At Oltremare's fine dining restaurant, chef Alfonso Crisci creates contemporary and highly refined dishes.
The hotel
From the terrace of one of the rooms at the Hotel Club 2 Torri, you can enjoy views of the Mediterranean Sea, Amalfi, and other small villages nestled among the green rocks. We are in Maiori, on the Amalfi Coast, where this 4-star hotel boasts a “female-led” management team headed by sisters Anna and Nadia Citarella, now assisted by Anna's daughters Helena and Chiara Celotto.
They are the ones carrying on the history of the hotel, which was purchased over thirty years ago by the family and has undergone significant renovations in recent years. This is the case of the eighth-floor rooftop, which was completely renovated in 2016 and now houses the Bistrot Donna Emilia, a swimming pool, and the lounge bar, which this year bears the signature of Cinquanta Spirito Italiano, one of the most famous cocktail bars in Italy. Cinquanta con Vista is therefore the new addition for the summer, a mixology offering led by Emanuele Primavera (bartender at the Salerno venue) and Davide Mannato, bar supervisor at Hotel Club Due Torri. The terrace is not only the ideal place for aperitifs with a view of the sea at sunset, but also the setting for a buffet breakfast rich in Neapolitan flavors.
The restaurant
The restaurant is under the culinary direction of executive chef Alfonso Crisci. Born in 1977, the Neapolitan chef is the hotel's added value, thanks to his years of experience and in-depth knowledge of his craft. "When I arrived here in Maiori in 2021, it felt like coming home. My experience in 2020 in the heart of the Castelli Romani had enriched me greatly and I was fascinated by the cuisine of Rome and Lazio, which, day after day, I discovered had strong links with the territory and tradition. But my roots are here, and Anna Citarella's call was too strong,“ says the chef, who describes his cuisine as infinite: ”Because I love to study and explore every flavor and every dish, and I myself am constantly evolving."
Crisci has revolutionized the hotel's offering with a young and trusted team, translating his culinary vision into multiple formats. At the bistro, the menu features all-day dishes such as salads and sandwiches, traditional Neapolitan recipes—including Fusilloni alla Nerano—lots of local fish—the Grigliata mista di gamberi, calamari e pesce spada (mixed grilled shrimp, calamari, and swordfish) is excellent—and pizzas, naturally Neapolitan style, which are delicious and of high quality.
But it is at the Oltremare restaurant (on the penultimate floor) that the chef shows off his superlative class, combining ingredients, ethics, and remarkable experimentation. “Oltremare's cuisine is very technical, with the rigor of pastry making and the rules of classic French cuisine, where sauces play a central role,” says Alfonso Crisi. When asked how he acquired such a profound knowledge of techniques and ingredients, he replies: “The awareness I have in the kitchen has come with maturity: I want to give value to what I do every day, a good dish is not enough. If aesthetics used to be the most important thing, today I feel the need to know the raw ingredient in its entirety.”
The Neapolitan chef sums up his philosophy in four tasting menus: Acqua Chiara (€100), Cetara (€140), Sentiero dei Limoni (€160) and Vegetariano (€100). In addition, the breakfast served at Oltremare (also available to non-residents upon reservation) is original and unconventional: a morning journey through sweet and savory dishes that ends with the timeless ritual of mocha coffee.
The dishes
A single room, open kitchen, and a glass wall overlooking the Gulf of Costiera are the elements that welcome guests to Oltremare. The amuse-bouches alternate between seasonal flavors and a no-waste philosophy, including a bun with raspberry and pear ketchup and paccheri with oyster tartare, mayonnaise, and apple vinegar glaze. Paying homage to the land of Campania, both the buffalo mozzarella, Cetara anchovy pâté, caper powder and dairy glaze and the interpretation of the spaghetti frittata are delicious.
The first appetizer is a carpaccio of sole, clam bavarois, and squid ink. It is accompanied by a sole pâté. The chef skillfully brings out the elegance of the fish, which wins the challenge against the other two ingredients. “There is no lobster or crayfish on the menu. I prefer to use and highlight the fish from our coast,” says Alfonso Crisci.
The Gambero Rosso di Mazzara with tomato water, celery cream, and mozzarella, celery fibers, and marinated onion is reminiscent of panzanella. Both the acidity and overall freshness are excellent. The foie gras terrine with scampi, biscuit with raspberry gel, seaweed powder, and carapaci is reminiscent of years spent in France, and in this version, it meets the flavors of the Amalfi Coast.
The Risotto with basil pâté, raw purple shrimp, gorgonzola, and a shellfish extract that gives the dish the necessary umami flavor is intense and fearless.
The star of the evening is the Spaghetto al pomo-d’olio, one of the signature dishes, with piennolo, San Marzano, corbarino, and ramato tomatoes cooked at low temperature, from which Crisci extracts their water, which he uses both to cook the pasta and to create a mayonnaise with the tomato pulp. An extremely complex recipe (without the addition of salt) finished with buffalo cacio-ricotta cheese, whose warm serving temperature allows you to savor every flavor to the fullest.
Essential but rich in preparation, the salt cod with Parmigiano rind, bell pepper, julienne mushrooms, and green beans is bold, while the duck Wellington served with Montoro red onion, glazed potato cake with meat sauce, and spinach pâté with vanilla cream and carrots is daring. The pairing with duck soufflé with Camembert is delicious.
The meal ends with a beautiful pastry creation: cocoa and dark chocolate biscuit, raspberry jelly and mousse, coffee cream, and fior di latte ice cream.
Contacts
Hotel Club Due Torri
Strada Statale Amalfitana, 3, 84010 Maiori SA
Phone: 089877699
