En Roma, dos jóvenes chefs han abierto un restaurante de mariscos donde el menú cambia a diario

Nuan in Rome is the restaurant opened in March 2024 by the young chef duo Elvio Ferrelli and Luana Lesce (who are also a couple in real life), near Piazza Zama: dishes that change daily, exclusively fish from the Lazio region and innovative offerings such as fish offal.

When Dogma (Alessandra Serramondi and Gabriele Di Lecce's seafood restaurant) opened in the Appio Latino neighborhood in the spring of 2022, Piazza Zama became a fairly frequent stop for us, considering the time we spent there was truly well spent. And when, a few hundred meters away, we learned that another seafood restaurant had opened, also run by a young couple, we couldn't help but be delighted. Especially since the business here is also quite good.

The (new) young couple in the area is made up of Elvio Ferrelli and Luana Lesce, born in 1995 and 1992 respectively, who opened Nuan at Via Siria 3 in March 2024. He is originally from the province of Frosinone, she is Calabrian but adopted by Rome, they met in the kitchens of Acquolina and Acquaroof Terrazza Molinari, and after some time, apprenticeship, and experience, they realized that the time had come to open a place of their own, "where we can do what we like and how we want it," Elvio confides to us.

So they found this place (even though the initial goal was to do something towards the sea) and transformed it into their home: a simple but well-kept space, divided between the dining room and the open kitchen, and seating just over twenty people.

From Nuan in Rome, an ever-changing menu

"After years in fine dining, we felt the need to express our own voice, and the only way to do so was to open our own business. We didn't want to lose the concept of cuisine, which often happens. Instead, we know exactly what our path is," Elvio continues, describing his and Luana's dedication to local ingredients. The fish, therefore, comes from auctions in Lazio, Civitavecchia, Anzio, Terracina, and Formia are the main destinations, while the vegetables come from Orto Macaone, "two friends who gave up their bar life and started a garden on the Ardeatina," and the finishing touches are done at the local market in nearby Piazza Epiro.

“Seafood gives us chefs great freedom, and it's right to exploit it. Our cuisine is based on the product, done well, of course, but there must be respect for the ingredients.” For this reason, the menu at Nuan changes every day, sometimes even within the same day, “because if an ingredient runs out” explains Elvio, “we have no problem telling the customer the truth and offering a new dish on the spot.” Mediterranean influence, a few options on the menu (7, plus desserts) and two tasting menus, 6 courses for 55 euros and 8 courses for 70 euros. The two young chefs then add their own touch: a lot of study, technique, and foresight. “It's stimulating to always work with something different. We don't get hung up on specific preparation methods, but we choose what's best for that product and offer it to the customer.”

What do you eat at Nuan in Rome?

This logic led to the idea of ​​the catch tray. Not the usual fish that arrives completely clean, but rather a portioned portion in its entirety, like a "Nuan version of the fish counter": "There's so much to taste: cheek, eye, but also head, collar, tail. Each section has its own cooking method, and, only if they're workable, we also offer the fish's innards."

We were saying that the menu changes every day, even between lunch and dinner. At lunch the menu is quicker, but there is still the option of a tasting menu, albeit shorter, of three courses for 35 euros. The menu always includes spaghetti, which the two chefs believe must always be there, such as spaghetti with garlic, oil and pink prawns (18 euros). There is room for raw fish, from tartare of the day's catch (18) to carpaccio, and then fried fish (16), fried sardines (12), and grilled prawns (18).

Even the desserts are homemade, including the ice cream. The bread, on the other hand, is made by Marè.

What to drink at Nuan in Rome

The dining room is run by the very young sommelier Enrica Cocciarelli (almost an oenologist, soon to be graduating), also from the Acquolina restaurant. Born in 1999, she has very clear ideas: "Wine should go hand in hand with cuisine." The menu currently boasts around 50 labels, all Italian, and will expand over time. "I don't check whether a wine is organic, biodynamic, or conventional," she explains, "I taste it and if I like it and it moves me, then I choose it. Wine, first and foremost, must be good and must not have any defects." The menu, therefore, alternates some well-known and more marketable labels, for the less experienced, with labels from small producers, playing both with the glass and with the many bottles not on the menu. "Just as chefs like to vary dishes, I like to do the same with wines." And the prices are also consistent: they range from 20 to 60 euros.

"We care deeply about human relationships," Elvio concludes. "We leave the kitchen and want to talk to our customers. We like to think that people come back because they've gotten to know us, had a good time, and appreciated our cuisine. And that's the only etiquette we want."

Nuan. Via Siria 3, Rome. Tel. 06 69401880. Website: Instagram. Open Thursday to Monday 12:30 a 15:30 / 19:30 a 23.