Allora’s vegetarian tasting menu isn’t an afterthought. It’s the foundation
The idea of a prix-fixe tasting menu tends to invoke the use of fancy ingredients, which invariably lean toward proteins: filet mignon, lobster, caviar and so on. It’s an easy way to deliver a veneer of luxury, but doesn’t necessarily require excellence in execution.
Humble vegetables can be every bit as worthy of the luxe treatment, when put in the correct hands and not relegated to the role of supporting cast. At Allora, the fine-dining Italian restaurant in East Sacramento, chef Deneb Williams begins his entire process with vegetables.
“I was raised a vegetarian. My mom was a macrobiotic vegetarian my whole entire life. She still is; I only started eating meat when I started working in kitchens,” he said. “I do enjoy a steak every once in a while, but my passion for food is 100% about vegetables.”
Allora offers three-, four- and five-course tasting menus ($99-$159) in its serene dining room. Rather than just having one vegetarian or vegan dish per course, Allora’s vegetarian menu is as fully realized as its ominvore counterpart, with multiple options to choose from — not just the requisite mushroom risotto.
“I don’t start with, I want to cook a duck breast or I want to cook a leg of lamb. I start with what’s growing. And if you were to say to me, it’s April, and what are you excited about cooking? I’m about baby artichokes, fava beans, English peas, stinging nettles, Delta asparagus,” Williams said. “For me, that’s how menus are built. They’re built vegetables-up and then I decide what proteins or what seafood or what technique really makes that vegetable shine.”
In fact, several of the dishes on the omnivorous menu are much the same as from the vegetarian menu, embellished with a protein for an additional layer of flavor and texture.
For example, in the current spring menu, a verdant green spring pea vellutata stands on its own with watercress, a toast crisp, Marcona almonds and a lemon ricotta. On the other menu, some plump pickled shrimp are added for a burst of brightness and chew.
Bucatini con le sarde, a classic Sicilian dish with sardines and anchovies, doesn’t suffer from the pivot to going fishless, with capers filling in for the briny element. Green garlic puree and crispy artichokes bring spring’s freshness.
Williams’s menu boasts “hyper-seasonality,” as he focuses on what’s at its peak in the moment.
“I’m really excited about the first crop of stone fruit coming next month, apricots and cherries and the white peaches, you know, followed by the summertime vegetables of the eggplants and the heirloom tomato,” he said.
Williams acknowledges that a meal at Allora is a splurge, which is all the more reason to put vegetarian diners on the same pedestal as everyone else.
“We are a special occasion restaurant. This might be the one nice meal (customers) have in the entire year, and it is very expensive. So that vegetarian or that vegan that is dining with us, I want them to leave feeling like they got an exceptional experience,” Williams said. “I think a lot of vegetarians dine at Allora, and it’s an unexpected experience because it’s not a vegetarian restaurant.”
If wine’s your thing, it’s worth splashing for the pairings ($70-$115). Sommelier Eric Dickinson-Hinojosa is certified not just as a regular somm, but also specifically as an Italian wine scholar. This is no small feat, as the landscape of Italian wine is more complex than most, with a dazzling array of varietals.
“I think we’re in the 3,000s now,” he said.
With that diversity comes a bigger toolkit for pairing. This is useful for vegetarian dishes, especially in the springtime.
“Spring vegetables, artichokes, asparagus, spring peas, all these things are traditionally very challenging to pair, but Italian wine specifically brings a plethora of options to help. We’re filled with all these mineral-driven, high-acid, lightly aromatic white wines that really help the vegetables shine,” Dickinson-Hinojosa said.
Dessert is built into the tasting menu, and is worth the calories. The bombolini are a delight, tender fried balls of dough with lemon curd and toasted fennel ice cream. Vegan desserts can be more challenging, but Williams maintains he’s up to the task.
“Vegetarian is relatively easy. You just have to stay away from gelatin and things like that. But we’re incredibly proud of our torta al cioccolato. I think I’ll take the Pepsi Challenge with any chocolate dessert, it’s just as good,” Williams said.
Williams and his wife, Elizabeth-Rose Mandalou, opened a new Mediterranan restaurant, Aiona, on Monday, April 20 at 1213 K St. in downtown.
Allora
Address: 5215 Folsom Blvd., East Sacramento
Hours: 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Phone: 916-538-6434
Website: allorasacramento.com
Vegetarian options: A fully realized vegetarian and vegan tasting menu is available
Noise level: Quiet
