The Italian restaurant Il Basilico, located along the Lido promenade in Funchal, is once again hosting the ‘Italy with Soul’ gastronomic festival, taking place from 23 January to 1 February. The initiative forms part of the programme of the PortoBay Group venue and promises to offer guests new culinary experiences, while also giving them the opportunity to vote for their favourite dishes.
For over a week, the restaurant will present a special menu featuring new creations inspired by Italian cuisine, developed by resident Head Chef Cristiano Cutietta in partnership with guest chef Armando Capocci. The menu includes appetisers, salads, pasta dishes, risottos, pizzas and desserts, celebrating traditional flavours with a contemporary approach.
Highlights include a low-temperature egg with porcini mushrooms and Parmesan cream with black truffle, creamy polenta served with octopus ragù scented with fresh thyme, fresh tonnarelli pasta with Pecorino Romano, black pepper and scarlet prawn cream, finished with lime-seasoned prawn tartare, and, for dessert, a pistachio mousse with lemon mascarpone and crunchy pistachios.
Throughout the festival, the drinks menu will also be enhanced with a special selection of cocktails, including Velluto Rosa, Mandarla Ardende and Dolce Far Niente, created to complement the festival dishes.
As in previous editions, the dishes most voted for by guests will be incorporated into the restaurant’s updated à la carte menu.
Guest chef Armando Capocci boasts an international career shaped by experience in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. In Paris, he worked in renowned restaurants, and in Italy he spent around a year and a half as part of the team at Reale, a restaurant awarded three Michelin stars. He currently lives in Lisbon, where he leads the restaurant La Fiorentina, and is also a member of Chefs Sans Frontières, representing the Lisbon region within the AICP – Associazione Italiana Cuochi Professionisti.
The festival runs from 23 January, starting at dinner service, until 1 February, and is available daily for both lunch and dinner. Lunch is served from 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm, and dinner from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm.
Reservations can be made via the restaurant’s official website, by telephone on +351 291 708 708, or by email at ilbasilico@portobay.pt.
