Posted by Rowena Dumlao Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 8/16/2020

A Blue Opening for Capriccio Restaurant of Villa Blu Capri Hotel in Anacapri, Italy

Capri is an island in the Bay of Naples that is popular for its beautiful seascape and landscape, handmade leather sandals and limoncello. An exceptional aspect of the island is its popularity with upscale tourism. Luxury boutique hotels, gourmet restaurants and high-end designer shops dot the small island as it continuously draws yachts into its cove-studded coastline. Indeed, it is one of Italy's holiday destinations for that stellar summer holiday. The only way to reach the island is by sea, by taking ferries from Naples (40 to 80 minutes, depending on the kind of boat) and Sorrento (20 to 30 minutes) and in the summer months, also from Positano, Ischia and Salerno.

The recently inaugurated five-star Villa Blu Capri Hotel is the newest addition to the number of luxury boutique hotels found in the island. The inauguration that took place on the 11th of July 2020 with the Blu Opening Party marked its official passage from the hotel chain Melià to the new all-Italian management S&D Group of the Spinelli Family. The classic and elegant Capri-style lines with the simplicity of white and splashes of colors of the sea create a very charming and cozy atmosphere for a relaxing sojourn in the island. Being a more tranquil part of Capri, Villa Blu Capri Hotel's location at the main walking road of Anacapri provides a more idyllic setting. Private rooftop jacuzzi spaces are available along with the suites. For drinks and snack (and live music on weekends), there are the sofas in front of the hotel at the Blue Lounge Bar and the large pool space of the Blue Pool Lounge where it is also possible to enjoy dinner twice a week (by reservation).

On top of this, Villa Blu Capri Hotel also offers a very interesting gastronomic journey through the kitchen of Chef Simone Mancini at their in-house gourmet restaurant, Ristorante Capriccio. Here Simone takes to the tables the excellence of the Campania region with his flair for creativity. Hailing from Tivoli in Rome, where he has already proven his capacity as a big talent in the kitchen, he transports his baggage of passion and enthusiasm to cooking to his new kitchen. There is a rich combination of colors, exploration on integration of flavors and consistencies in perfect little details. There's a whole new island of ingredients to explore and highlight in his dominantly seafood cuisine.

In a tasting dinner of more than ten tasting dishes from amuse bouche to dessert, one thing that stands out is the playful characteristics of the dishes with their striking colors and flavors. From the delicacy to the intensity of tastes, he is able to pin his desired impact - to astound the palate of his guests. Appetizers (€22 - €28) display visual impact as with their friskiness of colors. Simone's signature dish is the lukewarm vibrant blue seafood soup in a ring of various seafood which he named Blu Capri (€26). Not only is the dish visually stunning, it is also a display of the diversity of the sea in their delicate essence. Bright pink may be a strong color for fish but the contrasts of sweetness, sapidity and light acidity to the Yellowfin Tuna in Cold-Pressed Red Onion Extract, Ginger, Salmon Caviar and Lime (€28), the tartare animates the palate for further tastings. Another eye-catching and delectable addition to the menu is the purple Lime Marinated Red Shrimp, Violet Potato Cream and Truffles and Violet Potato Chips in Champagne Reduction (€28).

The first courses of Pasta and Risotto (€18 - €25) affirm the propensity for tradition and intensity of flavors. The Fettucine with Slipper Lobster, Lime and Licorice (€24), as well as the Paccheri Stuffed with Octopus Ragu, Pecorino Cheese Foam, Guanciale Powder and Morels (€25) explode in the mouth with the multiplicity of tastes. The most notable dish is the Risotto with Mountain Saffron, Porcini Powder, Hazelnuts and Marrow (€25) where the ingredients complement each other into a harmonic balance of tastes. The Second Courses (€30 - €38) also have options for meat. One of the fish dishes is the Greater Amberjack, Liquid Endive, Rhubarb, Daikon, Wood Sorrel and Salicornia (€30) with its distinguishable tastes.

The Desserts (€15 - €18) are glazed with Simone's clear enthusiasm to innovation and spirited approach to the kitchen. The Peach Bavarese or Bavarian Cream (€15) is a refreshing sweet fruity treat, while the Decomposed Yogurt Cheesecake, Shortcrust Crumble and Blueberry Ganache (€15) is a spectacle to the palate. And the grand finalè is the Mini Magnum of Raspberries, White Chocolate and Gold (€18) is everyone's cold delight in concluding a spectacular meal.

There are two kinds of Tasting Menus: Four courses at €55 with an option for Wine Pairing at €30. Then there is the longer tasting of six courses at €80 with an option for Wine Pairing at €30.  