that one is savoring a very good cold processing of tomato. The surprise is that that sorbet is rosehip, intense and tart in its vegetal notes and no trace of tomato. Remarkable processing technique and texture, as well as flavor.
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The Sheep Tartare served with oyster mayonnaise and frozen strawberry grapes is the first shot of a mixed course that will touch parts of both options, a manifesto on the quality of the material and the philosophy centered on flavor intensities. Tender and fresh meat, vigorous flavor, fun contrasts, and the hint of mustard on the misticanza is particularly apt. The Egg "in purgatorio", a typical Abruzzo recipe, arrives at the table surprising for the second time in its use of rosehips. In a wooden bowl arrives the egg dipped in a red sauce and covered with grated ricotta salata with a round of raw oil. The impression is of enjoying a good tomato sauce as the authentic recipe calls for, but instead here, as in the sorbet, the star of a good dish is the rosehip.
![Cultivar AlMadrigale 75](/upload/multimedia/Cultivar-AlMadrigale-75.jpg)
The Topinambur alla Giudia is mouthwatering. Served in two textures, fried at the base as a waffle and creamed immediately above garnished with a mint sauce, it is accompanied by a savory zabaglione with burnt leek powder. Fun to bite and intense in overall flavor, preponderant in fat. The Shepherd's Raviolo is a simple dish, clean in taste and very elegant in preparation. It comes in a large circular format, accompanied by a brown base and a Parmigiano fondue, filled with a generous amount of ricotta with lemon. Seemingly an excessive filling, which instead fades lightly on the palate to leave room for the balance of a dough cooked to have bite. The key is a beef heart, grated at the table, capable of pushing on the savory.
![Cultivar AlMadrigale 32](/upload/multimedia/Cultivar-AlMadrigale-32.jpg)
Another first was the Pasta mix, roasted potatoes, smoked provolone cheese and trout eggs. The cooking of the pasta plays an important role in the chewing of an enveloping dish, while the trout eggs create an interesting edge of savory flavor, with sour notes, to amplify the roasted potato extract's toastiness and the delicate sensation of the smokiness. Among the main courses comes first the Baccalà alla pignata with crayfish, crusco bell pepper and chickpeas. The bread crust of the pignata is broken at the table and remaining inside gives a crispness with a sweet hint that combines with that of the chickpeas. Resistances that accompany the perfectly cooked cod and a good bottom of crayfish. The Agnello brodettato in cacio e ova is another dish direct in taste and balanced in flavor components. The flavor is centered on the quality of the tender, juicy meat, with the fatty parts of creamy egg and cheese cleaned up by the freshness of a citron last. Very tasty.
![Cultivar AlMadrigale 16](/upload/multimedia/Cultivar-AlMadrigale-16.jpg)
Among the desserts, the Buffalo Yogurt with persimmon, chestnut, sage and roasted barley stands out. Interesting the known natural sweetnesses that come together without ever overdoing it, with the good balance of added sugars, fun to chew in different textures and satisfying in the final full flavor that in the fried sage finds a fresh and balsamic closure. Service in restrained settings, coordinated by Danilo Alessi, is geometric and executed in the proper timing of a relaxed dinner; at the table, the storytelling is millimeter about the product and expertise mixes well with the informal elegance of the experience. A refined wine list centered on the cuisine also ensures enjoyment for those who like to drink well. Daniele Lippi and Gian Paolo Bianchi, with attention to research on raw materials and great technique in execution, bring to the table dishes made from memories and folk tradition.
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Aesthetics play an important role in the overall experience, and full flavor is the goal of every dish. Parking is a short walk to make by crossing the Gregorian Bridge overlooking the Villa and Sybil temples. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, you can eat well and elegantly even at lunchtime on Saturdays and Sundays, with a bill within everyone's reach (especially if you rely on the tasting tours). A stroll through Tivoli, as well as for its beauty, would be worth it.
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Address
Al Madrigale
via di, Via Ponte Gregoriano, 1, 00019 Tivoli RM