The Four Seasons' Michelin starred restaurant, ll Palagio, using its vaulted ceilings and outdoor terrace, is the kind of place where it's socially acceptable to put on mink coats while smoking Vogues from slender cigarette holders. With this thought, we fully embraced the setting, minus the mink, and began the evening within the hotel's beautiful gardens – red lipsticked lips wrapped dutifully around our cancer sticks – puffing away amidst the manicured, virtually shellaced, lawns.
It goes without saying (cue saying it:) that the ingredients are sourced from local, artisan producers, and also the kitchen specialises in seasonal Italian delicacies. We visited the restaurant in the autumn, so copious quantities of game and pumpkin were the order of the day. Having started the decadent meal with an obligatory Aperol Spritz apperative – refreshing and lurid – we were prepared to embark on an outing with the tasting menu.
Eating is a lot like storytelling. Both involve the pleasure of weaving words around things to provide them with shape, to make them solid and alive and real. Whether that be wrapping words around a morsel inside your mouth, or chatting shit concerning the couple sitting on the table beside you, ('He's definitely a male escort. Other product chemistry. Your body language is totally transactional'). This is exactly what makes Il Palagio so special. They do know this pleasure, and actively set about making your food narrative worthy. Every flourish around the plate, every flavour pairing, every coffee bean percolated at your table, is designed to assist you to write a story.
And so the tasting menu goes, with lovely little asides and plot developments along the way.
Chapter One: Lobster Salad with Celery Emulsion
Subtle crustacean waits in the wings. Meanwhile, the grassy celery tentatively holds hands by having an herbaceous white wine pairing; it’s the beginning of a delicious courtship.
Chapter Two: Onion Stuffed with Pheasant Parfait
Sweet allium flirts with bolshy pheasant. Good game. There is a lot in common, despite appearances.
Chapter Three: Pumpkin Risotto with Pigeon Ragu
Plump, stoical grains of rice give moral support towards the slow-cooked, savoury and ever-so-weary little bird.
Chapter Four: Venison Loin with Chestnut and Pomegranate
The rich meat winks towards the earthy nut, the pomegranate piquantly proposes a ménage à trois.
Chapter Five: Quince Tart Tatin with Vanilla Ice Cream.
Sweet, floral quince elegantly glides across the palate with it's gentle partner, just like a contented last dance when all the other guests go.
The Four Seasons, and its restaurant, is a very special place. And it is not something I'll easily forget.
