This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
DESTINATION LAKE COMO


owner of Acquadolce, a spectacular two Michelin-star restaurant on Lake Como.


A


Perillo Traveler: Danilo, when did you open Acquadolce and how were you able to find such a prime location right on the lake? DD: Living in the area and owning a couple of other restaurants in the town of Como, as well as a cooking school that trains chefs and restau- rant professionals, I was aware of this old building near Cernobbio. It had been part of a hotel and had been closed 35 years ago. It was in really bad shape. So I made a deal, gutted and renovated it, and we


conversation with Danilo Discacciati,


opened for business five years ago. Te restaurant is divided into two


rooms… the inside room seats 35, and the outdoor, glassed-in terrace overlooking the lake seats 95. It’s very romantic. We also have a private pier with six slips, so people can come by boat for lunch or dinner. By the way, we have a famous American neigh- bor, George Clooney, who has a beautiful villa on the lake. He comes for dinner with friends when he is at his home. Sandra Bullock and Rich- ard Branson have dined with us, too.


PT: Tell us about your chef, Francesco Cranchi. DD: Francesco has been cooking for 25 years. He was born and raised in Bellagio, another town on the lake. He now lives in Torno, a village a


mile away, directly across the lake, so he comes to work by motorboat. He’s been a chef at many fine,


luxury hotels in Italy and because of his food, we have been awarded two Michelin forks in 2015, and were given 77 points in the presti- gious Gambero Rosso Guide 2015. We were also recently named the best restaurant of the Region Lom- bardia in the Il Golosario Guide.


PT: Tell us about your menu and your food? DD: We offer an a la carte menu and specialties from both the lake and other regions. Some of our most popular appe-


tizers include: Octopus carpaccio, as well as tuna and beef carpaccio. First courses: Risotto with local perch fil- lets, one of the chef’s signature dish- es; a variety of homemade pasta and gnocchi with a rabbit ragout. Second courses: a mixed lake fish combina- tion, sea bass with fennel cream, and fillet of venison served with a blue- berry sauce. It is a very eclectic menu.


PT: And your wine list? DD: We have a cellar that stocks 60 different Italian wines, divided by region. Te only non-Italian option we offer is champagne, which is French. We also offer des- sert wines and liquors. Some of most popular are red


Outdoor glassed-in terrace at Acquadolce.


20 | | Summer 2015


wines that are well known to Amer- icans… like Barbaresco, Barolo and Brunello, which are reasonably priced compared to the U.S.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32