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Dubbesi Restaurant
Dubbesi Restaurant
at the Kempinski Hotel
Giardino di Costanza
Sicily - Italy
5 Stars and 5 Stripes
Extraordinary
January - 2009
5 Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service'
The Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and Stripes®
To dine at Dubbesi is to experience a fascinating mix of culinary influences dating back to Greek, Moorish and Roman occupations of Sicily. Executive Chef Salvatore Barbara's deft handling of this treasure trove of inspiration has made for a lovely dining experience at Dubessi amidst the vibrant spectacle of an inner garden of olive trees and attractive water features. What could be better than dining al fresco during summer months, on a sun terrace surrounded by Arabian gardens with fountains, gazebos and a magnificent display of Mediterranean flora. One of the first things you notice upon entering the restaurant is the fabulous wine cellar stocked to the brim with world-renowned vintages and appellations. The goal is to create an informal tasting room for diners to enjoy and sample the possibilities for their dinner. I speculate that being able to observe others sampling wines by this tradition from within the restaurant would be equally appealing. Upon entering the restaurant, it was pleasant to see fresh flowers and candles atop crème colored cotton tablecloths set with asthetically pleasing Schönhuber Franchi porcelain. We were offered an aperitif of Tasca d'Almerita Brut, a resonant, aromatic Sicilian sparkler, which we savored in anticipation of what was yet to come.
Cuisine - Dubbesi Restaurant - Giardino di Costanza
An amuse-bouche soon arrived as a surprising rendition of Sea Urchin Mousse coated with powdered chocolate and hot paprika rendering its ocean-fresh aroma earthy and silky smooth with a lingering spicy bite. As an antipasto, we were presented with Grouper Tartare in Green Tea Sauce, paired with and indigenous white wine from nearby Marsala, Donnafugata Anthilia made with Ansonica and Catarratto grapes rendering a lingering sweetness that worked well to complement the subtle flavor of raw fish. Next was a Zucchini Soup with Norcia Black Truffle and Mazzara Red Prawns. Local black truffles although not as intense as Périgord, still offered a refined and pungent flavor for the soup. We relished the wine selection of Tasca d'Almerita Chardonnay, but found it a little too overbearing for the subtler notes of the soup and felt it should have been paired with a more definitive selection.
Our 'primo piatto' arrived and characteristically turned out to be a pasta selection of House made Black Pasta with Tuna and Egadi Botargo in Mint Sauce, a typically Sicilian preparation that features fish roe from the grey mullet, in this case caught off the Egadi Islands nearby. We relished its unique flavor somewhat reminiscent of anchovies although the addition of mint worked to temper the saltiness. A light red wine from Sicily known as Frappato paired with this course and proved to add a bit of spiciness and lingering red fruits, which integrated well.
Cuisine - Dubbesi Restaurant - Giardino di Costanza
Please take a closer look
Executive Chef Salvatore Barbara's creations from this treasure trove of inspiration
assure a wonderful dining experience at the Dubbesi Restaurant..” ~ TB
The main course consisted of Roasted Mixed Local Seafood in Aromatic Herbs and Baby Vegetables in Nubia's Garlic and Red-Berry Pancake. In a reference to a nearby farming community, Nubia red garlic offers fragrances and tastes that are generally strong and full of health properties. The seafood mixture included prawns, octopus and lobster from the south coastal regions of Sicily. A good match was made with the wine pairing of Vajasindi Lavico Duca di Salaparuta, displaying a rich intense fragrance cloaked in an elegant personality of ruby red cherries and primrose.
2009 Award-Hand-Out - Dubbesi Restaurant Hotel Giardino di Costanza
2009 Award-Hand-Out - Dubbesi Restaurant Hotel Giardino di Costanza
For dessert, a Pistachio Mousse with Forest Strawberries and Chestnuts appeared as a three-dimensional sculpture accented by a triangular piece of chocolate and a side of flavorful earthy chestnut puree. It seems that Pastry Chef Gianni Ciotta has been encouraged to express his artistic ability when creating his desserts. We were impressed with the way Chef Gianni was able to resourcefully combine his basic ingredients to become a work of art. A dynamic dessert wine Donnafugata Ben Rye, made with indigenous sun-dried Zibibbo grapes from the volcanic island of Pantelleria, brought with it a dried fruit component laced with apricot and honey. In this our second experience with Dubbesi, we are able to confirm that the consistency and creativity of the cuisine and service are on the rise. Congratulations to Chef Salvatore Barbara and his team for his excellence!
by Thorsten & Simone Buehrmann

Editor: John Lomitola

Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme
© 2009 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc.


 
 
 
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Disclaimer:

Although the above information was accurate at the time of publication, it can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all pertinent information with the companies in question before planning your trip.


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