Taste makers

Sandì
Milan

Hidden away on a residential street in Porta Venezia, bistro Sandì has swiftly become a neighbourhood favourite. The project is overseen by chef Laura Santosuosso, originally from Modena, and her partner, Denny Mollica (pictured, on left, with Santosuosso), who takes care of front of house and pulls together an unconventional, ever-evolving wine list.

Sandì – a portmanteau of Santosuosso’s surname and Mollica’s nickname – occupies a beautiful 1960s street-level space that was once a bakery. Original design details have been preserved, including a Palladian marble floor with flashes of pink. In-demand design studio Parasite 2.0 is behind the subtle refurbishment work and the striking metal-and-glass wall at the far end that opens like a kiosk.

Santosuosso has worked at some of Milan’s finest restaurants – from Erba Brusca and Remulass to Nebbia – and has also spent time in Paris. “The menu’s departure point is always Italian regional food,” says the chef. “But there are influences from all of our travels too.” Dishes such as roasted cauliflower in a green pepper sauce are bursting with umami flavour. Other standouts include slow-cooked leeks in red wine, blue cheese and dark chocolate, and cabbage stuffed with red prawns and pork shoulder, served with a flavoursome bisque.

The couple, who have a young son, currently only open Sandì for lunch, except on Fridays when the bistro also serves dinner. The aim, says Mollica, is to have “a place that is buzzing during the day” and to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The à la carte options are excellent but the set menu is undoubtedly Milan’s best meal deal: €25 for three inventive and scrumptious courses. “We want to have all of the comfort of dinner but at lunch,” says Santosuosso. We like their way of thinking. 
Via Francesco Hayez, 13

Hotel Rumour
Leiden

Studio Modijefsky – the Amsterdam-based firm behind the handsome Gitane restaurant and bar, as well as the revamp of the Blauwe Theehuis pavilion in the Vondelpark – is at it again. This time it has transformed a 17th-century carriage house in Rembrandt’s home city of Leiden into the cosy Hotel Rumour.

The hotel’s terrace is dotted with tan parasols. There’s a downstairs brasserie clad in brown terracotta tiles and a travertine bar beneath original wooden ceiling beams. You’ll find texture everywhere, from the smooth sage-hued upholstery of the bar seating to the marble tabletops and bobbly beige stuccoed walls that hint at the age of the building. A staircase leads to La Suite Petite, which is available to rent for private bashes. It has space for 12 people and a private dining option. There’s also the Salone Royale (with room for 100) amid the attic’s atmospheric wooden rafters.

Chef Thomas van der Slikke oversees a bistro with a menu of crowd-pleasers, which range from brunch staples to a dinner of sea bass or steak with a great wine list to choose from. It’s easy to stray into hyperbole when painting such a comely portrait of a new opening but let’s just say that the hotel’s success isn’t just a rumour. 
hotelrumour.nl

Melbourne Place
Melbourne

“There’s a sameness about many Australian hotels that we wanted to get away from,” says Patrick Kennedy, co-principal of architecture firm Kennedy Nolan. When the practice was commissioned to design a 16-storey hotel in Melbourne’s CBD, it took inspiration from “family-owned properties in Europe”. Melbourne Place has a brick and tinted-concrete exterior that reflects the spirit of the area’s older buildings. “Melbourne has been keen to preserve 19th- and 20th-century masonry buildings,” says Kennedy. “We engaged with those aspirations closely.” The hotel offers 191 guest rooms and suites. 
melbourneplace.com.au

Halloumi with spiced honey, lemon yoghurt and plums
Ralph Schelling

Swiss chef Ralph Schelling developed this dish while cooking at a villa in the Greek town of Porto Heli last summer. It puts the satisfyingly chewy texture and tangy flavour of halloumi at its centre. Pair this starter with seasonal salads for a sweet and savoury contrast. — L
ralphschelling.com

Serves 4 as a starter

Ingredients:
Olive oil, for frying
2 sprigs rosemary
4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
½ red chilli, lightly crushed
2-3 tbsps honey
Sea salt and black pepper, to season
100g Greek yoghurt
1 lemon (zest and juice)
150g halloumi, drained
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2-3 plums, sliced into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil

Method:
1. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Strip the rosemary leaves and add them to the lightly crushed garlic and chilli. Sauté for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the honey and half a teaspoon each of salt and pepper to the pan, then turn off the heat. Infuse for 15 minutes.

3. Mix the Greek yoghurt with the lemon zest, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a bowl.

4. Cut the halloumi into strips, pat dry and fry in a little olive oil over a medium heat until golden brown (3 to 5 minutes).

5. Quickly sauté the tomatoes and the fruit, then mix with a bit of the spiced honey.

6. Spread the yoghurt mixture evenly on plates or bowls. Arrange the fried halloumi on top, then garnish with the sautéed plums and tomatoes.

7. Drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt to taste. Serve.