Pantaleo

Posted by Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 11/07/2017

Pantaleo - Food, Wine, Mixology in Rome, Italy

Come in and sit down. A glass of wine, sparkling maybe, carefully selected by Sommelier Sergio Frasca or perhaps an original Martini cocktail, made specially for you by Mixologist Paolo Sanna to mark the beginning of your stay at Pantaleo. When you're ready to eat, let the chef impress you with his Mediterranean-inspired innovative dishes. But first, let me introduce you to Pantaleo.

Being in Piazza di San Pantaleo (Saint Pantaleon Square) and just a few steps from the Chiesa di San Pantaleo (Church of Saint Pantaleon), Pantaleo took on the saint's name and used Saint Pantaleon as its icon as well. So what greets you upon entry to Pantaleo is a Leonardo Spina's mural of Saint Pantaleon, the celebrated Christian physician who performed miracles in his lifetime until his death during the Diocletianic Persecution in 305 A.D. In the mural of Leonardo, he depicted Saint Pantaleon in the act of administering medicine with a spoon while holding a glass of cocktail and a lion waiting to taste the result of his mixture. Instead of using Saint Pantaleon's face, Leonardo replaced it with that of Count Camillo Negroni, the inventor of the famous Negroni cocktail.

Picture from Pantaleo

Pantaleo is centrally located in Rome right in the Piazza di San Pantaleo, flanked by Museo di Palazzo Braschi and Chiesa di San Palateo. It is within walking distance between Campo de' Fiori and Piazza Navona which makes it a good stop if you are sightseeing in between the squares as it is open daily from late in the morning until late at night (11:30 AM to 1:00 AM / 2:00 AM on weekend nights). The restaurant is built on three levels. The ground floor has the mixology bar, an open kitchen, a social table in the middle and more seats on the side, while the lower ground, which is dedicated to special events, has another round social table and more seats. The mezzanine is like a large sitting room with comfortable armchairs. Indeed, Pantaleo was conceptualized on the idea of socialization among friends who love good food and drinks.

Both pictures on the left side from Pantaleo

The Pantaleo team is composed of business partners with diverse expertise. Sergio Frasca, who used to be the sommelier of Michelin star Imago Restaurant functions as the director. Paolo Sanna occupies himself in managing the bar and concocting cocktails while Giovanni and Domenico Iozzo complete the Pantaleo team.

Food, wine and mixology are the three strong suits of Pantaleo. The menu is about Mediterranean-inspired dishes using ingredients from local producers of the Lazio region, every single one of which is well-chosen for its excellence in quality. The menu has an exciting selection of dishes of fish, meat and vegetables. There's a line of appetizers like oysters, fish or meat tartare, ceviche, and tuna tataki. To taste the specialty of the territory, there are also platters of cold cuts and cheese. And for warmer and much filling dishes, pulled pork sandwiches and pork barbecue ribs are great options.

Picture from Pantaleo

Some seafood proposals in the menu are Red and Black Ceviche, lightly spicy, with tomato mayonnaise and goji berries, and Scampi Tartare with Figs. For the meat, there is Pulled Pork, pork shoulder cooked at low temperature, frayed and served with Mediterranean barbecue sauce. The Rocher di Manzo (beef with coated with Shiitake mushrooms, accompanied with Blu Shropshire cheese and reduction of beer) promises to be an incredible dish.

Both pictures from Pantaleo

The mixology bar is Paolo Sanna's reign where he concocts cocktails that he conceptualized especially for Pantaleo to give an unexpected journey of discovering tastes and aromas in the drinks that he creates. He gives special attention to distillates of rum, vodka, gin, and cachaca (and much more) with which he begins his creations. He also created a line that's dedicated entirely to Martini, a cocktail that's loved all over the world.

If you are a martini lover, it's imperative to try the Dirty Pantaleo, a dry martini "dirtied" with the flavors of Sicily, with capers and caper berries. There's also the Spray, in which the vermouth is aromatized with oregano of Etna and chili, or for a more oriental flavor, Japan can be a good alternative. It's a drink dedicated to the country wherein the vermouth is replaced with sake then aromatized with wasabi and given a couple of drops of soy sauce. If you feel like going on an adventure with your drinks, create your own concoction at the moment by indicating what distillates and aromas you would like to put together. The point is to have fun and love what's in your glass!

The wine list. For the winelovers, you've come to the right place as Sergio Frasca made a wine list fit for the newbies and the experts. The wines he put together is a journey through terroirs, grapes and wine making methods that will impress every type of nose and palate. It's an exhilarating voyage through Pantaleo's emotions, personal stories and tastes with the aim to conquer their guests with the aromas and flavors.

Both pictures from Pantaleo

So as you sip that glass of wine or cocktail, get to know the place that embraces you with its hospitality and genuine food and drinks. It's a place to go to when you are desiring to pamper yourself with the good things that life can offer you. Sit down, let your hair down, relax and let the Pantaleo team present to you what a Pantaleo hospitality is.