19

Piazza Duomo

Alba

Art meets history in a story told through exquisite northern Italian produce

On the Pass

Enrico Crippa

A journey for the senses: Enrico Crippa’s cuisine is a voyage through space and time, led by taste, colour, texture and aroma. His latest menus show a confluence of two core ideas: on one hand, Crippa wants to highlight the relationship with ingredients and their local territory; on the other, he looks to explore new frontiers through a creative synthesis of taste and technique, with nods to the future. The dishes served strip away anything superfluous and allow the star ingredients to shine, uninterrupted.

Edible history: During the lockdowns between 2019 and 2021, chef Crippa sought out dishes that were a tribute to the cuisine of Piedmont, be it the kitchens of farmers, or the feast tables of nobility. He did this by researching old texts, from Brillat Savarin to Garibaldi, and resulted in a food style that ties countryside to city, subtly interweaving French influence.

Dishes that inspire and educate: The dishes that arrives have historical nods at every turn. Snails and polenta, for example, feature escargot that were first bred by Benedictine monks. The herbs that were used to feed these snails were the same that monks used for their own medicines and infusions. Today, these herbs appear beside the snails. A wild garlic risotto is similarly a masterpiece of colour and taste.

A note on atmosphere: The talent of chef Crippa is matched by the unique environment provided by the historic building that the restaurant calls home. The walls of the pink space, which carry frescos of Francesco Clemente, reflect beautiful natural light and windows afford a fine vista of the stunning Piazza Risorgimento and its marvellous Duomo.

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