This September, iconic drinks brand MARTINI will be celebrating the quintessential Italian aperitivo by bringing together masters of their craft to create an exclusive pre-dinner menu at LUCA Bar & Restaurant in Clerkenwell.
LUCA Head Chef Robert Chambers has worked with Michelin-starred Chef from Del Cambio Turin, Matteo Baronetto to develop four exquisite dishes that will re-set your perceptions of aperitivo.
The drinks have been expertly crafted by MARTINI’s global brand ambassador and one of the most renowned mixologists in Italian cocktail culture, Roberta Mariani, alongside LUCA Head of Drinks Robert Simpson.
The result is a unique menu combining the traditions and flavours of Northern Italy with those of contemporary London.
The aperitivo menu includes four dishes:
Veal marinated in chestnut honey, served with English pickled radishes.
A seasoning traditionally used for preserving food in North-Eastern Italy, the sweetness of chestnut honey, which the veal is marinated in for four days, presents strong and aromatic notes, whilst also keeping the meat firm and tender. Served with pickled English radishes, giving the dish a sharper note.
Tomato tart, with salted green peach and gentlemen’s relish.
A reimagining of tomato and anchovies tart, this dish uses the old British seasoning called gentlemen’s relish, based on anchovies, and under-ripe green peaches, which have been brined and treated like traditional Italian olives.
Lettuce leaf with citrus mayonnaise and dried green olives.
A spread of crisp lettuce leaves doused at the ends with a creamy, citrus-infused English mayonnaise and a grating of traditional Italian dried green olives adding extra flavor and crunch.
For an Italian twist on a classic English bite, the Scotch olive combines a time-honoured aperitivo option, green olives, encased in succulent rabbit sausage meat, seasoned with summer savory and Calabrian chilli and coated in breadcrumbs.
The specially created cocktails include
Piedmonte Fizz, made with MARTINI Riserva Speciale Ambrato, Bombay Sapphire gin, lemon juice gomme syrup and absinthe, topped with soda and a sprinkled olive/salt rim. Perfectly paired with the veal carpaccio, the chestnut flavours of the dish leave a soft taste, so the drink brings a light bitterness that evokes the herbal note in a refreshing way.
The San Pietro is a unique mix of samphire-infused MARTINI Riserva Speciale Ambrato and tomato skin-infused Bombay Sapphire gin, making the notes match perfectly with the seasoned tomato dish.
Those seeking a bitter option can opt for the Pedalare,
which is the MARTINI Riserva Speciale Bitter topped with grape cider, served over ice.
For an even more refreshing summer sip, the Amalfi Spritz‘ is
an invigorating drink made with classic Italian Limoncello and herb soda, complimented with the MARTINI Riserva Speciale Ambrato vermouth.
Diners can also opt for the classic MARTINI Negroni Cocktail
– a harmonious and complex Negroni with a bittersweet blend of MARTINI Riserva Rubino, MARTINI Riserva Speciale Bitter and Bombay Sapphire Gin. The ingredients match perfectly as the botanicals have been chosen by the same herbalist to blend together in a perfect marriage for a more well-rounded taste.
The Piedmont region, where Chef Matteo lives in northern Italy is the birthplace of not only MARTINI but also aperitivo, where the concept first originated and it remains a top destination for food and drink lovers.
The Michelin guide has awarded 39 restaurants in Piedmont, making it one of the most Michelin star populated places on earth.
The rise of the aperitivo trend and the blurring between what we drink pre and during dinner has invigorated the concept, opening up a new wave of vermouth enthusiasts, particularly amongst foodies.
Available between
6pm – 9pm from 6th September – 4th October and priced at £35, the aperitivo menu at LUCA Bar & Restaurant includes four dishes, a MARTINI Negroni
Cocktail and two other cocktails of choice. Bookings can be made for 1-4 guests.
Click here to reserve.