The Gate to Paradise: Meo Modo

I guess the best way to understand if someone is destined to be with you is through traveling. Too many things can go wrong and one conflict can easily lead to another. It was raining, my luggage was lost during a flight transfer, and everything that seemed could have gone wrong has.

It was raining the day on the day, and although the Val D'Orcia was as picturesque as it could be, I was in no mood for it. The rain stopped as we reached this monumental gate and there was a huge rainbow hanging across the sky.

Suddenly, it seemed as everything was ok, and that no matter what happens next, I should at least enjoy this dinner. We were greeted by staff with umbrella and a lavender towel. There is a farm on spot, where all the fresh produces were used for the restaurant.

It felt visiting a distant uncle's villa, rows of bookshelves, a warm fireplace, a living room with a grand piano... Finally we were seated at a table under the arcade, overlooking a beautiful garden of greens.

The restaurant, Meo Modo, recently received a Michelin star and is part of the boutique hotel Relais Borgo Santo Pietro. (I would love to come back here again for my honeymoon or something!). Chef Andrea Mattei is most known for creating seasonal dishes straight from their own organic farm.

[----- Our Menu -----]

Absolutely Borgo 150 Euro

Seasonal Vegetables with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and beet root sauce
Mushroom Sponge, Cherry tomatoes and goat cheese with fermented millet and olive oil
Sunflower seed, cream and coffee risotto
Sucking Pig with wild berry sauce and spinach cream (with Lavender infusion)
Dried tomato with lemon, zucchini with elder flower
Flower and Leaves, Mascarpone cream and vanilla

Infused tomato, millet and olive oil capsules with goat cheese

seasonal vegetables with beetroot sauce

Mushroom sponge

Risotto with coffee, cream and sunflower seed

Suckling pig

Flower and leaves with mascarpone cheese and vanilla

You could tell from the menu that it isn't your ordinary, over the top, sous vide style of cooking. Everything is engineered from seasonal flavors and food at its rawest form.

The suckling pig actually reminded me somewhat of a peking duck with its smokey, powerful flavors, which when paired with wild berry sauce really feels like you are hunting through a forest. It was good at giving you an imagery.

I would say the thing that really surprised us both was the dried zucchinis, which was almost as thin as hair!

All in all, I would say this is a place for a romantic dinner, with impeccable service and most of all, having chef that does justice to home grown organic food!