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ITALY ROME LA PERGOLA & ROME CAVALIERI WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL
I use the word ‘friends’, and such I am proud to regard the magnificent gentlemen who have made this restaurant a place which everyone who cares about great gastronomic experiences longs to visit and re-visit. I hope that the pictures I bring before you of myself with Chef Heinz Beck and with Sir Umberto Giraudo (the title is appropriate, for the Restaurant Manager is a Knight of the Italian Republic) impart some sense of the pleasure which filled my bosom on the occasion of my last excursion into this Temple of Culinary Delight.
I began with a terrine of duck foie gras, with smoked apples, almonds and amaretti, a dish so exquisitely luscious I felt Heaven had come down to earth. Then, it being Rome, I thought I would try two pasta dishes. Spaghetti “cacao e pepe” came with white shrimps which had been marinated in lime. And then it was one of the great dishes: Fagotelli La Pergola (pasta parcels of egg and pecorino custard, with flecks of crisp pancetta). If you care about pasta, you must have this. It is breathtakingly wonderful. The warm slice of sea bass with vegetables marinated in olive oil brought the wonders of sea and earth onto one plate and yielded the pleasures of gentility. And so I was ready for the robustness of veal cheeks with black truffle – oh, that perfect balance once more. I could manage only a sliver of cheese from the trolley, before I went on to the pudding – a bit of cleverness and fun, in the shape of an iced pomegranate ball on gianduia cream and salty pine-seed cannelloni. You will, I know, want to hear about the expensive water. It is the star of La Pergola’s extensive water menu and is from Japan. Its name is ‘Fillico’ and it costs 200 euros a bottle. Its heavy, silver-plated top comes in two forms: as a king’s crown and as a queen’s crown. With my usual modesty, I chose the latter. I am able to report that the water itself is of the ‘heavy’ sort and is certainly refreshing. La Pergola occupies the top floor of the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It is in an affluent suburb of Rome, on top of one of the hills, and is a fine place in which to lodge. So that is what I did. Externally, the building is modern in appearance, although its straight lines are softened by a covering of vines. Inside, the sense is of great space and of good taste – for the hotel is packed with impressive pieces of art. If you like fine oil paintings and antique furniture (and which civilized person does not?), you will love it here. My own billet was on the 8th floor. Coming out of the lift, I found the doublet in which Rudolf Nureyev danced the part of Romeo – framed upon the wall. In the stair well was an 18th century Goebelin tapestry. (You see what I mean about good taste?) Beyond a sliding door of plate glass was my private balcony, on which cleverly placed mirrors created a feeling of openness. My photograph shows the view over the pine trees to the city of Rome. I spent many happy moments sitting on this balcony, watching the sun sink over the distant rooftops. By paying extra for such an Imperial room, one has access to the Imperial Room on the 7th floor. This is a wonderful facility. Apart from its comfort and its elegance, this handsome lounge offers complimentary refreshments throughout the day. I took full advantage of these immaculately prepared offerings, quaffing glasses of chianti in the evenings, Earl Grey tea in the afternoons (with raspberry tartlets and smoked salmon sandwiches) and breakfast in the mornings. For this last I made it my habit to sit in a wicker chair on the terrace, with the blind lowered to protect me from the sun, and tuck into the delicious comestibles while the birds of Rome sang me their songs. And the staff attended to my every whim – an attentiveness which I took to be a tribute to the level of service orchestrated by the hotel’s General Manager, Serge Hethuin. To stay at the Rome Cavalieri and to dine surrounded by my friends at La Pergola… Sometimes life is very good indeed.
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ADDRESSES
ROME CAVALIERI WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL
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© Francis Bown 2003
The presence of friends does not guarantee a magnificent dinner. When, however, those friends include one of mankind’s greatest chefs, a restaurant manager famous throughout Europe and beyond for his pursuit of perfection and a sommelier who presides over a cellar of surpassing magnificence, one might wish to concede that the omens are good. And a few other details might be clues, too: a tablecloth specially embroidered with one’s own initials, the very finest Riedel glassware, the availability of fifteen varieties of sea salt, silver-gilt side plates originally made for George III and a bottle of the most expensive water in the world. It will come as no surprise to you, dear reader, that my visits to the Ristorante La Pergola are times of pure, unadulterated joy.
Sir Umberto greeted me at the entrance, of course. And there, too, were the brilliant sommelier, Marco Reitano, and the marvellous maitre d’, Simone Pinoli, as well as several of the 17 waiters, who were to glide about the tables so efficiently and purposefully throughout the evening. I went into the calm dining room, past the Art Nouveau vases by Gallé and past the table made by Marie Antoinette’s cabinet maker (this is not an establishment which stints on the décor) and so arrived at my table – with my initials embroidered on its cloth – by the window. Before me was the View of views: the whole of the Eternal City set out as a twinkling panorama, with the illuminated dome of St Peter’s Basilica on the right. This prompted a fleeting note of sadness, for it seems that, when you are the Pope, visits to restaurants (even when they have three Michelin stars, like La Pergola) cannot be made. I knew that Benedict XVI – before his elevation to the Apostle’s throne – had enjoyed the food of his fellow German at La Pergola. What a pity he could not be here now. But then I recalled that Chef Beck has, indeed, been to the Vatican to cook for the Holy Father, so my spirits shot back up again.
Set meals are offered at La Pergola – 6 courses are 175 euros and 9 courses are 198 euros – and they bring a wonderful display of the kitchen’s invention and technique. My own 7 courses were from both the set menus and from the carte. Chef Beck is a man who possesses not only remarkable culinary ability but also a palate of the utmost refinement. His dishes are object lessons in the art of balance – the balance of flavours, the balance of textures and the balance of colours. Each of my dishes was a work of art, and the art was subtle, careful and totally successful. There is no harshness or aggression in this cuisine. Rather, it aspires to the Sublime. And I am ready to lead three cheers for that.
Prices on the wine list start at the comparatively modest 40ε for a bottle of 2008 Frascati. But those of you with deep pockets will be pleased to know that among the 3,200 entries in the two volumes are many of the most desirable wines ever made. The following caught my eye: 1893 Yquem (12,000ε), 1945 Latour (6,500ε), 1976 Romanée-Conti (12,200ε), 1961 Pétrus (23,000ε) and 21 vintages of Sassicaia, including the 1985 (2,800ε). My own drinking, thanks to the expert recommendation of Marco Reitano – who knows his cellar intimately, despite its vast size – included the 2001 Luce (200ε). Luce is one of my favourite super-Tuscans and this one was deep, sweet, unctuous, well-balanced and beautifully packed with ripe black fruit. It made lovely drinking, particularly with the veal cheeks.
Room 823 was an ‘Imperial Rome View’ and therefore 1,085 euros a night for two. This was basically a large rectangle, but its clever decoration – with lemon walls, light wood, marble, blue carpeting, table lamps, numerous spotlights, screens and cornicing – made it not only seem spacious but also visually interesting. Its air conditioning was efficient, there were two easy chairs and it was equipped with all those little items – like a clothes brush and a shoe horn – which indicate that real care has been taken to ensure the occupants’ comfort. In the white marble bathroom were toiletries by Acqua di Parma, plenty of white marble, one wash basin, a bidet, a decent tub and lots more spotlights.
Breakfast is available in the hotel’s other restaurant, L’Uliveto. In this large, bustling, brightly-lit place, I found a huge buffet – including more marmalades than I had ever previously encountered. Everything I tried – pineapple, melon, croissants, bacon, scrambled egg – was of high quality. (This breakfast costs 38 euros.) But I will confess that I prefer a little more quietness with the breaking of my fast. Let me therefore tell you of the significance of the ‘Imperial’ in my room’s name.