In the Trieste neighborhood Anna arrives at 20, the Bolognese tradition meets Rome and Japan – Virtù Quotidiane

ROME – “Where Rome meets Bologna” is the claim chosen by Anna at 20, an address opened last May 7 in the Trieste district, in via Brescia (corner of Via Cesare Bosi), to immediately tell the focus of the restaurant.

Here the Bolognese tradition is the great protagonist, but at the same time it welcomes Roman and also Japanese influences. A Bolognese 2.0, this is how the partners define him: the entrepreneurial couple Annalisa Polo And Roberto Tomasini (with already several establishments under its belt, such as Casa Carmen and Fatto in Casa By La Danesina) and the chef Mattia D’Ambrosio28 years old, born and raised in Bologna before starting to travel around Europe training in high-level kitchens.

For three years by the three-starred Diverxo of David Muñoz, in Madrid, where he was junior sous chef, and then among the creators of the Cantera project, which boasts several restaurants in Italy and Europe. A background that allowed him to develop a strong creativity, continually proposing new ideas which then formed Anna’s first menu at 20.

Anna at 20 – we read in a note – is a small and intimate place, with just 32 internal seats, plus around 20 external ones (which in the next few months will become 40, with the arrival of a new platform). The name chosen? “It’s short, it sticks in your mind, it’s reassuring, it reminds you of home – explain the partners -. It is present in almost all Italian families and around the world.” And, by chance, it’s the name of the chef’s mother.

Once inside you are greeted by a simple and elegant environment, with some retro touches, where the color green is the great protagonist, particularly in the wallpaper: a unique pattern, with foliage, which is the real added value of the place. Added to this are vintage paintings and chandeliers, plants, cute LED writings (also green) and a beautiful bottle rack which houses a wide range of gins.

“My origins are the basis of my cuisine – says executive chef D’Ambrosio -, I love the traditional flavors of Bologna but also the new and modern techniques that allow me to create fusion dishes: from sous vide cooking directly with oil, therefore a sort of fried in reverse, that is, without immersing the product”.

The lunch proposal is more streamlined, written on a blackboard (but there is always the possibility of ordering from paper): we find the sliced ​​chicken, tender and juicy, served with vegetables, or the club sandwich with avocado, and more first courses with fresh tomatoes and salads. For dinner the menu becomes more structured and fully illustrates the format of Anna al 20, Bolognese cuisine 2.0. On the one hand, there is no shortage of great classics, such as lasagna, tagliatelle with meat sauce, schnitzel, Emilian gnocco, presented exactly as we know them. On the other hand, the chef’s creativity and experiments are given vent to, while maintaining tradition in flavours. The appetizers are a beautiful journey from Bologna to the East and bring to the table two of the most representative dishes of the restaurant: the Tokyo-Bologna gyoza, filled with ragù and 30 month old Parmesan cream, and the Anna al 20 month old dumplings, filled with ricotta and mortadella, sage and beurre blanc. “Typically Asian dishes, with an Asian pastry, but the filling is Bolognese and Italian, using national products. I tried to mix two different cultures which for me blend together perfectly.”

Among the second courses to try are the duck breast, reduction of Modena PGI balsamic vinegar and raspberries with mashed potatoes and the tataki-style sirloin, wild mixed salad, sesame and 30 month Parmesan sauce.

We travel on the classic for desserts, but always with some personal touch. We find the fried gnocco with Nutella and siphon-whipped mascarpone cream, chocolate brownie and berry cheesecake.

A good part of the raw materials comes from Emilia Romagna, such as the meat for the tartare which comes from the famous Zivieri salami factory in the province of Bologna. For pasta, however, there is a pasta factory that makes it specifically according to the chef’s recipe. But there are also many local products, in particular bread, fruit and vegetables that come from the nearby market in Piazza Alessandria. “The menu will change often, about every month – continues the chef -. We use few products and follow seasonality, but I always like to do new things.”

The wine list was curated by the sommelier Letizia Di Bella (which also took care of the selection of the oil), researching small regional and national companies, for a total of around 50 labels, linked by respect for the environment and all with specific identity traits. The same goes for the gin offering, which at the moment has 14 references but will soon reach 20: although there is no shortage of big brands, such as Roku, here you can find interesting names that are still little-known, including the Roman Distilleria Flaminia, and unpublished garnishes. For the drink list it was therefore decided to focus entirely on gin-based cocktails, designed and created by Laura Cervone And Alan Ragniserved as an aperitif or after dinner but can also be paired with dishes on the menu.