If the antipasti at Amalfi Cucina Italiana, a delicately rich and buttery duck liver with caramelized pears, is an indication of what each dish in the menu tastes like, then dining at this newly-opened Italian restaurant would be close to heaven.
Excuse my cheesiness, but there is no other way to describe the 8-course meal that Chef Miner del Mundo prepared for us. It was indeed heavenly, so much so that my deprived taste buds went berserk (in a positive way, of course) in between dishes. Each delectably refined dish that I tasted would have made me break into song, but luckily, the Spanish red wine that we were sipping was able to curb my tongue before I could embarrass myself.
How could I resist the perfectly seared and succulent scallops, encrusted with peppercorns and paired with pears and oranges? What about the Zuppa di Pomodoro (Tomato Soup) with salchicha slices (Italian sausage) that was both comforting and filling? In between the tomato soup and the roasted French duck with red wine and grape reduction, mango shooters (served in shot glasses) had to be gulped to cleanse our palates. The main course, the Manzo alla griglia con funghi or grilled tenderloin beef with mushroom dribbled with roasted tomato and potato puree made my mouth water.
Chef del Mundo must have been sent by the culinary gods to punish me because I felt like a glutton after he served the Risotto ala Milanese. In between mouthfuls, I said, “What? There’s more?” Of course there was! Who can forget the dessert, a sinfully delicious duo of Cioccolato Salami (Chocolate Salami) and Mocca Semifreddo. Squisito! (This means exquisite, by the way.)
The Amalfi experience was a gustatory delight. Yes, I know I sound trite, but it really was. The food was fantastic; the place tastefully done and almost Zen-like in its stark simplicity (black leather chairs, glass tables, muted lighting, off-white walls). The restaurant is spacious enough not to be poky, but not so huge that you need microphones to be heard. Price-wise, well, it’s a fine dining restaurant (whoopee, finally there’s one in Iloilo that’s not part of a hotel), so I think the new and old-moneyed clientele wouldn’t mind coming to Amalfi for an intimate dinner with friends and family.
I can’t wait for my next Amalfi experience. Maybe next time I’ll really break into song after my Italian dessert.
(Amalfi was named after a small town in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy)
