Myself and my boyfriend were watching chef’s table on television one evening, where Massimo Bottura was on there, one of the world’s greatest male chefs. Massimo Bottura is an Italian restaurateur and the chef of Osteria Francescana, a three Michelin- star restaurant based in Modena, Italy. His story really inspired us (have a read here http://www.foodandwinegazette.com/?p=3242) and we thought to ourselves why not book to go to the 3rd best restaurant in the world. With three michelin stars, lunch is more of a performance, than a lunch.
Walking the streets of Modena, Italy
Croccatino of foie gras with caramelised almonds and hazelnuts and extra old traditional balsamic vinegar, or in other words a foie gras popsicle. The acidity of the balsamic vinegar cuts through the richness of the foie gras to create the perfect balance of flavour, truly delicious!
We then dived in to an eel swimming up the Po River
Caesar salad in Emilia. This caesar salad contains 22 ingredients hidden in it’s buttery leaves including classic caesar ingredients like parmesan cheese, crisp bread, pancetta and vinegar.
Next we had one of Emilia – Romagna’s most favourite dish, five ages of Parmigiano Reggiano in different temperatures and textures. This was one of my favourite dishes, where the cheese is transformed into a foam, a mousse, a souffle, a cream and a crisp using Parmigiano cheeses that have been aged anywhere between 25 to 50 months.
Followed by, the crunchy part of the lasagne
Spin – painted veal, not flame grilled, ‘painted’ with balsamic vinegar, red beetroot and potato puree.
Oops! I dropped the lemon tart
The man himself Massimo Burrato came to have a chat with us after our meal and what a lovely gentlemen he was :-). We loved hearing about some of his inspirations for the dishes we enjoyed, which added a really special touch. It was the perfect day with one of my favourite people. We left feeling very happy and full. If you have a special occasion coming up or your visiting Modena be certain to book into lunch or dinner here. G xx