The “pearl” of the Renaissance, Mantua, was the final stage of the long journey of Alessandro Borghese 4 Ristoranti, who with his van went in search of the best restaurants on the French Riviera, the Oltrepò Pavese, Lisbon, the historic center of Ravenna, Ogliastra in Sardinia, Gorizia, Lucca and Monza.
Mantua, an architectural jewel of the Po Valley, between the Mincio river and Lake Garda, enjoys a strategic position which has certainly contributed to its historical importance and its commercial development. But also the Gonzagas, who held power for several centuries, participated in its cultural and artistic rise during the Renaissance. The historic center of the city is a fascinating labyrinth of medieval streets, squares and historic buildings, which justify the expression with which Mantua is often defined: «open-air museum. The Palazzo Ducale, residence of the Gonzagas, houses frescoes by a renowned artist such as Andrea Mantegna. The Basilica of Sant’Andrea is a notable example of Renaissance architecture designed by Leon Battista Alberti, and the Rotonda of San Lorenzo, an ancient Roman temple transformed into a church. Mantua, however, is also famous for its rich and varied cuisine: they can be found on the menus of typical restaurants the sbrisolona cake, pumpkin tortelli, pilot risotto and donkey stewbut also pike in sauce and Mantuan salami.
This time too, as required by the rules, four restaurateurs challenged each other to try to obtain the best ratings from colleagues and chef Alessandro Borghese, who first of all inspects the kitchens to ensure compliance with the standards of cleanliness and order. Each restaurant was evaluated for the level of hospitality, service and preparation: diners assign a score from 0 to 10 to location, menu, service and bill, in addition to the fifth category, the dish that all restaurateurs are asked to propose the same flat, the one that is considered most representative of the reference territory. They are on the Mantua tables pumpkin tortelli, an explosion of flavours in which the sweetness of the pumpkin harmonises with the saltiness of the cheese and the bitter-sweetness of the amaretti, in contrast with the spiciness of the mustard.
The restaurants competing in this latest episode of 4 Restaurants are Raw material of Giuseppe, who won the victory, The Rigoletto of Ekla, the restaurant Pumpkin yellow of Sciko and the tavern To the Gallo by Leonardo.
Let’s get to know them better in the gallery.
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