Salvador: Italian cooking tradition at Brezza

BORACAY. Quattro formaggi. (Jinggoy I. Salvador)
BORACAY. Quattro formaggi. (Jinggoy I. Salvador)

ANY Boracay visit is special, the island is a paradise no matter the time of year. But staying at a high-end resort with a private beach and a promise to make things happen beyond the ordinary is double the indulgence.

It is true. Mövenpick will go out of its way to turn an experience extraordinary. It’s in the details - comfortable rooms, swift yet warm service, and good food. The last took an interesting twist when we got invited to dine at Brezza, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay’s Italian restaurant. Executive Chef Ameer Al-Ali told the Italian Specialty Chef Francesco Leone to take us on an Italian culinary journey. And that he did.

Perhaps Chef Franceso turned Brezza an extension of an Italian home’s kitchen. The poolside restaurant is open with al fresco dining space that offers a view of the stunning Boracay sunset. The atmosphere is relaxed. “We cater to families that’s why we have large servings,” said the chef.

In clear view is the wood-fired brick oven and the pizza preparation counter. You can sit in front of the chef, watch how the pizzas take form and feast on it seconds after it comes out of the oven.

What makes Brezza’s pizzas special? The chef said he follows the tradition.

“It’s a 72-hour resting pizza dough. We follow the standard of the Neapolitan pizza that’s why the crust is fluffy. When you eat the pizza, you will digest it very well because it has incorporated lots of air in it. Plus, one of the standards of the Neapolitan pizza is that the pizza is cooked in 90 seconds,” shared Francesco.

But it’s not only the famous Quattro Formaggi pizza we partook. In fact, we had to take a break and walk around the resort to digest the food served first to make space for the special pizza.

I’m not saying the rest of the food in the Italian food journey was any less good. Everything was perfect! Every bite was savored to the last, leaving nothing on the plates.

The antipastos of Bruschetta Italiana (homemade bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil, tomatoes, and cheese) and Mango e Prosciutto (sweet mango wrapped in ham) were created with fresh ingredients. Refreshing starters with the latter dish—a contrast of sweet and salty, exciting to the palate.

Creamy but not overpowering, the Risotto ai Porcini was cooked to perfection. The Arborio (Italian short-grain rice) was cooked to supple consistency absorbing the flavor of the broth it was cooked in and the rich woodsy and nutty taste of the porcini mushrooms heightened the flavor of the dish.

Now, the pizza. The Quattro Formaggi (four Italian cheeses on creamy dough baked with crushed black pepper, and drizzled with honey) was truly delicious. The airy, easy-to-bite-on dough proved the chef’s claims on the specialty of the Brezza’s pizzas.

This is one nice journey. Thank you, chefs, and yes, I’m going back for another trip on my next visit to Boracay.

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Email me at jinggoysalvador@yahoo.com

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