Insanely delicious: the white truffle menu at Italian restaurant TOZI (go!)
The Italian restaurant TOZI is celebrating its second anniversary in Amsterdam with a special truffle menu. And if I may give you one tip: go and try it! You’ll go crazy with excitement, believe me.
TOZI is a lovely place in Amsterdam-Zuid where you can imagine yourself in Italy for a while. A Fiat 500 in the front garden, a Vespa by the entrance, Italian lessons playing through the speakers in the toilets (fun!) and: really excellent Italian food and drinks. TOZI has been a hit in London for years, and for the past two years people with a pounding heart for Italian food have also loved taking a seat at TOZI in Amsterdam.
The name TOZI means ‘a group of friends’ in the Venetian dialect, but, as the friendly Italian staff tells us, it also refers to something they’re very fond of here: sharing food.
Shared dining: convivial
At TOZI, it’s all about shared dining, so the dishes arrive at the table to be shared. And it starts with the delicious zucchini fritti (very thinly sliced and fried zucchini), over which we argue about who gets the last one – convivial, that shared dining.
Luckily, the pizzetta – a super-crispy little pizza with buffalo mozzarella, roasted pumpkin, thyme and white truffle – has already been cut into equal pieces. This one is once again to die for. The crust is crispy yet chewy at the same time, and the topping is heavenly.
White truffle on the menu
The white truffle on the pizzetta is no coincidence: TOZI is celebrating its second anniversary in the capital not only with the Negroni Anniversario, a special ‘smoked’ cocktail, but also with a special truffle menu. It features dishes prepared with black and white truffle, but the starring role definitely belongs to the white truffle, or Tuber magnatum Pico, as it is officially called. This pride of Italy smells more intensely than the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), and freshly shaved, it is truly wonderful over pasta, risotto and egg dishes. And now is also the season for white truffle (unfortunately, the price is still extremely high).
Licking the plate is allowed
The guinea fowl is prepared sublimely and incredibly tender. Because guinea fowl meat dries out fairly quickly, strips of bacon are often tied to the breast; here, the skin is sufficient. The white truffle finishes it off perfectly. And the purée… you’re allowed to lick your plate, no shame!
Cacio e Pepe, with white truffle
The highlight of the evening is the Tonnarelli “Cacio e Pepe”, a classic Roman pasta dish with black pepper and the tangy sheep’s cheese Pecorino Romano, prepared tableside from the cheese wheel. And just watching spoonfuls of pasta being twisted out of the cheese is enough to make us spontaneously drool. Then white truffle is shaved over it too – hold me back!
-
- Hypnotiserend: het uitlepelen van de pasta uit het kaaswiel
-
- Cacio e Pepe met witte truffel… OMG yes!
-
- Pasta + wijn = happiness
Next-level chocolate ice cream
After this generous and rich dish, it’s no wonder if you feel ready to burst, but a word to the wise: save room for the dolce. The dessert consists of two parts, in fact. The first is a delicious and beautiful little cake, served with a fresh, sweet dessert wine.
The second part is a coupe of chocolate ice cream with Maldon salt flakes, a little olive oil and – yes, there it is again – white truffle. And that addition takes the dessert to unprecedented heights.
For wine lovers
If you love wine, go for the wine pairing, because different Italian wines are served with the various dishes. Of course, I didn’t let this opportunity pass me by, so a shout-out to the sommelier: the pairings were excellent. A Gavi (white wine from Piedmont) by Elio Filippino with the starters, light, fresh and juicy all at once; the soft and fruity Langhe Nebbiolo from the same winery with the guinea fowl; the Kellerei Meran Festival Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir) from Südtirol, with fresh aromas of red cherries and raspberries, alongside the Cacio e Pepe; everything fits like a glove.
The white truffle menu is served from 12–31 November 2021 and for a minimum of 2 people (€160 for 2 people). The matching wine pairing costs €40. All dishes from the menu can also be ordered separately.
TOZI Restaurant & Bar, Koninginneweg 34, Amsterdam
Read also:
