Anchovies marinated in fermented radish water, pajata and wild arugula. These are the ingredients, with an evident Roman touch, of the new salad that the Tuscan chef has created Cristiano Tomei, known face of TV and Michelin star since 2014, he created and is serving in his historic restaurant "The Funnel" of Lucca. But what does Roman cuisine have to do with Tuscan tradition? Simple: the place has recently moved from the Lu.CCA (Lucca Center of Contemporary Art) inside the lemon house of the prestigious Pfanner Palace, a few meters from where films such as "Arrivano i bersaglieri" by Luigi Magni, "Portrait of a Lady" by Jane Campion, with Nicole Kidman, and above all the "Marchese del Grillo" were filmed. The name of the new dish is precisely "Insalata del Marchese del Grillo" and is dedicated to the legendary film character played by Alberto Sordi in the 1981 film directed by Mario Monicelli. The combination with one of the ingredients is easy, given that in a famous scene from the film Gasperino "er carbonaro", or Alberto Sordi, goes to eat in a popular tavern and orders a plate of "rigatoni co' la pajata".
“Palazzo Pfanner – commented Tomei to First&Food – is one of the most beautiful historic locations in Lucca: the Italian garden is among the most beautiful and it is a great privilege to be part of it with the new Funnel”. The construction of the palace began in 1660 by the will of the Moriconis, a family of silk merchants and members of the ancient Lucchese patriciate. In 1846 Felix Pfanner, a well-known Bavarian beer producer, bought it from the Controni family to transfer his production factory there. The brewery closed in 1929, but the property is still owned by the Pfanner family. The garden, where the scenes of the films were shot and within walking distance of which "L'Imbuto" moved, is in Baroque style and was designed at the beginning of the eighteenth century by the Messina architect Philip Juvarra, who adorned it with an elegant lemon house on the north side and two historic bamboo groves, as well as a large variety of flowers, ornamental plants, palm trees and centuries-old pines.
“The essence of 'L'Imbuto' remains the same – specified Tomei, commenting on the move to the new headquarters – which over the years my admirers have come to know and appreciate, therefore it is a change in the sign of continuity”. The restaurant overlooks the garden and it has 40 covers which are distributed in two rooms. There is also a surprise for those who want to experience a special experience: a private space with just one table, to experience a more intense moment. In the warm season they are also provided 25 additional place settings outdoors, where the events will also be hosted, entrusted to the care of the chef's wife, Laura Verpecinskaite.
Even in the new location, a few steps from the sixteenth-century walls and the austere medieval buildings of Lucca, it will be impossible to taste the same dish twice, with the exception of some creations that have become iconic such as the "Raviolini all'olio" and the "Primitive steak". because it is in the tradition of chef Tomei to change and mutate continuously. As is his habit use only local raw materials (such as fish from the Tyrrhenian Sea, meats, dairy products, fruit and vegetables from the Garfagnana as well as herbs, berries, sprouts and wild flowers that he personally collects every day) and personally presenting his dishes to his guests. Including the salad dedicated to Alberto Sordi.
