Author: Rowena Dumlao

Central Italy, Restaurants, Restaurants in Italy

Tasting the Genuine Regional Flavors at Ristorante Al Cortiletto in Frascati

What you find inside Ristorante Al Cortiletto is unexpected. Dressed like an old courtyard with tiny balconies, tiled roofs and flower pots, the ambience is as casual and festive as it imparts. This family-run trattoria has been serving classic dishes of the Roman cuisine and pizza for the past thirty years. If you want to get to know the typicality of flavors in Frascati, then … Continue reading Tasting the Genuine Regional Flavors at Ristorante Al Cortiletto in Frascati

Rowena Dumlao
Northern Italy, Restaurants in Italy

The Birth of Tiramisù at Le Beccherie Restaurant in Treviso, Italy

Tiramisù. We all know how good this very popular Italian dessert is. Translated to “pull me up” in English, the rich and restorative dessert is definitely pumped with ingredients that can provide a jolt of energy. Coffee, cocoa powder, sugar, egg yolks, mascarpone and savoiardi (ladyfingers). This delicious dessert has all the qualities of being the most produced in the Italian kitchens for its easiness … Continue reading The Birth of Tiramisù at Le Beccherie Restaurant in Treviso, Italy

Rowena Dumlao
Center, Wineries, Wineries in Italy

A Visit to 3 Wineries of Frascati: Villa Cavalletti, Casata Mergè and Tenuta di Pietra Porzia

Malvasia di Candia, Malvasia Puntinata or Malvasia del Lazio, Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, Trebbiano Toscano and Trebbiano Giallo. These are the indigenous white grape varieties that comprise one of the celebrated wines of Lazio – Frascati DOC (attained in 1966) and the Frascati Superiore DOCG (attained in 2011). Perhaps in the earlier years Frascati had not been as focused qualitatively as it is now but … Continue reading A Visit to 3 Wineries of Frascati: Villa Cavalletti, Casata Mergè and Tenuta di Pietra Porzia

Rowena Dumlao
Hotels, Hotels in Italy, Restaurants, Restaurants in Rome

Velo Pasticceria: The Haute Patisserie of The First Dolce Hotel in Rome

If you have a sweet tooth and living in Rome, then you will be glad to know that there is a new place in town where you can enjoy haute patisserie. Velo Pasticceria is located on the second floor of the 19th-century building of The First Dolce, a luxury boutique hotel by The Pavillions Hotels & Resorts located along Via del Corso, one of the … Continue reading Velo Pasticceria: The Haute Patisserie of The First Dolce Hotel in Rome

Rowena Dumlao
Events, Italy

Domus Artium: Prestigious Dinners at Italian Castles with Renowned Musicians and Chefs

In one of the most beautiful 15th-century Renaissance castles in Europe, Domus Artium debuted its first event. The concept is to host a series of prestigious cultural events focused on classical music performed by internationally-acclaimed soloists, transpiring in historical patrician homes belonging to noble families in Rome and its surroundings with the participation of excellent chefs and winemakers. The first appointment was on the 16th … Continue reading Domus Artium: Prestigious Dinners at Italian Castles with Renowned Musicians and Chefs

Rowena Dumlao
Restaurants, Restaurants in Rome

Kubla Khan Cocktail Bar: Fusion Cuisine and Mixology in Rome

Speaking about an exotic imagery of mysterious faraway places, Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poetic fragment Kubla Khan represents Xanadu, the summer capital of the Yuan dynasty founded by Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan. In his fantasy world, there is a pleasure dome where Alph the sacred river runs, caverns, ancient forests, walls, towers, luxurious vegetation, sunless sea and mighty fountains are broached. There are four friends who … Continue reading Kubla Khan Cocktail Bar: Fusion Cuisine and Mixology in Rome

Rowena Dumlao
Central Italy, Restaurants, Restaurants in Italy, Restaurants in Rome

Chorus Cafe Features the Kitchen of Arcangelo Dandini and Mixology of Massimo D’Addezio

As an established haven for mixology seekers in Rome, Chorus Cafè adds an enticing feature to its repertoire. Arcangelo Dandini arrives at the kitchen of Chorus for a new adventure that will unravel a Roman gastronomic culture that goes beyond the large marble bar manned by Mixologist Massimo D’Addezio, the Best Barman in the World in 2009. Arcangelo hails from Rocca Priora, a small town … Continue reading Chorus Cafe Features the Kitchen of Arcangelo Dandini and Mixology of Massimo D’Addezio

Rowena Dumlao
Italian Wine Labels, North, Wine Labels, Wineries, Wineries in Italy

Nas-Cëtta: Reviving a Great White Grape of Piedmont That Almost Went Extinct

Nas-cëtta or Nascetta is a semi-aromatic white grape that originates from the small town of Novello in the Piedmont region of Italy. Cultivated in the area for hundreds of years, it almost went extinct if not for the perseverance of a handful of wine producers of Novello who believed in its great capacity to become one of the greatest white wines of the region. It … Continue reading Nas-Cëtta: Reviving a Great White Grape of Piedmont That Almost Went Extinct

Rowena Dumlao
North, Wineries, Wineries in Italy

Lupinc Winery in Carso: Defining Still and Sparkling Expressions of Vitovska

Prepotto may be a small town but it has the highest concentration of the best wine producers in the province of Trieste most especially the white wines. It is located in the heart of Carso (or Karst in English) in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia which borders Slovenia, Austria and the Adriatic Sea in the northeasternmost part of Italy. Its geographical conformations spans a … Continue reading Lupinc Winery in Carso: Defining Still and Sparkling Expressions of Vitovska

Rowena Dumlao
North, Wineries, Wineries in Italy

Celebrating Graziano Merotto Who Marks 50 Years of History with Prosecco

The authentic interpreters of Prosecco Superiore on the hills of Conegliano Valdobbuadene still tread through their vineyards manually, always mindful of the health and quality of the grapes that grow in their vines. It’s a tedious work that requires a lot of time and energy but with the immense devotion to the art of winemaking, it is never considered a burden. Graziano Merotto is one … Continue reading Celebrating Graziano Merotto Who Marks 50 Years of History with Prosecco

Rowena Dumlao
Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Northern Italy, Restaurants, Restaurants in Italy

Casa Mazzucchelli in Bologna: Pizza and Contemporary Cuisine on One Plate

There’s a change of look and a change of format for the Mazzucchelli family in Sasso Marconi, a small town that’s around 15 km from Bologna. After the pandemic, a reshuffling of ideas with more focus have come about in the family’s interest. Casa Mazzucchelli is born, an audacious concept that combines two distinct realities: Marconi Restaurant and Il Mollica, both owned and run by … Continue reading Casa Mazzucchelli in Bologna: Pizza and Contemporary Cuisine on One Plate

Rowena Dumlao
Central Italy, Hotels, Hotels in Italy, Restaurants in Italy

Il Vistamare Restaurant of Latina: The Destination of Seafood Gourmet Lovers Outside Rome

An hour from Rome, going southwards for around 70 kilometers is a particular location nestled between Lake Fogliano and the Tyrrhenian Sea housed inside Il Fogliano New Life Hotel, a modern 4-star hotel on the sandy shores of Lido di Latina. From its large glass windows, there’s a view of a limitless horizon where the blueness of the sky meets the sea lending orange streaks … Continue reading Il Vistamare Restaurant of Latina: The Destination of Seafood Gourmet Lovers Outside Rome

Rowena Dumlao
Center, Central Italy, Hotels, Hotels in Italy, Restaurants, Restaurants in Italy, Wineries, Wineries in Italy

Torre a Cona: Tuscan Wine, Food and Hospitality in a Majestic Villa on the Florentine Hills

Driving around Tuscany is a captivating experience as roads can lead to a series of varied panoramic backdrops of neatly-rowed vineyards, olive groves, ancient hamlets, cypress trees standing like soldiers guarding long driveways, dried up mowed fields with scattered bales of hay, and yes, the magnificent medieval castles and villas. In one of the stretches of ancient country roads from Florence to Rignano sull’Arno, stands … Continue reading Torre a Cona: Tuscan Wine, Food and Hospitality in a Majestic Villa on the Florentine Hills

Rowena Dumlao
Center, Central Italy, Restaurants, Restaurants in Italy, Wineries, Wineries in Italy

Ricasoli 1141 in Chianti Classico: The Castle, the Baron and the Wine

For almost nine centuries, the Ricasoli family of Castello di Brolio has played a leading role in Tuscany’s history of wine including the conception of Chianti Classico. In the year 1141, there was a written testimony linking the family to wine in the castle making them the first to dedicate themselves to the improvement of agriculture and viticulture after perceiving the great potential of the … Continue reading Ricasoli 1141 in Chianti Classico: The Castle, the Baron and the Wine

Rowena Dumlao
Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Restaurants, Restaurants in Europe

Monte in the Istrian Coast of Rovinj, One of Croatia’s Best Restaurants

Rovinj, a beautiful old town in the Istrian coast of Croatia, is home to the first restaurant that received a Michelin star in the country in 2017. Monte Restaurant owned by Chef Danijel Dekić and his wife, Sommelier Tjitske Đekić-Brusse, is a trendy gourmet gem nestled in the narrow cobblestone streets of the coastal town just a stone’s throw away from Sant’Eufemia Cathedral. It’s making … Continue reading Monte in the Istrian Coast of Rovinj, One of Croatia’s Best Restaurants

Rowena Dumlao