The Ingredients of Perfection…
 Walk
silently for you are going to enter a place where the mists swirl
in spiritual abandon and where your footsteps will echo softly on
green mossy paths. Your taste buds are going to lead you to Al Sorriso,
one of the most spectacular restaurants in Piedmont. Whiz eight
kilometers down south from Orta San Giulio to Gozzano and enter
the quaint little village of Sorriso. As your craving for the food
of the gods takes hold of you, sit at the elegantly furnished restaurant
and absorb its natural ambience.
Come and surround yourself with the mystery of Orta with its mysterious
legends and ancient churches. Wander through the town of Orta San
Giulio which is just eight miles long and less than two miles wide
with an incredible lake banking the lovely Isola San Guilio which
is lit up like a fairy chain at night.  Walk
through the green hills and woody forests and work up an appetite
which leads naturally to Al Sorriso. An interesting fact about Al
Sorriso at Via Roma 18 is that Sorriso is spelt with a double ‘r’
which denotes ‘smile’. That’s exactly what you
will do when you are being served with awesome Les fagots de Lapin
served with Truffes d'Alba and Le filet de boeuf du Piémont
with Vin Rouge. The restaurant is seamlessly ranged into two rooms
that can seat forty five people. With a la carte menu and sampling,
the wine cellar at Al Sorriso boasts of a spectrum of wines that
are regional, national and international with vintages and Crus
spanning 800 labels.
 Come
and meet the magicians who serve the fabulous typical Piedmont,
Mediterranean, international and creative cuisines. The Proprietor
and Maitre d’ is Angelo Valazza and Chef Luisa Marelli, his
wife, is the genius behind the sculpted creations. Though Luisa
studied for an Arts degree, she soon found herself creating innovative
dishes in the restaurant working alongside Angelo Valazza, her husband.
With an innate artistic talent, Luisa studied and researched recipes
winning the accolades of the Grand Prix dell'Academie Internationale
de Gastronomie and the Michelin award of three stars for their restaurant.
Luisa’s culinary skills take the taste buds on an adventure
keeping close to local tradition, preparation, products and the
mysterious intuition of the Piedmontese.  You
can feel the land, its lush surroundings and the wild forests in
her delicious dishes with toma cheeses from the Ossola valley, Alpine
cheeses, proscuitto ham and bacon from Val Vigezzo with herbs like
thyme wild sage and spinach and violets used in the preparation
of sherbets.
Come and inhale the aroma of the green hills and enjoy the calm
and peace when you stay at Hotel Al Sorriso. Close to Milan’s
Malpensa Airport, the hotel’s rooms are cosy and comfortable.
Meet a host of gourmets from around the globe as you walk into the
restaurant which is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays only for lunch.
Make new friends with the German, American and Swiss tourists who
form about 60% of the visitors to Al Sorriso.  Share
the passions of Luisa and Angelo Valazza and enjoy their fantastic
dish of shrimp with zucchini flowers with their excellent light
creations of fish, mushroom and breast of pigeon with a sauce of
Port and leeks. Don’t forget to order ‘Petto di piccione
al porto con fonduta di porri’ served with the renowned wines
of the Barolo/Barbaresco region. You will be led into the abode
of Bacchus by Angelo Valazza who is totally in charge of the wines.
With a wine list starring Piedmontese celebrities like Giacosa,
Conterno and Rinaldi, Angelo Valazza suggests unique Piedmontese
wine like the amazing Erbaluce di Caluso, which as quoted by him
is Piedmont’s best. Whipping up the magic of taste, Al Sorriso
rolls out a repertoire of artisan and Piedmontese cheese with tales
of their characters by Angelo Valazza.
So come and let the spell of Al Sorriso bewitch and bedazzle you
with the magic of Piedmontese cuisine…
TAKE THE TASTEFUL ROUTE TO AL SORRISO… |
