DENGON NET

 メルボルン居住者にも、一時的な滞在者にも人気のSt Kildaで、イタリアンといえばここ『Sapore』は外せない。メニューは季節ごとに変わるが、今回は定番料理を中心に、オーシャンビューを楽しみながらいただいた。

潮風に乗って登場したのは、新鮮素材が信条のBeef carpaccio with a caper and cornichon dressing, Parmesan and garlic croutons。生特有の匂いがなく、クセもない牛肉に、ケッパーとカリカリのガーリック、タルタルソースのライト版のようなソースを絡めて食べれば、口の中ですべてが溶け合い、嗚呼幸せ。

Beef carpaccio with a caper and cornichon dressing, Parmesan and garlic croutons  $20 

幸せモードが覚めやらぬうちに運ばれてきたのは、“Mozzarella di Bufala” salad with tomatoes, basil and aged balsamic vinegar。もっちりしてミルキーなイタリア産のモッツァレッラチーズに、濃厚な味の色違いトマト、ブルーベリーに見えるバルサビネガーのジェリー、さりげなく散りばめられたバジルが、降り注ぐ日差しを浴びてジュエリーのように美しい。一見シンプルな料理だが、素材の個性を知り尽くしているからこそできる絶妙なバランス。

“Mozzarella di Bufala” salad with tomatoes, basil and aged balsamic vinegar  $24

友人が大絶賛をしていたので、密かに期待していたSeafood linguine with calamari, fish, mussels, prawns, chilli & parsley。こういった場合、期待の方が大き過ぎてガッカリすることが多いのだが、期待を裏切らないおいしさに感激。パーフェクトな茹で加減のパスタに、シーフードからでる旨みたっぷりのソースをしっかり絡めて召し上がれ。しばし、仕事を忘れて皿に向ってしまった。

Seafood linguine with calamari, fish, mussels, prawns, chilli & parsley  $29.5

そしてメインの“14 hour Greenvale Farm rare breed pork belly” with shaved fennel, granny smith apple sauce and pork rillettes。スーパークリスピーと呼びたくなるパリパリの皮に、しっかり味がしみ込んだトロトロの肉。こんな真逆の食感を、1つの素材にどう作り出すんだろう?  聞けば「まず24時間塩に漬けて、それから12時間お湯にひたし、更に…」と気の遠くなるような工程だった。添えられたりんごソースと一緒に食べれば、ほんのりとした甘さと酸味、そして塩気が一体となって、なんとも複雑で奥深い味わい。ちょっとクセのある爽やかなフェンネルのサラダは、このしっかり味の料理にピッタリの付け添えだ。

“14 hour Greenvale Farm rare breed pork belly” with shaved fennel, granny smith apple sauce and pork rillettes  $37

単品だけでも十分おいしい厳選された素材を、それぞれの個性を生かしつつ、うまく組み合わせることによって一歩上の味に昇格させる。まさに『組み合わせの妙』によって生み出された料理。ごちそうさまでした。 

In St Kilda, popular with residents and visitors alike, you can’t miss Sapore if you’re after Italian. The menu changes every season, but this visit I concentrate on some of their most popular dishes while enjoying the ocean view.

　In with the sea breeze comes the ‘Beef carpaccio with a caper and cornichon dressing, parmesan and garlic croutons’, made exclusively with fresh ingredients. The beef has no raw or peculiar odour, and eaten with capers, crispy garlic and a light tartare sauce it melts in the mouth. Ah, joy.

　While still in this blissful state, the ‘Mozzarella di Buffala’ salad with tomatoes, basil and aged balsamic vinegar arrives. The chewy, milky Italian-made mozzarella cheese, topped with richly-flavoured tomatoes of different colours, balsamic vinegar jelly that looks like blueberry jam, and casually scattered basil is beautiful like jewellery shining in the sun. It’s a seemingly simple dish, but someone with a true understanding of each individual ingredient creates its superb balance. 

　Next we tried the ‘Seafood linguine with calamari, fish, mussels, prawns, chilli & parsley’, which I had been secretly looking forward to as it got a rave review from a friend. At times like these one is often disappointed because one’s expectations are too high, but in this case it was just as delicious as I had hoped. Perfectly cooked pasta covered in a flavoursome seafood sauce. For a moment, I forgot I was working and became absorbed with my plate.

　Then came the main, the ‘14 hour Greenvale Farm rare breed pork belly’ with shaved fennel, granny smith apple sauce and pork rillettes. The skin is super crispy, and the meat soft and full of flavour. How do they get such contrasting textures from the one ingredient? When I ask, the answer reveals an astounding amount of work: ‘First the pork is pickled in salt for 24 hours, then soaked in boiling water for 12 hours, and then...’ Eaten with the applesauce, a faint sourness and sweetness marries with the saltiness to create a flavour with complexity and depth. The refreshing and slightly quirky fennel salad goes perfectly with this deeply flavoured dish.

　At Sapore, carefully-selected ingredients that are tasty to begin with have their flavours brought to life and are cleverly combined to make them even more delicious. This is truly cuisine born from ‘the wonder of combinations’. Thanks for the meal.

Sapore

3-5 Fitzroy St. St Kilda

03-9534-9666

7 days  Lunch: 12-3pm

             Dinner:  6-10pm