LaRocca embraces love with an Italian accent in February. Fernanda Langhammer headed there to try some of the Valentine’s dishes and signature recipes.
Think of an Italian escape without boarding a plane – visiting LaRocca Ristorante & Pizzeria Bahrain will give you this exact sensation. This charming eatery in Saar reproduces the feeling of walking on a cobblestone pavement in a lovely village and finding a hidden gem that makes your appetite, say, ‘pasta, per favore!’
With an enchanting setup in the outdoor area with cute round and square tables displayed with red and white tablecloths, it exuded love vibes on the day of our visit. To celebrate the Valentine’s month, the entire place was decorated with stunning red roses, candles and majestic red cloth. Just as in Florence, well-known for its grape windows, LaRocca created a Ring For a Rose red door with a cute bell where instead of a drink, you get a beautiful flower. The motto for the theme is #meetmeatlarocca, which lets you make it a romantic encounter or a Galantine’s moment – friends’ love can also be celebrated in this magic scenario.
The outdoor space is really well used, with a pizzeria corner where you watch the chefs preparing this Italian food staple in an imposing pizza oven. Inside, the vibe changes a bit, and you get a trattoria-like décor and setup. A semi-private table caught my attention and brought to mind a touch of someone’s dining room. In a few words, it has a cosy, unpretentious, homely and enthralling ambience.
Nouf, the lovely owner of this unique eatery, and William and Fe, both in charge of our service, elevated the experience. Nouf explained every little detail and concept and exuded passion for her boutique dining spot that can be felt throughout the place.
It was time to start the dining journey. We sat at a beautifully decorated table and the first bite that came was the homemade foccacia served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread was soft and warm and a sign of the wonderful spread we were to enjoy. The Salad Tartufo Ros’e was the first dish and was composed of spinach, mixed lettuce, wild berries, toasted pine nuts, parmesan and freshly shredded black truffle, to my delight (I love the truffle’s intense and earthy flavours). The dressing was made with truffle and rose drizzle, and it had a sweet acidity that was well-balanced and spot-on. Suppli al Funghi followed, arancini balls filled with mushroom and mozzarella, pesto drops and balsamic glaze, served with pomodoro sauce. It was such a delight to cut it in half and find stretchy, melted cheese and a touch of mushroom encapsulated in a thin wall of fried dough; it was absolutely delicious. Sometimes, these popular starters are very doughy, but at LaRocca, the filling is the star of the show, yum!
Of course, we had to try one of the pizzas (after seeing the special oven, it would’ve been a big miss if we didn’t). We had the Pepperoni Picante, with mozzarella and marinara sauce. According to the information on the menu, the dough is stretched by hand and is slowly proven for 36 hours. Letting the dough rest for this long adds a particular flavour and texture, which makes it perfect. When served straight from the oven, piping hot, it’s even better. The honey drizzle and chilli flakes added a delicious touch. For mains, we had one of the best risottos I have ever had in my life. Risotto is technically a simple recipe, but many places get it wrong. At LaRocca, the Risotto Funghi e Tartufo was cooked to perfection. The super creamy rice had the right texture and the truffle flavour was neither overpowering or barely there; just the right balance. It was everyone’s favourite dish.
We also tried the Beetroot Tortellini, which looked like a rose bathed in white sauce – so beautiful and right on the Valentine’s theme. It had a sweet touch and the dough was super light. The other pasta dish we had was the Amore Picante, which was basically a spaghetti pesto with burrata cheese. However, it was presented in the form of a show, with William placing the spaghetti in a jalapeño parmesan wheel while pouring the hot green sauce on it and mixing everything in there to extract the flavours from the cheese. After plating it, he shaved some jalapeño parmesan on top and decorated it with toasted pine nuts and a big blob of burrata cheese. What I loved most about it was that I like my pasta with a lot of sauce, and this dish had a generous amount. The sauce flavour and smooth texture were mouth-watering.
We moved into the last part of the menu: Dolci (desserts). We had two classic and popular picks: Tiramisu and Crème Brûlée. The first was served in a glass and was very soft with a subtle coffee flavour, while the second was all you expect from this traditional dessert: smooth texture, fresh vanilla seeds and perfectly thin hard sugar crust on top. I am not very fond of sweets, but it was absolutely delicious. And last but not least, we had the Cocoa Cradle, a special dessert crafted for the Valentine’s menu. A chocolate case, heart-shaped, filled with chocolate mousse. It comes with a little hammer to break the heart and a special message inside – I loved its theatricality. The dark chocolate flavour was right up my alley as I don’t really like super sweet desserts.
If you are looking for a unique and enchanting restaurant to celebrate love, LaRocca is preparing unforgettable evenings on February 13 and 14. Not only is the place decorated and makes you feel special but extra touches such as film projection, live entertainment and more will be showcased on those days. Don’t miss the opportunity to embrace love in a romantic setup and eat some of the best Italian dishes you will find on the island.
For more information or to make a reservation,
please call LaRocca Ristorante & Pizzeria Bahrain on 7790 7797.
@laroccabh