The Roman chef narrates his Rome with technique and taste, while manager and owner Paolo De Angelis accompanies guests in the dining room with excellent wines and a winning approach.
The Restaurant
In Rome's Prati district , hides one of the Capital's most enchanting rooftops, with a close-up view of St. Peter's, Castel Sant'Angelo and the Altare della Patria. A trio of monuments whose beauty can be glimpsed while enjoying a club sandwich or French toast among the many tables set aside for brunch at Ozio Restaurant, the sign located on the seventh floor of the Hotel Orazio Palace (4L Collection Hotels group). The restaurant was established in 2021 by Paolo De Angelis, an experienced sommelier with a natural flair for hospitality.
After gaining important experience at Achilli al Parlamento and Zanzara, the director in charge of Ozio took up the challenge of measuring himself against a compelling reality, in symbiosis with the wishes of Alessandro, Beatrice and Laura Lazzarini, at the head of the 4L Collection Hotels group. The choice of chef fell on another “Roman doc,” Salvatore Testagrossa, a self-taught chef who discovered the secrets of the Capitoline culinary tradition while working in several local restaurants, before honing his techniques in London and then again in Rome, as sous chef at Baccano and La Zanzara.
His watchwords in the kitchen are, "Dignity and class, two values that are indispensable to me in life as much as in work, which over time, unfortunately, are being somewhat lost.” Dignity is often also synonymous with humility, a trait we find in Salvatore Testagrossa's approach both with guests and with the raw material-strictly seasonal with a menu that changes every 4 months-which underscore his desire to create dishes that are yes elegant, but also warm and enveloping.
The two tasting menus Accidia and Lussuria, both 5-course menus, represented the essence of the chef's philosophy of never forgetting his roots, offering several dishes reminiscent of the Lazio tradition translated into a contemporary key-except for iconic recipes such as Carbonara.
Accompanying the Roman chef's methodical and tasteful cooking is a wine list that tells the story of Paolo De Angelis' experience: from his passion for Champagne expressed in more than 110 labels, to the various bottles that well represent the white wine of Italy's vineyard, from Alto Adige to Sicily.
The dishes
Not only the rooftop for breakfast, aperitif and lunch break. On the lower floor of the hotel develops the Orazio's evening proposal with 90 indoor seats and about 20 in the covered terrace, ideal for the winter season. It is here that Salvatore Testagrossa's culinary symposium begins, inaugurating the menu with Carciovo: a yellow-fleshed egg cooked at a low temperature and fried with panko bread, accompanied by artichoke alla giudia and a cream always from the vegetable. The chef confesses to us that it is one of his signature dishes, and you can tell by the attention to detail in both the plating and the coded taste of the two ingredients that dialogue perfectly.
The artichoke returns in the next course where an exquisite 60-day aged homemade Bresaola with rosemary takes center stage . The meat is served with Pecorino Romano mousse, Taggiasche olives, artichoke in double texture (grilled and alla giudia), mint oil, garlic and lemon. Technique, elegance and awareness, these are the appropriate adjectives to describe this dish. We continue the journey at the relentless pace of earthy ingredients, with a flavorful Tortello stuffed with duck, with air and Parmigiano Reggiano broth, fried duck and sage base rich in umami, followed by the only course of the evening reminiscent of the sea, “Le Virtù”. This is a mixed pasta topped with mussels, beans, chickpeas and burnt lemon powder. The “nail” cooking of the pasta format creates a pleasant play of textures with the legumes and seafood, while the lemon is key in giving the dish a vertical, acidic boost.
The chef also responds positively to the “cheek test, ” serving a tender and juicy Lucano Bitter Beef Cheek, with Mantuan squash and chestnuts. Impeccable. We close with a great classic of Italian cuisine, Torta della nonna, which Salvatore interprets with a pine-nut and almond crumble, custard, maraschino-soaked sponge cake, sanded pine nuts, and caramel wafer and ladyfingers. A sweet pampering for the palate, demonstrating the chef's good skills in pastry as well.
Contact
Ozio Restaurant
Via Orazio, 21, 00193 Rome
T. 06 8715522
