Waters Edge presents authentic Italian menu

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food,” said Bernard Shaw celebrating a beautifully prepared wholesome and delicious cuisine. Italian Maestro Chef Simone Gobbo and Food and Wine Expert Leonardo Ricci of Waters Edge present a new authentic Italian menu to provide all food lovers with true seasonal ingredients and a reason to rediscover the love for Italian cuisine.

The novel menu at Pranzo consists of an array of main and side dishes prepared to suite a plethora of palates and personalities, from the far North to the Deep South of Italian borders, hinted with history and influential cultures, to bring authentic Italian flavours in every bite. Italian cuisine is renowned for its variation which originates from an array of regions and history to the best of seasonal ingredients and produce. Waters Edge invites all epicureans to take advantage of this unique culinary journey steeped in history with a few contemporary interpretations made by Chef Simone Gobbo, in an idyllic venue with an addition of alfresco dining.

The menu entails an exquisite range of dishes, namely: Tuna Carpaccio with fennel and citrus salad, originating from the breathtaking island – Sicily. It is a renowned dish in the Sicilian gastronomy. The thinly sliced fresh tuna with fennel and citrus salad depicts traces of flavours from Arab influences; with a burst of citrus making it a refreshing appetiser. Crab cakes with avacado picante, is considered as a dish of Italian high cuisine with influencing western ingredients. This dish is a true delight of the ocean held together with a creamy avocado salsa; the colourful appetiser could also be called a gift from the sea. 

Further, introducing a grilled tuna salad with black olives, sundried and fresh tomatoes with soft boiled eggs can be described as a delightful appetiser of Southern Italian cuisine. The chicken salad with saffron mayonnaise, green apple and toasted almond stems from Central Italy – Umbria; where the remainder of chicken broth and saffron generates exquisite flavours of the cold dish, this emphasises the freshness of the fruit making it ideal as a rescue from the island heat.

 ‘Zuppa di zuccaviolina, ginger, pepperoncino e gambero’ (pumpkin, ginger and chili soup with fried prawn and chili oil), is a dish created in an era of true art, culture and culinary finesse in the region of Padana Valley by a family renowned as ‘Estensi’. The precise and appropriate use of spices in the dish helps elaborate the power and authenticity of the ingredients. This is one of the many dishes brought in by Chef Simone of this nature and apprises to us that there will be more to come in the future of Pranzo.

 Considered as one of the most significant dishes in the group of favourites in Italian cuisine – ‘Gnocchi gratinatiai 4 formaggi’ is created with a great variety of cheeses from the mountain areas of Padana Valley which is both tasty and nutritious due to the variation of climate in the region. ‘Penne allaputtanesca’ (penne pasta with olives, tomato, chili and anchovy sauce) is a light and spicy pasta devised from the joyful city of Rome. Chef Simone has introduced the ‘Penne alla Levantina’ (spicy seafood pasta) in order to suit the palates of Sri Lankans where the creamy pasta is marinated with curried seafood, thereby considering it to be a ‘Sritalian’ dish.

 For meat lovers, the new menu of Pranzo introduces two new dishes: ‘Pollo all diavola’ (baked chicken with tomato, olives and chilli) and ‘Grigliatamista di maiale’ (grilled pork selection) which were instigated in two dissimilar areas of Italy, bringing out the extremely diverse flavours to enhance the richness and simplicity of the dishes.

 From Pannacotta to Tiramisu; you can taste the love in Italian dessert, with this in mind Chef Simone has introduced two novel desserts originating from the Italian region of Piedmont. ‘Meringata all noccciola con composta di fragole’ (Hazelnut meringue cake with marinated basil strawberry compote), the light and crunchiness of the meringue together with creamy nougat and the contrast of strawberry compote form an absolute haven for any sweet tooth. Once again, keeping the Sri Lankan palate in mind – ‘Crostata di meleall’ anicestellato con pannacotta al mango’ (Starnice poached apple crumble, with mango panacotta) is a shortbread apple cake enriched with starnice, the creaminess of panacotta elevates the true quality of Sri Lankan mangos.

 In order to provide customers with a unique dining experience, culinary experts Leonardo Ricci and Chef Simone Gobbo with their rich Italian background and experience, will be creating dishes featuring a variety of seasonal and regional Italian cuisine. The menus varying from dishes stemming from Northern, Southern and Central Italy will express authentic Italian cuisine and keep customers palate whet and wanting more.

 The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 .p.m.; reservations can be made with Sanjeewa on 077 4827168 for your convenience. The breathtaking view together with the new and improved menu is definitely a worthwhile visit with all your loved ones.