On the vermilion thread of crusco peppers, chef Riccardo Pepe has embroidered a decidedly atypical offering in Lazio: the terrace of Elizabeth Unique cradles visitors in comfort away from the hustle and bustle of the city center, combining new art with Lucanian food and drink.
Rome has learned to display its jewels like a period poster while everything else goes on in parallel: the rush to the shops in the Galleria Alberto Sordi, tourists torn between rickshaw rallies and the temptation of granita in the Parco del Pincio, the sparkling fountains of Piazza del Popolo where group selfies are taken even under the August midday sun. Yet, the city has just as many hidden places to discover as the “narrative” of ruins and monuments gives way to quiet retreats, often built where you least expect them. As luck would have it, one of the hotels most inclined to cradle visitors in comfort away from the hustle and bustle of the historic center is just a minute away from the bustling Via del Corso: from its name alone, the Elizabeth Unique keeps its promise of a family-style luxury that is difficult to replicate with formulas designed at a desk.
Yes, because Elisabetta, the grandmother of the current owners, never turned down requests from her children, relatives, and grandchildren when they clamored for her delicacies outside of mealtimes, even on weekends when the alarm clock was silenced for the entire morning and breakfast turned into Sunday lunch, or into a lavish afternoon tea with savory snacks. Thus, those gestures aimed at making time stretch out still take shape in a ritual for guests, who are invited to forget the fixed meal times with a kitchen that is literally open all day long.
No, you won't find the usual Continental breakfast available until 11 a.m.: here, it starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m. (actually, only to make way for aperitifs) in a non-stop relay of breakfast, brunch, and afternoon snacks, as you can choose between sour cherry tart and French toast with Lucanian bacon and scamorza cheese as soon as you get out of bed.
Speaking of “Lucania,” the link is obvious: the complex is, in fact, the Capitoline residence of the Curatella family, a dynasty of hoteliers originally from Basilicata and now running several establishments in Bologna, Venice, and the City of Rome. This explains the choice of a “fellow countryman”—chef Riccardo Pepe—to run the in-house restaurant at DonnaE Bistrot, which has created a decidedly atypical offering in Lazio, inspired by the vermilion thread of crusco peppers.
Art and hospitality in hotels, from the lobby to DonnaE
You don't need to be an expert in modern art to appreciate the fruits of the synergy between the Curatella family and the Galleria d'Arte Russo: the two entities have skillfully blended the noble atmosphere of the residence that encompasses the building (Palazzo Pulieri Ginetti, ed.) with original exhibitions that accentuate its spaciousness and brightness, almost giving the impression of reshaping the boundaries of the existing spaces.
This is immediately apparent when admiring Manuel Felisi's Vertigine di Alberi (Vertigo of Trees), an enormous “vertical forest” transferred onto resin slabs that recompose the natural mosaic of the forest in a botanical “up and down” pattern alongside the stairs. Equally impressive is the hourglass made of steel letters by Enrico Benetta, with a cascade of alphabetical characters replacing the sand: proof that language is a living material, a bridge between sounds and images capable of illustrating thought.
Also by Benetta is the spherical Dandelion placed outside DonnaE Bistrot. Then, after a corridor dotted with floral installations on the ceiling, you immediately reach the terrace, an intimate island in the shopping archipelago surrounding Elizabeth Unique. Outside, there are a handful of seats spaced at the right distance from each other, enlivened by the “chromotherapy” of the plants; inside, the breakfast area and bistro with British-style furnishings resembles a tea room with pastel shades.
Dario Chieffallo's aperitif and drink list
The memory of Grandma Elisabetta further tinges the experience with subtle nuances, especially during Happy Hour: arrive at 6:30 p.m. and ask to try her mini meatballs made from a tried and tested recipe. All you need is bread, tomato sauce, and pecorino cheese to create a bite that balances elegance and rusticity, without any shortcuts or unnecessary additions. The peperone crusco, as we were saying, is served crispy thanks to the chef's slow drying process, accompanying the drinks chosen by restaurant manager Dario Chieffallo along with seasonal fried dishes based on vignarola and salt cod.
The drinks list deserves special mention, thanks to the collaboration with the Cantina Enrico Serafino 1878 (try the M+M 18 Perpetuelle Sbagliato®, with a multi-millésime blend that sees “old” wines supporting the “young” ones): Dario reveals a remarkable ease in pairing—and describing—the top labels suited to the context, whether for tastings or à la carte options. Pepe's itineraries, on the other hand, are curiously named after the categories of rooms, ranging from the opulence of the Luxury (7 courses for €90) to the smart formula of the Initiale (4 courses for €65).
Needless to say, between bites and sips, the tasting takes on the necessary regional inflections, while maintaining the elegance befitting the intimate setting of the 5-star boutique hotel: “Despite receiving a large number of international requests, the Roman public shows interest in the experience, primarily for the opportunity to enjoy a niche retreat with a relaxed atmosphere,” explains the restaurant manager. As a result, outsiders are expanding the audience of those who opt to stay: “Upstream, our intention is to set up a slow evening and get in tune through empathy: this means both leaving space for the discreet couple and introducing the dishes to enthusiasts by delving into the research behind the scenes.”
But what ends up in the glass? In addition to a selection of themed cocktails—this time, grandma enjoys a “liquid tribute” with the Donna Elisabetta made with Champagne, thyme syrup, lime, and gin—the wine cellar has several aces up its sleeve, from the evergreen bubbles from across the Alps (including Champagne Palmer, the partner of choice for finger food) to Italian labels with a particular focus on ethical production (noteworthy is the Calabria IGT Rosso “Zero” Rosso, completely free of yeast, filtration, and added sulfites).
Chef Riccardo Pepe's dishes
The usual “single-texture” carpaccio is given a fresh twist with a thin layer of Angus beef that gradually gains thickness through the topping. There is buffalo milk foam, distributed in small tufts to add freshness to every bite; confit cherry tomatoes, delicate but with a firm, rounded flavor; and quinoa, a lively addition that transforms the texture. The basics are done well, as the meat is tender and does not feel like something you have seen and tried before.
As mentioned above, there is practically no risk of missing out on a dish with crusco peppers, a constant feature of the region that bounces around like a joker card from the welcome to the desserts. In the first courses, it enhances the risotto, carpaccio of salt cod with thyme, salt cod ice cream, and crunchy licorice: one of those rare cases in which the temperature change is unexpectedly pleasant, thanks to the direct jet on the palate that washes away the intensity of the Lucanian “red gold.” Guests are also invited to enjoy the express creaming, riding the wave of hot and cold grains.
The Spring Salmon Wellington has a thick crust, capable of hiding a tender heart beneath its armor of pasta sheets. It is accompanied by a hollandaise sauce and buttered asparagus, which, as a side dish, take on the role of vegetable accompaniment, revealing a sharp flavor that stands up well to the fish.
The spoon lands on the desserts after a necessary introduction: less sugar and more tartness, especially in the Variation of passion fruit with dark chocolate mousse and vanilla ice cream. The balance then shifts to spontaneous sweetness with the arrival of the Cheesecake with crusco pepper, a well-chosen finale which, despite any initial hesitations, does not tire the palate with the persistence of the main ingredient.
Rooms, suites, and a “home-cooked” breakfast
With rooms featuring built-in saunas and new-style four-poster beds, at theElizabeth Unique, your stay begins with a pillow menu, perhaps while peeking out at the hustle and bustle of Via del Corso from the suite's balcony at dusk. Recurring throughout the museum-like interiors are the paintings on the walls, designed to create a sense of continuity with the lobby and corridors. Last but not least, not far from the main body of the hotel stands the Elizabeth's Mansion, a six-room residence designed by Studio Marincola to combine the embrace of a historic house with the minimalist allure of contemporary design.
Is something missing? Yes, the breakfast we mentioned a few lines above, which we need to return to in order to focus on the concept of “cooked cuisine.” Leafing through the menu, we find an amalgam of recipes from around the world and local dishes prepared on the spot: in addition to the usual porridge, avocado toast, and pancakes topped with maple syrup, the menu includes eggs Benedict with Basilicata bacon, acqua sale enriched with sausage and crusco peppers, and—why not?—the unusual combination of Patanegra ham and Lucanian manteca. It's hard to believe you're (still) in Rome, but yes, here you don't need to travel to travel.
Contacts
Elizabeth Unique Hotel- DonnaE Bistrot
Via delle Colonnette, 35, 00186 Roma RM
Phone: 06 322 3633
