Faenza has a new gastronomic soul: the Anma restaurant

While Da Lucio remains the original flagship of this renewal, the young master of dry-aging is now also making the young master part of a vibrant ecosystem and not just a mere cathedral in the desert, thanks to the child prodigies of Fuba, also in Rimini, the arrival of a champion like Leonardo d'Ingeo who returns to Cervia to his natural habitat of cooking and mixing (we'll tell you about him in due course), and, starting this January, in the sleepier hinterland, the solo adventure of Candida Visaggi and her “Anma” here in Faenza.

In the Romagna dialect, "Anma" means soul, or even bone, or stone (especially of a peach). A challenging name with all the symbolic meanings it entails, a seed planted in the very center—even the physical center—of a city, gifting it with a new gastronomic consciousness.

For his part, Chef Visaggi has all the potential to do so. He has a warm yet constructive connection to his hometown, an international outlook, and many important experiences, such as those in the kitchens of Yoji Tokuyoshi, at his eponymous restaurant, Davide Di Fabio and his Dalla Gioconda, as well as Relae in Copenhagen.

An elegant understatement

We're downtown, it's true, but this Anma doesn't want to indulge in distracted strolling, and instead shyly appears, through a darkened and unobtrusive window, on a narrow street in the heart of the city. Upon entering, you're greeted by the team finishing the dishes (the actual preparation takes place upstairs) at the long, gleaming counter, a dialogue between wood and steel, warm and cool lighting, which resonates in the minimalist tone-on-tone main room, dominated by a large curtain. Don't be fooled by its grandiloquence; behind the scenes you'll find only the restroom.

The dining room is enlivened by Silvia Beneventi, responsible for a wine list that is essential in quantity but cosmopolitan in spirit, which, in keeping with the restaurant's vision, brings together Romagna and the rest of the world, further enhanced by a selection of excellent blends.

How to eat and how much to spend at Anma

Visaggi's cuisine is clearly plant-based, managing to steer clear of contemporary styles that have now become clichés: no charred cruciferous vegetables with a sauce of something or roasted pumpkins with fondue, rather a cuisine that is rich and graceful, where aromatic cues seek harmony rather than dramatic impact.

The pursuit of zero waste is evident in the use of all parts of the ingredient in multiple preparations, such as in the Pak Choi cooked three ways with salted lemon pesto and mustard-flavored black cabbage salad, or in the intense Sfiandrina (the dialect name for pleurotus) roasted with cream of mushrooms, kimchi, and sweet and sour cardoncelli mushrooms.

Just moments after opening, a dish already has the makings of a house signature: Spaghettoni aglio, olio e peperoncino (garlic, oil, and chili pepper) with mullet bottarga, seaweed and citrus furikake, and candied lemon. A pragmatic and original interpretation, supported by the heartiness of homemade spaghetti and the alternating, persistent salty and citrus notes. The slow-cooked egg, cream of Jerusalem artichoke and black garlic, sour cream, and trout roe plays it safe with comforting tones.

The desserts are noteworthy, with their clever use of plant-based ingredients: the delicious mushroom and butter theme of the Porcini mousse with hazelnut shortcrust pastry, beetroot gel, and lemon is balanced by the shortcrust pastry and a subtle earthy sweetness, giving life to one of the dishes of the trip. The Cardamom ice cream, kiwi glazed with spicy mandarin and peanuts draws on the hidden identity of this fruit, which, cooked and peeled, is the best fresh tomato lookalike you could wish for in the cold season.

A few details need to be ironed out on the dishes (we're still talking about the first menu of Candida Visaggi's first solo venture), but the ideas are crystal clear, even in the pricing: a three-course tasting menu for €40 and a five-course menu for €57, with three paired glasses of wine for €16. You can always add extras or choose from the slim ten-course menu. It's impossible to ask for more, but what you can do is enjoy this young, organic Romagna culinary rebirth, confident that it's going to be a fun time.