At Ineo, chef Heros De Agostinis manages to turn a wealth of experiences into a concise menu, completing the global circle with entertaining diners. Newly included in the Michelin Guide, the Palazzo Anantara gourmet restaurant breaks down clichés with lots of little touches, from the bread cart to the “free” end of meal. All this in a luxury hotel built on the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian.
Photo credits: Alberto Blasetti
Forget what happens in 90% of cases, when your gourmet dinner takes the form of the usual loaf of bread sliced in the center of the table and petit fours on old-style stands. Forget the overused pasta shapes in the chef's signature dish and the rhetoric about “modern tradition” in the capital: at Ineo, the impression is that substance takes precedence over show, even though the setting is one of Rome's most scenic hotels -Anantara Palazzo Naiadi, which covers much of the exedra that marks the contours of Piazza della Repubblica.
Here, you can choose from a discreet selection of assorted breads (from Lariano bread to rye bread flavored with cumin, ginger, and fenugreek), the Maccheroncini al ferretto are hand-kneaded by chef Heros De Agostinis, and the final round of the dinner takes the form of a treasure chest filled with miniature chocolate creations, from which you decide what and how much to take.
Name it what you will: perhaps a return to a sense of craftsmanship tailored to the guest, or intuitive teamwork. What is certain is that, if fun sometimes seems to be an optional extra in Rome's grand hotels, this luxury complex just a stone's throw from Via Nazionale has decided to make a difference by focusing on a chef who favors relaxed interaction with diners, from the pyrotechnics of the finger food to the freedom to create your own tailor-made meal.
The chef, Ineo's proposal, and the gastronomic formats of Palazzo Anantara
The cloche was handed over just two years ago, but anyone with even a passing knowledge of haute cuisine is well aware of De Agostinis's background: suffice it to mention his debut at Heinz Beck's La Pergola during its “rampant” phase (in 1995), followed closely by his entry into the international arena under the banners of Heinz Winkler and Marc Veyrat, until he took charge of the entire gastronomic project by Robuchon at the Metropole in Monte Carlo.
Nevertheless, for the chef, his return to Rome coincided with a search for the essential without showmanship, thanks to his intention to translate an atlas of experiences into a menu oriented towards synthesis. This can be seen in the lively yet composed seasoning, in the subtle acidity, in the method that sculpts the product by eliminating the “too much,” or, again, in the fruit that often finishes off the savory dishes, without any hint of sweetness. What you will find, in short, is a liaison between small special effects and smooth textures.
For example, cubeb pepper sauce accompanies wild strawberries on the French-born Anatra Mieral, while Pad Thai and macaroni frittata become one in the “Spaghetto ibrido,” which reunites Europe and Asia. The same goes for the setting, as the dining room at Ineo does not shy away from “imperial” echoes, even though the Limoges porcelain, the arabesque Carrara marble, the checkerboard floor, and the comfortable velvet seats span a variety of eras that lead straight to the “here and now.”
After all, the plastic fusion of styles is precisely what will make you walk with your head held high if you have the opportunity to experience the Palazzo beyond the gourmet experience. You start with the “titanic” travertine arches of the exterior and then gradually slip into the intimacy of the sculpture-bar, where the lobby is framed by Ionic columns and a sumptuous Murano chandelier casts light on the contemporary works on the walls.
The theater of glamorous nightlife at dusk is called Seen By Olivier, the place to go for sushi or an after-dinner drink with a view of antiquities included in the package. The tip is to opt for a mixed platter from the fusion menu of chef Olivier da Costa, starting with the Nigiri di tonno toro e caviale (tuna and caviar nigiri) and continuing with the Seen taco a base di ceviche di pescato del giorno (Seen taco with ceviche of the day's catch), while among the die-hard sandwich lovers, the Lobster bun and the Wagyu Burger are all the rage. In our case, the aperitif was accompanied by a pleasantly juicy Paloma, with the tequila “toned down” so as not to overload the palate before dinner: small touches that, on the rooftop crowded with weekend groups, always catch the eye.
The start of the tasting at Ineo: a welcome beyond convention
Surprisingly, the start of the journey at Ineo seems like a flashback to a Sunday lunch: instead of the (sometimes forgettable and almost always forgotten) appetizers, the chef unravels the theme of the single ingredient, going all out with none other than chicken. “As a boy, I used to go with my grandmother Angelina to the nearby Esquilino Market to buy chicken and prepare it in many different ways during the week,” he says.
The result is a rustic amuse-bouche with plenty of room for exploration, considering the array of recipes lined up on the table. The dried potato tartlet with Caesar salad and 24-month Parmigiano gelée breaks the fast, awakening the taste buds and paving the way for the finger foods that follow. As we move towards the Roman summer, chicken with peppers is split into meat mousse and vegetable jelly, then unexpectedly reassembles in the mouth just before a fresh taste of gazpacho. The cacciatora version is a must, but inside Panipuri (fried hollow bread of Indian tradition, ed.), while the Mexican Tostada is enlivened by the spicy tones of Pico de gallo. The culmination of the Chicken Experience is the degreased chicken skin, oven-baked and dried until it becomes a crispy chip, made even more dynamic by a drizzle of mayonnaise.
The homemade dough returns in the bread cart mentioned above, courtesy of skilled baker and executive pastry chef Daniele De Santi, who also bakes a sumptuous butter and salt pasta sheet. From Roman whipped bread with a golden crust to country bread made with Solina flour, bread pairing introduces the arrival of dishes, whether they are chosen from the menu or from one of the two tasting menus currently available (four courses for €150 or seven for €170).
When it comes to wine, the pairings are on par with the cuisine thanks to a diverse cellar of 900 labels, with sommelier Federico Spagnolo narrating the personality of each product and producer. This distinctive approach is the result of the path first laid out by restaurant manager Damiano Verdone.
Ineo's dishes
At the starting blocks, the Gambero di Mazara dispels the myth of the pure and simple assembly of professional products. The secret? A multiplication of incisive acidity, such as the passion fruit sauce that goes hand in hand with the oil scented with Soverato chili pepper. Three key elements, a southern twinning between Calabria and Sicily, and an escalation of sharp returns to cleanse the palate of the fattiness of the shellfish.
Similarly, the grilled veal sweetbread maintains a balance between animal intensity and vegetable grace: “It is cooked inside an Amalfi lemon”, explains De Agostinis, “so that the citrus fruit can tone down the slightly bloody taste of the offal”. And while you try to decide whether it's more of a slap on the cheek or a lash from the South, the trio of artichokes arrives, speaking Roman, presenting the roasted vegetable in a creamy form and in fried petals as a garnish. To finish, the pungent accents of the shiso vinaigrette (the “basil of Southeast Asia,” ed.) evoke a decidedly cosmopolitan City of Rome.
The Maccheroncini tirati al ferretto with slightly spicy Eritrean veal ragu and 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano foam are a tribute to lost craftsmanship: "A pasta that preserves memories, thanks to the family heritage from which it originates. My mother, who is of Eritrean origin, passed on to me the expressive value of roots, which in this recipe modulates the gesture and the ingredients," comments the chef. A first course that is a dense fabric of cultures, from the maccheroncini imbued with the lingering flavor of Madeira to the echo of aged cheese, capable of binding exotic charm to local classicism.
The sea returns to the fore in the red mullet in bread crust with yellow datterini sauce and harissa cream, an elegant dish that evokes the Tunisian coast. At the opposite end of the sensory scale, the succulence of the veal filet with Java pepper, morel mushrooms, fennel, and dill vinaigrette stands out. Easy to cut, buttery texture: a gentle bite anticipates the contrast between the immediacy of the meat, the woody background and the sweetness of the fennel, enlivened by the floral scents of cubeb. It could end there, if it weren't for the dill to balance things out with its bright note. How to transform a main course into a green deal, where fresh produce stands up to protein.
The global circle closes with a scoop of vanilla and cardamom ice cream accompanied by a wild strawberry sorbet. The spark is provided by rhubarb converted into meringue and granita at the bottom, which has the merit of breaking up the roundness of the dessert. The finale? That's up to you, drawing on the selection of small size chocolates from the petit fours.
Breakfast, rooms, and suites at Palazzo Anantara: luxury that makes time stand still
Just to stay on topic: subtle sweetness is a constant at Palazzo Anantara, right from the moment you wake up. This is demonstrated by a breakfast rich in sugar-free options such as slices of white and red pizza, mini buns filled with caprese or mortadella, and even sushi to accompany a morning glass of sparkling wine “brunch style,” not to mention the usual egg menu. Nevertheless, there are also some delightful treats from the pastry kitchen, thanks to the selection of maritozzi, sour cherry shortbread, and multi-flavored cakes.
Needless to say, the feeling of relaxation is bound to continue in one of the 232 rooms and suites of the building, which was built entirely on top of the Baths of Diocletian (for the curious, we recommend a strategic visit to the lower floor to admire the foundations, baths, and mosaics visible under the glass floor, a unique feature of this hotel, which is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and the Virtuoso portfolio).
This temporal scan also extends to the suites facing Piazza della Repubblica, suspended halfway between the glitz of yesteryear and ad hoc comforts. In this sense, the Suite named after Sophia Loren is worth mentioning: a private residence with a whirlpool bath, living and dining area covering a total of 186 square meters, where the actress's passions are fully embodied in the “blockbuster” objects. Here, among dedicated volumes, cinematic references, and art photos, the feeling is truly that of falling asleep in a movie.
Contact
Anantara Palazo Naiadi- Ineo
Piazza della Repubblica, 48-49 00185 Rome, Italy
Opening
Tuesday to Saturday: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
t. +39 06 489 381
ineo.palazzonaiadi@anantara-hotels.com
