The beloved restaurant in Calpe, Alicante, has reopened with a new look and a fresh menu. With an open gas oven, Rusticana is the only restaurant in town with this feature, and it makes ‘Rusticana’ a place where locals and tourists alike can be transported to Italy for a little while.The oven creates a distinct atmosphere where the pizzas al forno napoletano take the lead and the artisan pastas shine as well. With the oven’s dome, which reaches 400 degrees, the pizzas are able to cook in only two minutes. But the oven is not the only highlight; there are several visible areas where clients can observe the team as they create their pizzas at the dough-making area, the fermentation area, and the stovetops. Owners Gonzalo Mariconde, Marisa De Cesaris, Christian Idda and Yamila De Cesaris want to show that Rusticana is not only a summer establishment, but also a place to enjoy genuine Italian fare all year round.
On a warm summer evening in Calpe, a couple of the ‘24/7 Valencia’ team really enjoyed dinner at ‘La Rusticana’ on their ample terrace. We savoured a really tasty and ample ‘Genovese’ pizza (Tomato, Mozzarella, Straciatella and Pesto) along with a succulent Goat’s cheese salad (Goat’s cheese with mixed green shoots, caramelized onion, dried fruits and red berry sauce) . The ‘Añoranza Tinto’ (red wine) had personality and was the perfect accompaniment for the dishes we shared. To cap it off, we relished a delicious homemade ‘Tiramisu’ that was elegantly presented and beautifully prepared too. All in all, it was a really enjoyable evening of wining and dining with caring service and with an attractive interior too. If you are in Calpe, this restaurant is open from 6pm every evening.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH OWNER GONZALO MARICONDE OF ‘RUSTICANA RISTORANTE’
24/7 VALENCIA: What is the concept of ‘Rusticana Ristorante’?
Gonzalo: Our concept is that our customers are transported to a traditional Italian trattoria but set in 2025, where there is respect for traditional recipes and the quality of our products is ensured too.
Can you tell us how you make your pizzas? We use natural flour, fermented for 48 hours, to make our pizzas. This process ensures quality and is a key part of the process of making authentic and tasty pizzas for our public.
What pastas do you recommend? Our pastas are fresh and cooked in the moment. They are not pre-cooked. We would recommend the ‘Tagliatelle’ with pesto and also ‘Raviolones’ with oxtail sauce.
Can you tell us about your connection to Italy and Italian cuisine? Our relation to Italy is from birth. Being from Argentina, pizza and pasta and ice cream are like a religion for us. I myself am ‘Italian Argentine’ with Italian citizenship. I also worked in a number of restaurants in Northern Italy.
Could you tell us about your typical clientele… We have an international clientele including Belgians, Dutch, Germans, British and more…
Can you explain about the recent renovations in the restaurant? ‘La Rusticana’ was established in 2005. We ourselves took over the restaurant in March of this year. We have kept the name but we have refreshed the image and updated the menu… respecting tradition but with some modern touches. This is a friendly restaurant and welcome to all. You can enjoy dining here and feel like you are in Italy!
Report and interview by ‘24/7 Valencia’ team
Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’
RUSTICANA RISTORANTE
03710
Calpe, Alicante
Tel: 965 87 45 20
Open every day from 18.00h – 23-20h
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