Italians are traditionalist when it comes to their cuisine. It is considered to be a crime to use pancetta (cured pork belly) instead of guanciale (cured pork cheek) in Carbonara. If you can’t get hold of guanciale, either fly to Italy and order a plate of authentic Carbonara, or just stick to your normal Mac and Cheese.
L’Aquila is a small historic city in Italy. It is the capital of the Abruzzo region, and came to recognition after the devastating earthquake in 2009, with a death toll of 308 people, 1173 injured, and thousands being homeless.
Førma calls itself a contemporary restaurant in L’aquila. Located near the steps of Basilica di San Bernardino, they combine the taste of Italy with international flavours. Imagine a tiramisu with layers of caramelized Nori instead of the traditional Savoiardi. It has the saltiness, the umami and the sweetness combined into the famous Italian dessert. A total game changer! Førma started as a bar in the summer of 2020, and slowly transitioned into a gourmet restaurant, while keeping its happy hours unbarred.
As a note, L’aquila’s restaurant scenario is limited to just traditional tratorrias and a few sushi places which the Italians are obsessed with at the moment (more on that in another post). Fusion restaurant in a small city like L’Aquila, sounds pretty hard to sell. However, with their monthly menu changes and the use of seasonal products, Førma’s head chef, Simone Ciuffetelli is a reformer. Simone and his wife, Roberta, lived in Denmark for two years, and work towards bringing their experiences and culture on a plate. As you might have guessed, the letter ø, comes from the Danish language.
In this post, I’ll try to list some of my favourites from my multiple visits to Førma. My first visit was in September 2020, almost three weeks after it opened its door to the public for dinner. I ordered their seasonal antipasti with cucumber and it was a delight. Fresh summery flavours from homemade yogurt as the base, with seared pieces of cucumbers, topped with deep fried wheat grains and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
I skipped the primi, and went straight to the secondo. Another spectacular vegetarian plate with seared cauliflower as its main. The base was made with hummus, and the crown had a dollop of the same hummus which held the organic sprouted quinoa in its place. As the Italians do it, another free-handed dribble of olive oil to finish the plating. The harmony of those flavourful bites in my mouth was orgasmic.
Next up, was the simple and delicate fresh raspberry dessert. It looked like a decostructed parfait, with the sour cream base and fresh raspberries. On top, to add an exquisite sweetness, the chef used caramel crumble. The three course meal reminded us of the month we are in, the last days of summer, where each meal is light on your stomach, but we also taste the hint of autumn alongside.
The second time I paid a visit to Førma was a week later. It was a farewell dinner, and I was excited to take my friend to experience the beautiful amalgamation of flavours. I was pleasantly surprised to see a different menu, and they informed us that they are celebrating the one month anniversary of the restaurant. This time the menu lost its summery touch and took a full autumnal swing. As our primi, we had pumpkin and ricotta filled raviolis, braised in truffle butter and topped with a generous shaving of Parmigiano Reggiano.
We went straight for the dessert after loading on a plate of carbs. Another classic that reminds you of the chilly wind: chocolate mousse with a base of homemade digestive biscuit and a dollop of sour cream to cut the sweetness of the mousse. Each bite was a balanced burst of flavour. The rich and creamy mousse, the crunchy biscuit, and the acidity from sour cream gave us a feeling of la dolce vita.
The third time was almost after a year, with the pandemic looming over us and vaccines providing us with a bit a relief. The menu was towards the heavier side, reminding you that it’s winter. The antipasti was beetroot carpaccio, with drops of parsley oil. The beetroot reminds you of the Russian winter and the taste of Borscht. With a few slices of homemade sourdough bread, it was truly comforting.
For the main course, we opted for grilled duck breast, alongside charred tomatoes and fennel, with a balsamic reduction. The meat was fatty and the degree of doneness was rare. The balsamic gave it a certain tart and sweetness. The fennel was sweet, and the slight acidity from the tomatoes no wonder complimented the meal. We cleared our palate with the highly ingenious Tiramisu I talked about earlier.
Another important criteria of a restaurant is the look of it. Forma has a minimalist vibe, with a huge contemporary art at the back wall adding a bit of colour and drama. The presentation of each and every dish was aesthetically pleasing (pictures above bears the proof). Since the menu changes almost every month, there is no guarantee that you will find any of the above mentioned dishes. As we all know, “Change is the only constant.”, and that’s the beauty of Førma.