Zaha Hadid’s “fluid calligraphy” and a three-dimensional vision of haute cuisine: the Hotel Romeo stands out as a one-of-a-kind establishment in Rome, thanks to the Italy-France partnership brought to life by young chef Iacopo Iualè. His cuisine remains true to the principles of naturalité championed by Alain Ducasse while simultaneously developing its own distinct identity. All within a hotel that places the guest at the center of the story, amidst ancestral remnants and contemporary exhibitions.
Photos of Matteo Carassale's dishes
246 Via di Ripetta, 10 a.m. Check-in takes place mid-morning, and as you step through the door, sound precedes sight, as if the senses were playing hide-and-seek with one another. The roar of water from the enormous wall-mounted waterfall cascading over the black Krion tubs will be the soundtrack to the entire stay at the Hotel Romeo, a structural gem that takes Roman antiquity by the hand and settles it into the architectural tomorrow. Hundreds of permits, 10 years of construction, 10,000 square meters of space, including 1,200 dedicated solely to the Sisley-branded spa: the hotel conceived by the team of Iraqi-born, British-naturalized starchitect Zaha Hadid—who sadly passed away in 2016, long before the official ribbon-cutting—has succeeded in its aim to integrate millennia-old ruins into a cutting-edge exhibition space.
It is no coincidence that a glass display case at the entrance proudly showcases the white marble head of Livia Drusilla (one of the artifacts unearthed during the excavations), just a stone’s throw from the masterpieces of Mario Schifano, Arnaldo Pomodoro, and Mimmo Paladino. Two “museums” in one—between preservation and longevity—and a further mission: to place the guest at the center of history, since most of the main amenities flow seamlessly on the ground floor, curiously blending luxury and pragmatism. Just a few steps away, you’ll find yourself in the wellness center or in the open-air courtyard with a heated pool, beneath which the ancestral foundations demand attention.
Some swim freestyle above the ruins, now covered by transparent glass panels; others descend into the open gallery to admire the Opus reticulatum of the warehouse where amphorae of garum were once stored; and still others take advantage of the Krug Terrace on the roof to slowly sip their glass of Champagne while gazing out at the sweeping panorama of the great domes. At dinnertime, however, everyone converges on the attraction that has drawn the most attention from the outside world so far: the Alain Ducasse Restaurant, where the young Iacopo Iualè integrates the French top chef’s guiding principles with a three-dimensional concept of haute cuisine. Naturalité, therefore, and “product identity” define each dish—but with the fresh and uninhibited approach of a rising star of Rome’s fine dining scene.
Alain Ducasse Restaurant
The restaurant’s interior holds its own against the grandeur of the lobby: the restaurant’s atmosphere “knocks down” the barriers that usually separate the bustling kitchen staff from the suspended calm of the dining room. Diners thus enjoy their meal with a parade of open flames in plain view and a kitchen team ready to practice empathy beyond the rhythms of plating. The contrast emerges from the responsiveness of the front-of-house team, which doesn’t back down when faced with extra requests—but gives the impression of having internalized the same technique from the start. “For us, introducing the menu is the furthest thing from a scripted recitation,” explain Lualé and the young team at work during an aperitif in front of the pass. “The spark of the story can come from a ‘simple’ artichoke leaf or the rising notes of a hot broth in the background, because this is our job: to shed light on hidden resources. There is no waste; every element counts. And if you convey it by pouring a sauce or a consommé, the vegetable takes on a different significance”.
Needless to say, the spatial design is a distraction in itself, given the marble-and-ebony pairing and the generous curves that expand the volumes along the walls (some have called it the “spoon effect,” highlighting Zaha Hadid’s fluid style). Yet, suddenly, a shellfish in its purest form shifts the focus from wide-angle to close-up, providing the zoom we needed to enter tasting mode. Opulence from beyond the Alps and a Mediterranean habitat: the seared oyster on the grill is a trailblazer that reconciles two visions and two nations. On one hand, the meatiness of the shells, with a tactile thickness that fills the cheeks; on the other, the coastal breeze of the Sorrento citrus granita, ready to invigorate the taste buds in harmony with a sip of Franciacorta “Romeo” Millesimato Brut 2019.
Just as the roundness of the bite gives way to a sparkling southern finish, it’s the butter’s turn—in this case, not an act of unconscious indulgence, but rather confirmation that smaller quantities yield a true lactic boost. The chef has in fact chosen La Villa Organic Farm, which pays particular attention to the well-being of its Brown and Red cows; the result is a short-lived “spreadable” with a 60-day shelf life, offering an intensity of almost “aged” aromas that marries perfectly with the loaf made with extra virgin olive oil, baked in the oven and then over the grill. Then, the revival of country bread with sourdough and mixed seeds, “a legacy that evokes home-style cooking and gives a specific value to the start of the meal,” notes Iualè. Spoiler: the alliance between method and identity will be a constant all the way through to the small pastries.
The tasting menu
Surprisingly, the first course is a broth made from small rockfish, served as a jelly. From the warm memories of soup to the coolness of the seafood appetizer, the shift in temperature pleasantly stimulates the senses, building anticipation for the tasting to come. The finger lime used to season the spider crab, along with saffron pistils, horseradish, and chives, adds a special touch. “We use the crab's coral, a necessary salty kick for the initial burst of flavor”, notes the chef. To enhance the nobility of the crustacean, a crown of Kristal caviar from the Alain Ducasse selection, sourced from Shanghai.
More challenging—since it relies entirely on the spring harvest—is the Mammola artichoke, fresh spring onion, and broth made from dried leaves. Here, even the stem is used in its entirety. "We thought, ‘What if we made a pesto out of it?’ The woody stem, pounded in a Japanese mortar, releases interesting aromas. In short, we don’t throw away a single leaf, because drying them yields a robust broth, which is then diluted with a light vegetable consommé to balance the flavor.” The leaves—though charred—also form a smoked oil, a “different twin” of the spring onion-infused oil that tickles the nostrils the moment you pick up your fork. “I’d call it a Roman-style artichoke that turns out to be French. Our version 3.0, with a smooth texture capable of enveloping the fresh produce”. All without sacrificing even the slightest bit of it.
How many aromas can you detect in a consommé? A legitimate question, if the recipe follows the “Ducasse school.” Thus, in the third course of the menu,the liquid component stands out for its expressive depth even more than the solid one, shifting the focus from carbohydrates to the broth. The “Anolini made with day-old bread and Parmigiano Reggiano” are a litmus test for the pasta dough, thanks to the natural affinity between the pasta and the filling. However, the infused toasted pepper gives a boost to the oxtail consommé, already enlivened by the addition of ginger and lemongrass. At the opposite extreme, the highlight of the evening comes in the form of Tajarin with just two ingredients: alpine butter and brewer’s yeast. Seemingly bold in its minimalism, the dish greets the nose with an eclecticism all its own, blending deep notes of roasted coffee and warm bread. Once again, what stands out is not so much the pasta as the metamorphosis of primary elements—a subtraction that multiplies the perception. The secret? The brewer’s yeast, “slow-dried for 4 hours at 60 degrees and then toasted for 7 minutes, so that it leaves a lingering trail on the Tajarin after creaming.” It also has a crumbly, Parmesan-like texture: from the basic to the full-bodied on the palate.
The reversal of roles continues with the “Red prawns from Mazara del Vallo and Gragnano spaghetti tossed with prawn coral, a sea-salt emulsion, and lemon”. This latter sauce is sinuous, gradually leaving more room for the protein to shine as the main courses approach; a “vertical of shellfish” deliberately highlighted by the menu description (did you notice that the fish comes before the pasta? You’ll understand why when you taste it!)
In the “Bruna Alpina beef tenderloin with late-season radicchio and rose hips”, what really stands out is the sauce created to make use of the outer leaves of the radicchio; a hint of bitterness that, nevertheless, remains pleasant, no less so than the turnip greens in the “Grilled Mediterranean blue lobster with wild myrtle”.
Finally, the pastries deserve a separate discussion—one that could even extend (if you choose to stay) into the next morning’s breakfast. The signature dessert is a sumptuous Chocolate from the Alain Ducasse Manufacture with buckwheat and coffee cream, served not on the usual all-white porcelain, but in the pod that originally holds the cocoa beans. The brand dedicated to the “black gold” of the great French chef thus uses it as a serving vessel, embodying the rigor of the supply chain in a piece of design. Moreover: the “natural plate,” thanks to its concavity, captures the decisive aromas and amplifies them like a sound box—so much so that the slight contrast between the hot chocolate sauce poured on the spot, the ice cream, and the coffee cream keeps the focus high even as you say your goodbyes. And so the meal concludes with yet another break from convention, savoring a tray of freshly baked madeleines. No forgettable finger foods, but a batter still warm from the oven, superb in its authenticity.
The Suites, the Spa, and Breakfast
The “retreat-style” setting offers the chance to retreat as you please, since each suite is thoughtfully designed, from lighting to acoustics. Retractable televisions, sliding doors to adjust the boundaries of relaxation, fireplaces in the living rooms, and warm walls crafted from intricately turned ebony: once inside the room, the comparison to the comfort of a private yacht comes naturally. “And that is exactly the model we drew inspiration from,” Umberto Giraudo, brand ambassador and deputy director of the property with an impressive background—from the Rome Cavalieri to Alfredo Romeo’s hotel in Naples— told us. “The project actually stems from the study of nautical architecture, so the carpenters’ work to shape the wood into curved forms required a great deal of effort to execute.”
The systems for regulating natural light—featuring translucent roller blinds and built-in blackout technology—are also noteworthy. From here, it’s just a short step to the spa, considering the added bonus of a salt wall that rejuvenates the lungs in the relaxation area and Sisley Paris treatments, centered on the botanical essences and holistic therapies for which the brand is known. Giraudo also introduces guests to the sacred ritual of breakfast, prepared strictly à la carte to avoid the risk of confusion associated with a buffet.
The common thread remains “naturalité”—namely, a selection of three fruit extracts, a showcase of yeasts with a flash-rising technique (try it with the raisin tart), and the return of country bread served with butter. It would be a shame, then, not to freely sample the wide range of options from the kitchen. With the menu in hand, we recommend the gravlax salmon marinated and smoked over olive wood, which the kitchen team “Italianizes” by adding juniper and preparing the fish on-site (you’ll taste the difference compared to the smoked product). The Torta Caprese, on the other hand, has been reworked in terms of its sugar content, with the aim of bringing out the lively notes of “Ducasse cocoa”: Italy and France have never been such good friends.
Contacts
Hotel Romeo- Restaurant Alain Ducasse
Via di Ripetta, 246, 00186 Roma RM
Phone: 06 4554 5000
