The Risotto Fare at Ottimo, ITC Gardenia

by Rohit Dassani · February 14, 2017

Ottimo at ITC Gardenia is one of the premium Italian Restaurants in Bangalore / Bengaluru. The place is famous to serve dishes from different regions of Italy. Ottimo is currently holding a Risotto fare from 3 regions of Italy namely Piedmont, Lombardia and Veneto. Risotto is no doubt one of the most preferred comfort food for Italians and food lovers worldwide. The place is stunning when it comes to the ambiance with large posters of Italian herbs and vegetables on the wall. The place also boasts of a large collection of wines not only from Italy but worldwide.

The menu here is curated by Chef Vittorio Greco while the kitchen is managed by Chef Zohair the Junior Sous Chef at Ottimo. Chef Zohair with his cooking style and intricate techniques has managed to perfect the art of Risotto making while leaves a lasting impression on every guest. Each of the plates we had as part of the Risotto Fare were presented with perfection and the use of flowers is so well done. Therefore, do visit Ottimo between 10^th to 19^th February and enjoy the #RisottoFare at ITC Gardenia.

The Chef was kind enough to demonstrate some of his cooking styles while giving a live demo for Risotto’s like the Risotto Con Topinambur Salvia E Parmigiano (or Risotto with Jerusalem artichoke, Sage butter and Parmigiano) from Piedmont among others. The dish crafted by the Chef turned out to be nothing less than excellent. The risotto was creamy with a light flavor of the antichoke and Parmigiano cheese. Next, we tried the Al Funghi Porcini or the Porcini Mushroom risotto from Piedmont. The dish was topped with mushroom powder to give it an extra kick. Amazing is just an understatement!

The Risotto Fare is an idea to present Bangalore folks with the real taste of Italian dishes. We tasted the Peperoni E Gorgonzola or Roasted Bellpepper and Gorgonzola Risotto next. This dish came from the Lombardia region of Italy and used yellow and red roasted bellpeppers along with blue cheese with a drizzle of Olive oil on top. Each of the flavors stood out so well. Lastly, we had the Agli Asparagi or Green Asparagus Risotto with Sundried Tomotoes on top from Veneto region. If you love asparagus then this risotto is a must try!

The menu also comprises of many more dishes to choose from. We had the Banana Gelato with caramel sauce and the Torta Caprese for desserts. The Banana Gelato was to die for as it was creamy and topped with Caramel sauce. But, the highlight was the Torta Caprese with different layers of chocolate. While hot chocolate sauce is poured over it, the chocolate dome burst open to reveal the secret. The chocolate soil was delicious.