A 100-year-old staircase leads to the newest Italian restaurant in town, Sorano, that with its white-washed walls, high ceilings, arched windows, cluster of giant fabric lights, faux limon and olive shrubs will immediately teleport you to the Italian town located in southern Tuscany. We walked into Sorano, on Ho Chi Minh Sarani, that’s spread across a sprawling 4,700sq ft, aesthically done with brillaint decor and a calm and laid-back vibe.
“I think 2020 had a lot learnings for all of us. It taught us to live in the moment (vivi il momento) and enjoy doing nothing (il dolce far niente). Our restaurant was born out of love for Italian food and the need for a relaxed European kind of vibe. We worked with our team of experts to create zero-waste cocktails, hand-rolled pastas, wood-fired Napoli Pizzas and a serene yet energetic vibe. You can feel the relaxed pace as you enter,” said Nivedita Agarwal, co-owner, Sorano.
Once you walk into the restaurant, you cannot miss the nicheness. From the exotic ingredients used in food and cocktails to the Pasta Fresca window that transports you to the therapeutic world of kneading, shaping and folding... Sorano is an Italian restaurant that’s made with a lot of love and precision that one must explore.
Snapshots from an exclusive walkthrough...
What: Sorano
Where: 8 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, Harrington Mansion. Opposite American Consulate
Timings: Noon to 11 pm
Meal for two: Rs 1,500-plus without alcohol and Rs 2,500-plus with alcohol
For reservations: 40085595 /9831818192
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Sage & Passion Fruit Cured Anchovies will blow your mind with its flavours. An art on the plate, the passion fruit cured anchovies are accompanied with lemon gel, hay pepper coulis, olive tapenade and hay potatoes that lend crunchiness.
Enjoy freshly made hand-rolled thick pasta cooked with pecorino cheese and freshly crushed peppercorn that lends a strong after-taste that’s perfectly balanced by the luscious and creamy sauce.
Vegetarians can dig into the innovative Smoked Tomato Carpaccio that has tomato used in three forms — sliced roma tomatoes, tomato-basil sorbet and tomato jelly — that are accompanied by yummy feta mousse and placed on a bed of chopped nuts.
Get a taste of Italy while biting into Ravioli Con Quattro Formaggio Al Tartufo — a dish made with four kinds of cheeses (ricotta, parmesan, Buffalo mozzarella and scamorza) and cooked in a rich, creamy and buttery sauce with truffle shavings.
Hazelnut and Herb Crusted Barramundi will surprise you with its textures and variation in taste. Served as a main course, this fish dish accompanied by seasonal greens, baby potatoes and champagne veloute won’t make you feel too full.
Indulge yourself in this Deconstructed Tiramisu that has a totally different take. This one looks like a pull-me-up cake loaded with Kahlua mousse, gel, espresso sauce, chocolate curls, Saviordi Biscuits Cantucci and marzipan coffee beans. The dessert has sliced strawberry for the fruity touch.
Sip into the icy and refreshing Floral & Citrusy, a sous vide cocktail that has a generous portion of vodka, grapefruit zest, rose petals and dried wild hibiscus that will help you de-stress in a jiffy!
What’s a trip to Italy without sipping on Limoncello? The restuarant here serves Limon Meringue — a Limoncello-based cocktail with meringue, which is not to be missed.
Sorano boasts of a mosaic-clad wood-fired oven that churns out some of the most delish pizzas in the city, with toppings like Smoked Chicken, Proscuitto and Rucola, Artichoke, Mushroom and Sundried Tomato being our fave.
Pictures: Rashbehari Das