Sotto L'arco - BOLOGNA

We were greeted with very profess service, though maybe a touch too theatrical. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful, but the location itself is very random, at a roundabout in the outskirts of Bologna. As a starter I had the scallops which were exceptionally good, and my partner had the spaghetti al passion fruit and oysters… He couldn’t take more than a couple bites. It was rather unpleasant. Even though we appreciate experimental cooking, we think maybe this was a bit too far. Then I had the pigeon, which was very tasty, though I might have appreciated a bit more vegetables. My partner had the maiale, also very well cooked, but lacking in vegetables. The desserts were fantastic. I took “The White”. White chocolate, ricotta salata, meringue, and lemon foam. It’s the perfect dessert in my opinion. I highly recommend it.

If 5/5 is excellent and 4/5 very good, we’ve rated this at a 3. It’s an odd location, next to a main road, with tower blocks nearby. Decoration is sparse, minimalist, leaving a slightly cold impression. Service is fine, although with the complicated, multi-item amuse-bouche one of the waiters started clearing some items away before others had been finished. The food itself was good, but not really worth the prices: €28 for a starter and €40 for a main. My deer tartare was good. My partner didn’t really enjoy the black pasta dish, although her veal main course was very good. I had the octopus and fish tempura for my main. The batter was too thick. The Haderburg sparkling rosé was excellent. Overall we were disappointed having read about other diners’ experiences. We were offered the tasting menu as a first option so maybe the kitchen is more geared up for those?

My wife and I dined at Sotto l’Arco last night. What an incredible experience! We chose the four course tasting menu. The combination of flavors was ethereal. Nicolo was our sever and sommelier. His timely recommendations and sense of humor were exquisite. We dined on foie gras, smoked pasta pigeon and a chocolate dessert. I could not describe all the different ingredients but the flavors were amazing. Also, Nicola recommended an Italian Pinot Noir that complimented the food perfectly. He is a fantastic server. This review can’t even begin to do justice for such an incredible experience. Sotto l’Arco is a must when visiting Bologna!

Ho cenato in questo ristorante per il compleanno del mio partner. Volevo esprimere tutto il mio apprezzamento per la serata, sono riusciti a rendere tutto unico e indimenticabile. Congratulazioni a tutto il personale per competenza e professionalità. Tutto, dalla posizione all'atmosfera, dal servizio alla cucina era impeccabile. Se si desidera trascorrere un paio di sera o tra amici in un ambiente raffinato che punta sulla sostanza e la qualità questo ristorante è assolutamente fino alla situazione. Grazie ancora per tutto.

L'esperienza e l'abilità del grande maitre Giuseppe sportelli, il genio e l'entusiasmo di un giovane chef con grandi numeri, una location di grande impatto. Non manca nulla per premiare tutti con la star del michelin. Congratulazioni.