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at the
Kempinski Hotel
Giardino di Costanza
Sicily - Italy |
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Extraordinary
March - 2007 |
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5 Stars
& 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| Opening the doors of the Dubbesi Restaurant, our first
impression was that of a cozy bright room overlooking a sparkling pool. White
linens and shiny polished silverware by Sambonet precisely positioned on the
tables gave us a feeling of gracious hospitality in the making. We were
caringly guided to our 'table for two' and realized from the beginning that our
servers Giuseppe and Grazia were quite knowledgeable and had the training of
anticipating everything we needed even before we knew we needed it. Looking
around, the almost sold out dining room was now dimly lit in spite of the early
evening hour and a quiet symphony of sound filled the elegant walls. The menu
was loaded with dishes based on Sicilian heritage; the wines offered were
southern European and sublime. |
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“Italy produces beautiful flatware of highest quality, three
pieces of the `Sambonet’
collection are on permanent display at the
Museum of Modern Art in New York” ~ TB |
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| I started my meal off with
Sardine fish balls on a bed of mixed greens with cherry tomatoes and a fine,
aromatic balsamic vinaigrette. I'm a lover of fishcakes, and this was the first
time a had one made entirely of Sardines, with very little bread and egg to
hold, it was delicious. I focused my attention now on a pretty plate of
homemade Ricotta Ravioli with a most aromatic Trapanese Pesto sauce. This dish,
a little on the heavier side, was selected as a second appetizer and each bite
was melting with a creamy, delicate flavor as I added little pieces of the
fresh Basil. |
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“Executive
Chef Salvatore Barbara’s subtle color presentations
were as
appealing to our palates as they were to our eyes.” ~ TB |
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| The first part of the main course was a fabulous
Sicilian-style 'lightly grilled fillet of tuna with pine nuts, shaved fennel,
and a warm caponata'. This was probably the most carefully prepared tuna I have
had in a long time and I was still thinking about it after we left the
restaurant. The atmosphere at the Debbesi made it perfect for a romantic dinner
with someone special. A little intermezzo followed to clear the palate in form
of a citrus sorbet, creatively presented on fresh lemon slices. Then the second
part of the main course came as a perfect Palermo style rack of lamb with a
potato soufflé and minted zucchini. Fabulous from the first to the last
bite, this was a home-run!
Executive
Chef Salvatore Barbara, who after traveling the world for over a decade,
returned to his native Sicily, works with fresh, local, organic produce.
Barbera studied with Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, and has worked in Abu Dhabi
and Asia, an influence that is felt in his style. By now, dessert was an almost
daunting task, with a little too much of the butter biscuits; the Pistachio ice
cream was everything what you should expect and more in flavor. |
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| 2007 Award-Hand-Out: Dubbesi Restaurant Hotel Giardino di Costanza,
Sicily - Italy |
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by
Thorsten Buehrmann & Arno Goudschaal
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2007 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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