A story of two longtime friends. A banker and a cook. A dream that started in a small fishing town in Calabria. As I read the “about us” section at the restaurant’s website, I am convinced: Chianalea is not just another Italian restaurant. It is a place for friends and memories. Cozy, unpretentious, loud and very Italian.
Chianalea is the place to be when in need of soul food and uncomplicated company. A few southern Italian dishes, authentic Calabrian products and the hand of a chef who is not shy to come out of the kitchen and tell you about his passion when he cooks.
Following his recommendation, we started with Nduja on bread, a very spicy Calabrian sausage similar to chorizo. It was love at first bite. Two simple ingredients and an explosion of flavors. For mains, we went for pizza because sometimes all you need is pizza. Mascarpone, Parma ham and rucola. It took one bite to remind me of the importance of using authentic Italian ingredients when aiming for fantastic pizza. The second one with Broccoli and Salciccia was a combination I would have not imagined together, but that worked perfectly. Both rustic and delicious. The wine list did not disappoint and as with the food, expect to find flavors from the south. Treat yourself to a trip to southern Italy in Zurich and be part of the Chianalea story.
