Acqua Pazza en Bolonia, reseña: los mejores entrantes de marisco de la ciudad

The Acqua Pazza restaurant is located just a few minutes from Porta Santo Stefano on Via Murri, but here in Bologna everyone calls it "Mulino Parisio", out of town, yes, but not a day trip. The restaurant is historic and has always served fish for as long as I can remember, even under the previous management, but under Francesco Carboni, the current owner and chef since 2008, it has made a significant leap in quality.

Outside the restaurant, a spacious terrace provides even more seating in the summer, while in the winter, guests can sit inside. The decor is understated yet tasteful, creating a pleasant, welcoming atmosphere, complete with parquet floors, paintings, books, and the unmistakable inlaid wood paneling on the back wall. The wicker chairs and long white tablecloths complete the picture of understated elegance.

As we peruse the menu, the waiter approaches us with a food trolley containing two turbot, a sea bass, and a giant monkfish, resting on a bed of crushed ice. The fish is incredibly fresh and delivered almost daily from the ports of Chioggia and Cesenatico. What we see before us is a proposal for a second course, baked in the oven: we opt for a sea bass and a turbot to share, which are then taken to the kitchen for cooking.

The appetizers and first courses are varied and interesting, while the main course selection is limited to freshly baked, BBQ, or acqua pazza (a kind of soup), or you can opt for grilled scampi and prawns. Alternatively, you can opt for the lavish eight-course tasting menu for €80, which can be requested for the entire table. The wine list is extensive and well-structured, with a nice selection of champagnes that pair perfectly with the dishes.

We begin with the raw fish (€38), featuring a beautiful tuna tartare, prawns, red shrimp, excellent mantis shrimp, and scampi, all featuring the delicate aromas of freshly caught fish and seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil. The chef's creativity shines through with masterful dishes like seared scallops and calamari with beetroot puree and potato and chive quenelles (€22) and cod fillet with Mazara red shrimp, avocado, and citrus jelly (€22), which showcase the raw ingredients with the sweet and sour contrasts of the vegetables and fruit. On the fried side, still among the appetizers, in addition to the classic with prawns, calamari and courgettes (24 euros), I recommend the tasty fillets of red mullet and sole accompanied by a buffalo mozzarella cream and a cream of turnip tops and anchovies (22 euros), an exceptional combination, also thanks to the impeccable quality of the fried food.

But it's the first courses that really shine, starting with the magnificent tortellini filled with skate and anchovies, creamed with butter and truffle, and a turnip greens jelly (€24). These tortellini are already known in the Bolognese scene as "heretical" tortellini for having won the 2015 Creative Tortellini Festival held at Palazzo Re Enzo during the feast of San Petronio. Honorary titles aside, this is a captivating dish with a full-bodied flavor that strikes with its intense truffle aroma, which pairs perfectly with the pasta's savory filling. Equally excellent are the gnocchi with Adriatic ragù (€22), probably one of the best "classic" fish sauces you can find in Bologna (and elsewhere): supreme class and meticulous control of flavors for a first course I would have ordered twice. The seafood risotto (€22) and the excellent gramigna al torchio with monkfish, scallops, and Castelmagno cheese (yes, the cheese goes perfectly with it) also soar. I wasn't exactly thrilled with the cold spaghetti with caviar, lemon, shallots, and raw scampi (€38), a tribute to Gualtiero Marchesi's famous caviar and chive spaghetti salad from the mid-1980s. It's a well-executed dish, no doubt about it, but it's more pleasing to the eye than the palate, and given the price, it wouldn't be my first choice from such an interesting selection.

As mentioned, the main course selection is intentionally limited and designed for those who want to appreciate the delicacy of fresh fish without embellishment, a welcome philosophy. However, the menu seems to lack creativity, while a couple of additional options wouldn't have gone amiss. The firm, white fish arrives pre-boned and portioned, with a small side of potatoes and green beans. Everything is perfectly cooked, but with a somewhat understated air that's even more noticeable when compared to the truly high-quality first course.

The desserts don't disappoint: the delicious ice cream with balsamic vinegar (9 euros), which has become a classic at several restaurants in the area, and the even more indulgent "Come se fosse un cremino Fiat" (Like a Fiat cream) with chocolate, hazelnut, and berry gel (10 euros). To finish, you can also browse the liquor cabinet, which features some unusual bottles, such as vermouth and gin from Baldo Baldinini, a great connoisseur of essences, spices, and medicinal plants.

Acqua Pazza restaurant is highly recommended to anyone who appreciates fresh fish and the creative combination of pasta dishes, which the chef has brought to remarkable heights. Also worthy of mention are the comfortable atmosphere and the perfectly maintained dining room, which is always courteous, competent, and attentive, yet never intrusive.

Opinion

The Emilian-style seafood cuisine, featuring superb first courses, never disappoints. A warm and comfortable atmosphere suitable for a variety of occasions, from business meetings to romantic dinners. The fish is incredibly fresh (it goes without saying) and the service is impeccable.

AGAINST

• The choice of second courses is rather limited.