Southern Piedmont is famous for its Barolo and Barbaresco wines – and for the legendary three-star Piazza Duomo restaurant in Alba.
It's ten o'clock in the morning on the southern outskirts of Alba, where the city merges into the countryside. On one side you can just glimpse the distant office buildings and shopping centres, on the other side, begin the hills of the Barolo region. In between is Enrico Crippa's garden. Four hundred square metres of greenhouses in which a multitude of both well- and lesser-known herbs are grown, plus another 3,000sqm of outdoor garden with more than 400 different types of vegetables. All produce is cultivated along organic and biodynamic guidelines. Most of the vegetables and herbs grown here are destined for two restaurants in the centre of Alba: Trattoria La Piola and the gourmet temple Piazza Duomo, where Enrico Crippa has been at the helm since its opening in 2005.
In the relatively small main square of Alba, it is the mighty cathedral made of red brick that captivates most visitors to the idyllic town of 30,000 inhabitants. But gourmets are drawn elsewhere. To Trattoria La Piola on the ground floor of a pretty, pink-coloured town house. Classic Langhe dishes are on the menu: Vitello Tonnato, Carne Cruda, Tajarin al Ragù and risotto. The cuisine is deeply rooted in the Langhe inn tradition, but at the same time is lighter and more refined – the work and influence of Enrico Crippa. But his real workplace is on the first floor, at Piazza Duomo. It is there that Crippa earnt his reputation for being one of Italy's best chefs.
Enrico Crippa learned his trade with Gualtiero Marchesi in Milan, then worked in France and with Ferran Adrià before moving to Kobe in Japan in 1996 to run Ristorante Gualtiero Marchesi. In 2003, he met Bruno Ceretto. He and his brother Marcello are the doyens of Ceretto winery, one of the most renowned houses in Langhe which produces great single-vineyard wines from Barolo and Barbaresco. Bruno Ceretto is also a self-confessed gourmet and art lover. His vision was to turn Alba, which was quite sleepy at the time, into a meeting place for gourmets from all over the world. Today, 20 years later, it has to be said that he has accomplished his mission! Coincidentally, the Ceretto brothers also own the town house not far from the cathedral that was adapted for the new gastronomic adventure. Its historic façade was preserved, the interior was redesigned by star New York architects Steven Shaller and Bill Katz. In 2005, Piazza Duomo opened, its first Michelin star came in 2006, the second in 2009 and the third in 2012.
The entrance to Piazza Duomo is slightly hidden down a narrow side street. Only a brass sign and a rich purple entrance door indicate the gourmet temple inside – a noble understatement. This is continues through to the upper floor. The first room is entirely pink – Bruno Ceretto would probably say "most-coloured" – and the second is in muted sandy tones. The reception and service are also calm and clear, perhaps even a little reserved by Italian standards. But we are in Piedmont, not elsewhere in Italy.
Jacopo Dosio has recently been appointed head sommelier and master of many thousands of wine bottles. Davide Franco is responsible for ensuring that the service purrs along as precisely as a Swiss clock. Service and ambience provide the ideal setting for Enrico Crippa's cuisine. The food, too, is restrained and discreet, but very precise and without big bang effects – Crippa doesn't need anything like that. What is important to him, instead, is a chromatic-like coordination of the dishes, and the eye always gets its money's worth. Crippa's cuisine convinces with high-quality ingredients, mostly from the region – it goes without saying that truffles are an integral part of his creations in autumn – with masterly craftsmanship and finely tuned flavours. And the maestro loves vegetables and fresh herbs. "Vegetables and herbs are a central element of my cuisine. Depending on seasonal availability, the nuances of my dishes also change constantly. Herbs and flowers always conjure up a splash of colour on the plates. Without my garden, I wouldn't be able to do it in this form."
Alba by Enrico Crippa opened in Qatar's capital Doha in time for this month's World Cup. The restaurant, which is housed in the Raffles Hotel in the Katara Towers, serves ´ Piedmontese dishes from Piazza Duomo, as well as classics from other Italian regions, with Crippa's interpretation, of course. And there will also be a focus on vegetables and herbs. Even if the Squadra Azzurra, the national football team of four-time world champions Italy, doesn't make it to the World Cup finals this year, Italy will be well represented in the Persian Gulf.
Small town, big kitchen
Piazza Duomo
Piazza Risorgimento, 4, 12051 Alba
T: +39 173 366167; piazzaduomoalba.it
Enrico Crippa offers cuisine of the highest standard, creative yet influenced by the landscape of Langhe. You can choose from several tasting menus. There are also several levels of wine accompaniment, from 'Wine Season' (€190) to 'Oltre' (€640).
Trattoria La Piola
On the ground floor of the same building, Trattoria La Piola serves typical Langhe dishes. The menu changes almost daily.
