Flavors and aromas at Locanda Radici

Angelo D’Amico, the 40-year-old owner and head chef at Locanda Radici, earned his stripes working under Carlo Cracco, Anthony Genovese and Antonello Colonna and after various working experiences he returned home to open his own restaurant. He is inspired by the traditional dishes of his native area of Sannio, near Benevento, and offers dishes that have been revamped with small modifications.

His restaurant is in Melizzano, on the slopes of the Taburo massif in an extraordinarily natural setting, and his menu is based on the recipes of his grandmother Lucia through which he seeks to bring back forgotten flavors and aromas. The name of his restaurant, Radici (Roots), was not chosen by chance and represents a desire to express the area’s local cuisine.

The décor of the restaurant also reflects this with a giant tree root hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant seats 50, with tables set up in the nicely furnished veranda that circles the main room. Sitting at one of these tables you become enraptured by the chromatic impact of the natural green color that rises up the massif.

Along with a vast a la carte menu, the chef offers two start-to-finish menus: Degustazione (tasting) Radici, which includes a starter, a first course, a second course and a dessert, for 39 euros; and Degustazione al buio (blind tasting), which has six servings and costs 55 euros. A tasty starter is the Pancetta di maialino caramellata alla melata del Taburno, zenzero e conserva di pomodoro (sucking pig bacon with caramelized Taburno honeydew melon, ginger and tomato preserves).

Among the first courses I suggest the classic and traditional Candele spezzate con ragù di Nonna Lucia (broken candele pasta with grandmother Lucia’s ragu sauce), which are tasty and rewarding. Or else Mezzo paccheri alla Genovese di baccalà e Carciofi allo spiedino (half-sized paccheri macaroni pasta with a cod Genovese onion sauce and artichokes on a skewer), an extremely balanced and delicate dish, a true delight.

For second course try the Agnello laticauda in casseruola con carciofi, mentuccia and salsa al mosto cotto (Laticuada lamb baked in a casserole dish with artichokes, wild mint and mosto cotto sauce) or the tender and tasty Vitellone bianco IGP allo spiedo con schiacciata di patate al limone e pesto di rucola (IGP tender white beef on a skewer with mashed lemon potatoes and arugula pesto).

There is also a vegetarian menu that has an excellent Crema d zucca, mandorle and cime di rapa (pumpkin squash potage with almonds and turnip tops) and an exquisite Carciofo arrosto menta con fonduta di provola (roast artichoke with melted provola cheese.

The list of desserts is named ‘Peccati di gola’ (mouth sins) and is very temping. The Cioccolato in diverse consistenze, caramello salato and arancio (chocolate pudding with different consistencies, salted caramel and orange) is very good as is the La ricotta e la mela annurca, ricordando Raymond Blanc (ricotta cheese with annurca apple, in memory of Raymond Blanc). A voyage of memories and flavors.

The wine list is essential and well-structured with an ample selection of Sannio wines and those of the Campania region.

The quality/price ration is excellent and an average meal costs around 40 euros