Restaurant: Orto Ristorante Naturale
Location: Contrada Tortorella, 520, 70043 Monopoli BA, Italy. +39 080 222 6831
Date: August 4, 2024
Cuisine: Southern Italian
Rating: Lovely
Orto is a “Naturale” restaurant attached to a Trulli hotel. For those not in the know, Trulli are ancient stone beehive buildings constructed without mortar.
“An important element in enriching one’s gastronomic experiences is certainly the knowledge of places: of the water, of the earth, of the air that retain the memory of the character of the territory, giving substance and taste to fruits and animals.
The ability of a cook rests on two pillars: the knowledge of the matter and of the ways of treating it in respect of its nature.
One of the tasks that do honor to the good cook is to spread and increase the gastronomic culture, on the one hand by teaching how to eat well and correctly with the food offered on the table, on the other hand by educating young people and passing the baton to those who deserve it, introducing him to gastronomic Culture, that, when it is real, is a conscious experience, applied research in continuous improvement and adaptation to life.
And finally, memento! Creating is not copying. Without pursuing the new, the “never seen” as a qualifying attribute in itself: we can recognize the novelty both in the known and in the unknown, it is important that it draws on the truth.
Art is the putting into action of truth. “
— Gualtiero Marchesi
Orto is located at a Trulli hotel up in the hills. It’s also Michelin recomended.
Lovely place.
We ate in the garden.
The regular menu.
I had a very slightly “expanded” menu.
Amuses.
Bread.
ORTO CIRCOLARE 2021. couscous of courgettes, almonds, pistachios, herbs and seasonal vegetables. This was actually fabulous. Very herby and refreshing.
AUBERGINES TARTELLET. carob flour tartlet, aubergine mustard, sour aubergines. This “bonus” course was tiny, albiet delicious.
Orecchiette pomodoro.
SPAGHETTO, OLIVE, ALMOND AND LEMON. spaghetti, Cellina olives, almonds and salted lemon. Perhaps the best lemon pasta I have every tried. Really good!
TUBETTI RIGATI. tubetti rigati, red turnip, lemon balm strawberries, karkadè and smoked stracciatella cheese. Bright, slightly sour, and a perfect pairing with the cheese.
EGG COOKED UNDER THE ASH. farm egg, potato cream, olive powder.
FREE RANGE CHICKEN. free-range chicken, aromatic herbs, salad. Tasty.
THE FALDACCHEA. black cherries in pomegranate vinegar, almonds, lemon, almond mousse, meringue, cinnamon.
The cherry almond stuff was under the meringue and the overall tasty was INCREDIBLE. Really good.
Almond paste (and delicious).
Old fashioned.
Biscotti.
Orto had less courses and certainly less options but the atmosphere was amazing and the food was very very fresh and really delicious. We really enjoyed it. Plus they were fast as 1 stars go.
