VRASA, FIRE AND EMBELLISH IN SORRENTO
Live fire and primordial cuisine in the center of Sorrento: all this is Vrasa.
HISTORY
Vrasa was born in the summer of 2022 from the union of a group of professionals in the food and wine sector, many of which come from Sorrento clubs such as Soul&Fish Restaurant e Cornelia Cocktail Bar.
The name is inspired by both the vrasera, the ancient brazier of the Neapolitan houses, both braised, the embers of the Spanish asadores.
The intent is therefore clear: here the absolute protagonist is fire.
The cooking of the dishes is on a high flame, the oldest method experienced by man for cooking food.
The wood used to fuel the fire is beech, which guarantees high temperatures and good durability.
THE LOCAL
Among the narrow streets of the historic center of Sorrento, a double flight Renaissance staircase leads unexpectedly to an ultra-modern structure, bordered by glass.
The internal hall has 35 covered. A professional wood-fired grill, of Spanish manufacture, dominates the totally open kitchen.
The mise en place is extremely accurate, without tablecloth, with contemporary crockery with essential elegance.
All’esterno, a vegetable garden, a citrus grove and a garden with others 40 covered to be exploited in good weather, plus a cocktail bar from 20 places.
The welcome is by the sommelier Francesco Gargiulo, while the embers are entrusted to the hands of chef Andrea Guarracino.
THE PROPOSAL
In menu, big, ground and vegetable proteins.
All dishes, pasta and desserts included, are linked by the notes of smoking.
It ranges from local fish to selected meats, incorporating fresh products from the garden at zero centimetres.
The Orto e Brace tasting menu costs € 64 Euro.
The wine list is extensive, particularly attentive to Campania references, but it also includes labels from other regions and some international gems.
Options by the glass and a Wine Pairing course are possible.
For those who prefer cereal drinks to those made from grapes, the local flavors of the Sorrento Brewery.
THE TASTING
On the occasion of the presentation of the place to the communication operators by the Press Office Manager Laura Gambacorta we were able to taste the Orto e Brace tasting menu, a “sharing menu in 4 acts” as they define it here.
Different preparations are available for vegetarians, as well as some variants of paper dishes.
The first act is a set of courses to share.
AMBERJACK: sea urchin sashimi, sautéed amberjack heart and liver and courgette flower.
EGG: fondant egg with spinach paneer and paprika oil.
OYSTER: flambadou oysters extra virgin olive oil with lard and kiwi.
ESCAROLE: grilled endive with a blend of dried fruit, pomodorini confit, Parmigiano Reggiano 36 mesi, desalted anchovies.
TARTARE: Beef tartare with radish water, radish jam, radish slices.
CABBAGE: grilled cabbage, with cream of cabbage, cabbage bottom.
The second Act is that of the dishes based on cereals.
CARROT: raw smoked rice with burnt carrot cream, miso, creamed with sour butter
FLAGpole: flagpole with burnt tomato, sake shrimp bisque, shrimp raw.
For those who follow a vegetarian diet, an excellent alternative is Linguina with black garlic.
The third act sees the sea as the protagonist.
SALTED COD: baccalà arrostito, grilled fennel cream, oil flavored with herbs from the garden.
As a replacement for marine protein, one of the most interesting dishes of the house, with a strong umami taste: Grilled aubergine (marinade with soy sauce and rice vinegar), stracciatella di bufala, songino.
It ends with the fourth act, quello dei dolci.
APRICOT: grilled apricot, chantilly and hazelnut crumble.
GRACE: almond chiffon, smoked almond cream.
Ancora, tartlets with cream and apricots. The surface of the tartlet is worked with a piece of incandescent bamboo.
Vrasa is an address that clearly differs from the tourist offers of the Sorrento coast.
Take note of it.
Vrasa Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
Via Santa Maria della Pietà, 30 – Sorrento, Naples
such. 340 4273961
www.vrasa.it
Open Wednesday to Monday at dinner.
Tuesday closed.
Saturday and Sunday open for lunch and dinner.