Italian antipasto with special Italian breads, wines and art at La Terrazza Restaurant, Lounge & Art Gallery
By
Margaretta wa Gacheru (5 February 2019)
Nairobi has
several Italian restaurants. But only one can convincingly boast of offering
not just amazing Italian cuisine but also a complete Italian ‘experience.’
La Terrazza
Restaurant, Lounge and Art Gallery on the top floor of The Green House offers a
kind of ‘immersion experience’ into Italian culture, says Jacopo Rusticali.
“We’ve got
all things Italian here: the food, the wine, the art and even the music,” says
the son of La Terrazza’s founder and master chef Stephano Rusticali, who
formerly ran La Salumeria in Valley Arcade.
Stephano Rusticali, owner of La Terrazza
As we listen
to the music of great Italian opera singer the Luciano Pavarotti in the
background, Jacopo explains his father’s expertise in Italian wines.
“We have
wines from every part of Italy,” chimes in Stephano who proudly points to two
glass cabinets filled with delicious red and white wines.
“The key to
preparing real Italian cuisine is the ingredients,” says Stephano whose menu is
encyclopedic when it comes to all the types of pizzas, pastas, antipasto and
pastries that he serves.
Italian antipasto appetizer is delicious with cured salumi, cheese dipped in honey & jam
Granting that his fresh vegetables come from Limuru every day and his fish are flown in from the Coast regularly, Stephano is eager to give us a special ‘starter’, serving us fresh Stracciatella cheese from Naples.
“We don’t
even put the stratcciatella on the
menu, because we only receive a limited amount and the demand is quite high,”
explains Stephano.
“I got a
call yesterday from someone who wanted to know if the supply had arrived. They
wanted to come especially for the stracciatella,”
adds Jacopo.
Served on a
platter that was meant to be passed around, the creamy fresh cheese lasted only
seconds as we all took generous scoops which we ate with Stephano’s special
Italian ‘focaccia’ bread.
Murielle, Jacopo and Stephano at La Terrazza at the Green House
With the
arrival of diminutive Murielle Minchella, Stephano’s culinary partner, we get
serious about making our orders since Murielle is the mistress of the kitchen.
She’s the one who’s trained all the kitchen staff and who’s responsible for all
the incredible Italian recipes and their preparation.
“I taste
every single dish that we serve from our kitchen,” says Murielle who is so
petite one can hardly believe she’s the taste master and quality controller.
Murielle's recommendation: Baked red snapper wrapped with lemon & olive oil with lots of fresh vegetables
As I am not
a big pasta-eater, Murielle suggested I have the baked red snapper, which
sounds perfect to me. Meanwhile, my friend has the Carbonara spaghetti and loves it.
Stephano
insists I must dip into his antipasto platter which includes a beautiful array
of salumi and cheese accessorized
with dishes of honey and marmalade, baby onions and olives. “You must dip the
cheese in the honey and discover the taste,” says Stephano who’s passionate
about his food and must have guessed I’d never tried mixing cheese and honey.
But he is right. It’s an extraordinary blend of sweet and cheese.
Stephano had two different Raviolis, one filled with Ricotta and Spinach, the other Ricotta and mushroom
Jacopo
orders beef tagliata, a platter of
finely sliced steak baked in olive oil that comes with perfectly cooked
cauliflower, broccoli, green beans and tomatoes. Each slice of beef is dabbed
with cheese for adds flavor and beauty to this colorful mix of meat and veg.
Italian Tagliata (thinly sliced beef) with perfectly cooked fresh vegetables
By the time
my baked fish arrives, all wrapped in aluminum to retain the flavor, moisture
and shape of the red snapper, I am delighted to open this healthy gift.
Stephano later notes I also could have had octopus, lobster, king prawns or
crabs, all of which he has flown in from the Coast. But I am thrilled with my
delicious white fish.
As we had
filled up on Stephano’s focaccia (which
we dipped in his creamy sauces, one made with avocado, cream and herbs, another
with zucchini, another with tomatoes, chili and cream) before our main course
had come, I cannot think of dessert.
Adonijah's Carbonara spagetti with bacon, spices and cheese
Again I could have had tiramisu or profiteroles or an almond parfait with assorted ice creams. But I am happy to top off this delicious lunch with a macchiato, an espresso with a dab of milk foam that I’d discovered on my first trip to visit family in Venice.
Again I could have had tiramisu or profiteroles or an almond parfait with assorted ice creams. But I am happy to top off this delicious lunch with a macchiato, an espresso with a dab of milk foam that I’d discovered on my first trip to visit family in Venice.
I have to
say that as much as I love Kenya coffee, there is nothing to compare to Italian
espresso. It is one more marvelous taste that is unmatchable and exclusively
Italian.
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