Text and Photos by Cesare Zucca

You know that Mr. NTT (Non Touristy Tourist)  is always eager to know of hidden gem destinations and unusual venues, well …my adventure with Laite started in the luscious Tiepolo’s Gallery, a sumptuous hall in Palazzo Clerici, one of Milan’s most charming 17th century historic palace, where Champagne Veuve Clicquot Milan hosted ‘Atelier des Grandes Dames’ as a grand tribute to Madame Clicquot, Grande Dame Of Champagne.
The event was intented to promote a network of women’s catering talent who have been able to assert their entrepreneurship and their professional style.Special guests of the evening were 10 top female starred Italian Chefs, including Fabrizia Meroi.
As soon as they announced that her restaurant was located in Sappada (Belluno) … I had a shock. Sappada is an enchanting little village surrounded by the spectacular Dolomites. My mother was born there and my family spent many summer vacations.
I meet Fabrizia and promised her to try Laite cuisine during my next trip to Sappada.
And I did it!
LAITE
Laite’s two cozy wooden rooms bring back a family atmosphere with echoes of times gone-by. It lies amongst an ancient village sourrended by the spectacular Dolomites. The village of Sappada is a hidden gem where houses are mixed with old tabiè (barns), where the windows are enriched by colorful cascades of carnations.Laite continues to seduce its guests with the skillfully prepared dishes of Fabrizia Meroi and the superb hospitality (and knowledge of wines) provided by Roberto Brovedani.  Daring Fabrizia creates a never-ending stream of new dishes that suggest intuition and imagination, like the unprecedented Venus Black Rice Tagliolino, made from the deconstruction of black rice, surprisingly reivented as pasta and served with cabbage, smoked ham and kummel, wisely paired with Rève Velenosi Pecorino white wine.

As starters, I tried a delicious eggplant with saurnchotte (Sappada traditional sour ricotta) and a soft mousse of peppers.

and Francesca hit dish: Cervofondente, tender deer marinated 6 hours with spices, sugar cane, moss foam, goodbye, local wild herb and served with tubers and roots and zested with a tear of circus, pine resin …
paired to a high-quality Mosel Riesling dry Riesling by Villa Huesgen/By The Glass.
Fabrizia loves to harmonize tradition with creativity like in the Tortello all’Uovo, new version of the raditional tortello pasta, here filled with a semi-boiled egg yolk and topped with anis and porcini Mushrooms and served with burned butter. What about those gialletti, delicious chantarelles marinated in kefir and flavored with chamomille and beetroot to garnish a tender veal? New inventions in a menu that respect the local cuisine

To end the feast, the refreshing trio: apricot, rhubarb and pees sorbets, paired to a seductive Anselmi 2016 I Capitelli with amber reflections and intriguing aromas of apricot jam, orange blossom honey, orange peel and dried figs. My story feels the athmosphere of a cozy place with friendly friendly service and an amazing top chef. Not cheap but worth every euro. And very good wines..plus Fabrizia’s version of sopa coada, a classic regional pizza dish from Treviso.
I missed that this time, but summer 2018 will arrive sooner or later … and I’ll be back!

Laite
Via Hoffe 10, 32047 Sappada (BL) Italy
T: +39 0435 46 90 70
www.ristorantelaite.com