In the past few years, we have witnessed an extraordinary evolution of the world of food. Originally chefs excelled at and we enjoyed “Traditional Cuisine”; like Thai or Italian. But now we enjoy a real diversity that we would never have believed possible. It all started around the 1970s, thanks to Wolfgang Puck, among others, who began to experiment with mixing different types of culinary traditions into one. One of the most common is the combination of Asian and European styles, also known as Eurasian cuisine. The evolution inspired chefs to coin the term “Fusion Cuisine”.
After almost twenty years we believe we have seen it all: but hold your horses. There might still be a fusion that is so unimaginable it will restore your faith in being surprised.
There is a restaurant hidden in Piazza Bologna at Via Michele Lando 20. There you will find a discreet, yet appropriate, sign with the name of Coffee Pot. Once you step inside on your right is an outside porch and in front of you is a staircase, all surrounded by vegetation. The stairs lead to the restaurant, which holds two great rooms. Outside you have the opportunity to eat in a small artificial cave, for a cosier experience. The atmosphere is comfortable, just elegant enough, and dimly lit.
All of this may be intriguing, but you still have no idea why this restaurant has something particular to it. The truth is that their cuisine is one of the most uncommon I have encountered throughout the countries I have visited. In fact, the cuisine is a combination between Mexican and Japanese cuisines.
I was able to speak with one of the partners, Melissa Leone, and as I was curious to understand how she got the idea of combining these two cuisines. “After graduating I moved to Los Angeles to attend a masters at UCLA,” she explained. “Besides falling in love with the beaches, I was stunned by the diversity and quality of the types of cuisines. I believe that California is one of the greatest creative poles when it comes to culinary culture. From all the vast choices, I felt most passionate about the Mexican and Japanese cuisines. For the next two years I would eat these two exclusively. I was also passionate about attending culinary classes where I discovered each cuisine’s secrets, until I had to move back. After a little while I could not stop thinking of my favourite cuisines and how much I missed them. Therefore we decided to combine the two cultures and developed, with expert help, the varied dishes. And it was an immediate success!”
The restaurant also serves many sophisticated and innovative cocktails developed by Andrea Clapier, Melissa’s partner and in her eyes ‘the best barman around.” As the restaurant’s name implies, Clapier focuses especially on Mezcal, which is a traditional Mexican product.
This is the second incarnation of Coffee Pot. The previous restaurant, Melissa says, “was originally just music and cocktails; more of a club than a restaurant like it is now.” The original Coffee Pot was closed for two years before re-opening and becoming Coffee Pot, Sushi, Tapas y Mezcal. However, the sign outside remains the same, paying homage to the original club and to the current eclectic blend of different cultures forming its unique brew.
The dishes are delicious. It’s hard to recommend just one, but try not to miss out on the Almond Roll: salmon tartare, tobikko, avocado, and adorned with roasted almonds. This is accompanied with a fresh, and unique Plajacar Phase 1 beverage: Tequila Espolon, Cachaca, vanilla, lime juice, ginger beer, and fig. If you are more into Mexican food, there is a vast selection of burritos, and tacos, but you will not want to miss the Burrito Special: breaded sea bass, red onion, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, mushrooms, carrots, and a sprinkle of wasabi mayo. Also, try the Nachos Maki: salmon, avocado, and cream cheese. Well, almost every plate will make you want more. So believe me when I say, you won’t be disappointed!
