Worth the travel – No. 29 in the world: Ristorante Piazza Duomo (24. October 2020)
Talking about being lucky. Just the last Saturday before Italy went into lock down of restaurants at 6pm again, I was able to spend an evening at Ristorante Piazza Duomo in Alba, No. 29 of the world according to The World’s 50 Best. And I must say that it is a truly unique experience – not on the cheap side but worth trying. Due to Corona, there is only the possibility to get a tasting menu which was fine though. The table went for the “La Degustazione+” (EUR 300.00) which was ten courses and included two surprise dishes selected by the chef.
The evening started with their signature champagne “Champagne Blanc des Blancs ‘Piazza Duomo'” (EUR 140.00) which was refreshing and generally enjoyable. But then, the actual dining event started with a small amuse bouche which was truly perfect to make your palate ready for the upcoming courses.
The beginning of the dinner was already absolutely mind-blowing. It started with the little bowl in the top right corner and went on for about 5 minutes until all bowls had been placed in front of you. And that wasn’t for the table, that was just for each individual. I was not able to write down all the different things but believe me when I tell you that this was mind-blowing! The quality of the ingredients and the way some of them were prepared caused surprisingly intense flavor explosions in my mouth. Definitely a highlight of the evening!
It wasn’t done though with that. The next course was the “Salad 21, 31, 41, 51, …” which was kind of weird at first because as cutlery you only got tweezers and you were supposed to try all the single ingredients individually and in combination.
You even got a little card which listed all the ingredients which were in that salad. And I believe it was over 100. It didn’t only look pretty, it was also mouth-watering. Yeah, I never thought I’d say that about salad (I mean, I love salad, but damn it was so good) but I was proven wrong right there and then.
The “grissini” which were served with it were great.
The third course that evening were “scallops, sea urchins and pecorino” and while I was a bit skeptical at first, it was, again, mouth-watering. I especially liked the broccolino and the sea urchin sauce. And what was exquisite on top was the consistency and freshness of the scallops.
The cracker which was served with it provided the perfect balance in terms of consistency mix in adding something crispy to the dish.
The next course consisted of a variety of beetroot elements. And again, I was surprised as the “beetroot tatar with jelly” was amazing that I even got shivers down my spine. Somehow so incredibly simple yet so intense in flavor and so interesting in mixture of texture that I would have loved to eat so much more of it.
The “beetroot sandwich with caviar” which was served on the side was also delicious but did not match up to the beetroot tatar with jelly.
The two different beetroot soups (this one was like a borscht) were perfectly to provide the course with a smooth end.
The first surprise dish of the chef was “chicorée served on a chick pea mousse” and it was definitely interesting and good in taste. Especially since the chicorée wasn’t all that bitter.
What really blew my mind and reminded me of being in Mexico and enjoying those amazing local flavors was the “tuna tacito”. It was so delicious that you would wonder how to make that and just want to eat a ton of them. The “chicorée with dip” was nice before you’d finish the course with …
… a surprisingly refreshing chicorée reduction.
Next in line was the “codfish with a leaf of mushroom” …
… and some reduction. Cod is often so boring that it’s hard to be excited about. But this time it was different – the combination with the mushroom layer on top of the cod and the reduction actually made for an incredibly tasty dish. I absolutely loved it.
The “second surprise dish” of the chef had the theme of cabbage and pork …
… and I must say that I liked the pork dish with cabbage a lot.
The second part was to be finished by you by sprinkling …
… something on it. And it was, honestly, surprisingly good. A bit too cabbage-y for my personal gusto all in all but really enjoyable.
Another highlight was the “risotto Piemonte”. It was smooth, creamy, and rich in flavor. The only issue was that it was only lukewarm as it was put so thinly onto the plate that it would get cold quite rapidly. Else, delicious!
The last dish before the end was the “lamb” which was another perfectly delicious and mouth-watering example of how one can create something mind-blowing out of any ingredient if you just know how.
Finally, the dessert theme was ‘apple’ which was served in all different kinds, textures, temperatures and forms. It was definitely good and enjoyable but not something to remember.
And of course there would be some sweets (plus clementines as decoration) …
… which were all rather enjoyable. So, to sum it up, the Piazza Duomo managed to give me oral orgasms like I haven’t had them in a very long time. The delicacy with which the dishes are prepared and the attention to detail is just beautiful to look at. But, more importantly, they also manage to create flavor combinations which make you think you’re in heaven!
So, if you have the chance to get to try the Piazza Duomo, you should definitely do so! The place is lovely …
… and the dishes are mind-blowlingly delicious.
And on top of that, the service is incredibly attentive, friendly, and still manages to be relaxed about everything even though we’re talking about 3 Michelin stars here.
For me, the Ristorante Piazza Duomo does definitely deserve to be on the list of The World’s 50 Best and its 3 Michelin stars. It’s a truly unique and impressively delicious experience you will have here – make sure to book way in advance. It’s worth it!
Rating:
| Atmosphere: |   |
| Service: |  |
| Dishes: | |
| Price-Performance Ratio: | |
| Overall Rating: | |
Contact Details:
Ristorante Piazza Duomo
Piazza Risorgimento 4
12051 Alba (I)
Tel.: +39 01 73 36 61 67
E-Mail: booking@piazzaduomoalba.it
Homepage: http://www.piazzaduomoalba.it
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
