contact: info@bownsbest.com
contact: info@bownsbest.com
The world’s finest restaurants demand my finest clothes. That is why the picture shows me in white tie, made for me by Henry Poole & Co. of Savile Row. I never dress down for dinner. But going to the magnificent La Pergola to enjoy the superlative cuisine of Heinz Beck, I could do no other than transport the tail coat and starched linen to Rome to look my best for my friends. Those friends include one of mankind’s greatest chefs (next to me in the picture), a restaurant manager famous throughout Europe for his pursuit of perfection (Simone Pinoli, on the left) and a sommelier who presides over a cellar of surpassing magnificence (Marco Reitano, on the right).
La Pergola has three Michelin stars. Of course it does. In such heavenly gastronomic surroundings, details matter - like the finest Riedel glasses, the water menu and the napkin embroidered with my initials.
Since my last visit, the dining room has been transformed. Previously it was a bastion of traditional luxury. Now its atmosphere is one of modern, relaxed sophistication and its colour scheme comprises soft browns and creams. Its collection of Art Nouveau glass vases by Emile Gallé remains, and so does the View of views. Through the plate glass windows the whole of the Eternal City was set out before me as a twinkling panorama, with the illuminated dome of St Peter’s Basilica on the right. The close proximity of the Vatican reminded me that Roman Pontiffs have enjoyed Heinz Beck’s cuisine - most notably Benedict XVI, for the Chef and the Pope knew each other from their younger days in Bavaria.
A tasting menu is offered at La Pergola – 7 courses are 295€ and 10 courses are 350€ – and it brings a wonderful display of the kitchen’s invention and technique. My own courses were from the carte (for which you should allow around 300€). 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 tastes, 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.
My meal began with an innovation - the aperitivo. As I sipped a glass of champagne (Dom Pérignon, 2015), the Chef himself appeared by my table with a trolley and prepared several exquisite nibbles - the veal one, I recall, warmed over a tiny fire of cherry wood. Then it was on to subtly flavoured foie gras with lemon and chamomile, followed by intense veal sweetbreads with chard and the intriguing crunchiness of smoked hazelnuts. Next it was one of the great dishes of the world, invented by Chef Beck himself: Fagottelli La Pergola - pasta parcels of egg and pecorino custard, with flecks of crisp pancetta. My meat course was pigeon. It arrived within a fluted column, whence it was extracted by Simone Pinoli and served with glazed parsnip and chestnut honey. No pigeon breast was ever more tender nor more luscious. From the temptations of the cheese trolley I plucked simply a little slice of intense Parmigiano. The triumphant conclusion was one of my favourite puddings, perfectly executed: raspberries au gratin with almond ice cream. After all these delights I had to look away when the miniature chest of drawers arrived, full of ravishing chocolates.
The wine list is one of the wonders of Rome. Prices begin at a level which will not cause cardiac arrest (a Sardinian red can be had for 55€), but among the thousands of offerings are famous vintages of legendary wines. For these you will need deep pockets. They include 30 vintages of Yquem, going back to 1893, and 12 vintages of Romanée-Conti. And what a tasting could be had of 1961 clarets when it could comprise Mouton-Rothschild, Latour, Lafite, Haut Brion, Cheval Blanc and Pétrus. I was pleased to see a decent selection of German wines - too often overlooked outside their native land - listed by their alcoholic content (6.5% to 13,5%), for they can achieve remarkable results with low alcohol.
My own drinking, thanks to the expert recommendation of Marco Reitano – who knows his cellar intimately, despite its vast size – included an elegant sauvignon blanc from the Trentino (Peter Dipoli Volgar, 2019) and a renowned expression of sangiovese from Tuscany (Montevertine Le Pergole Torte, 2016), which partnered the pigeon exceedingly well.
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, which is what you should do when you visit La Pergola. Its modern building houses a fascinating collection of antique furniture and oil paintings.
I daresay not all readers of Bown’s Best will wear white tie when they visit La Pergola. But I hope they will make an effort to do their best. For they will be eating at one of the finest restaurants in the world.
Via Cadiolo 101, Rome 00136, Italy
Telephone +39 06 35092 152
Fax +39 06 3509 2165
Email: ROMHI.LaPergolaReservations@waldorfastoria.com
Open for dinner only – Tuesday to Saturday
Closed: several weeks in January and August
Book well in advance
ROME CAVALIERI WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL
same address
Telephone +39 06 35091
Fax +39 06 3509 2241
Email: romecavalieri.reservations@waldorfastoria.com
Ask about the rates for specific dates