Island Life Magazine Ltd June/July 2009 | Page 104

life

FOOD & DRINK

Authentic Italian
It’s nearly ten years since
husband and wife, Annamaria
Sacchini and Dante Poli and
their friend Roseanna Pancot
decided to relocate to the Isle of
Wight from Bologna and open
Michelangelos restaurant in
Ryde. Formerly teachers in Italy,
it was during a year sabbatical
from their jobs that they came
to the Island and fell in love
with the culture and the milder
weather.
Traditionally cooked Italian
dishes with sauces cooked
slowly and patiently until
they reach perfection form the
backbone of the menu with all
the old favourites such as simple
tomato sauce and Bolognese
and carbonara sauces – “all
cooked exactly as my mother
made them for many years,” said
Annamaria.
Daily specials feature seasonal
foods – local fresh fish from
Captain Stan in Bembridge
featured on the day that Island
Life visited along with fresh Isle
of Wight asparagus cannelloni
and salmon with asparagus and
pesto sauce. Those with special
dietary requirements are easily
accommodated as all dishes are
cooked to order.
“We have people who come
once a month from Portsmouth
to eat our homemade seafood
soup,” said Annamaria of the
dish which contains crabmeat,
muscles, octopus, squid, prawns,

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garlic, white wine and ‘secret
herbs’. “I think we must have
done about 3,000 different
dishes since we opened, all from
Italy with a personal touch.”
Twice a year the restaurant
hosts a wine tasting dinner with
five courses and five wines
from a specific region of Italy.
With a sommelier coming
from Italy and information on
the traditions and history of
the region shared with guests
the evenings have become
something of a cultural event.
The restaurant is in a typical
traditional Italian style with
wrought ironwork, raffia
covered Chianti bottles, copper
pans and olive oil on the tables.
The large picture windows
give an astounding view of the
Solent, pier and mainland. Tel:
01983 811966

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