When in Oaxaca, Do As Oaxacans Do

Chef, Alberto Bragantini, born and raised in Verona is a true Italian and believes that Italy produces the best food in the world as well as real quality ingredients. It wouldn’t come as too much a surprise then to learn that he has an Italian restaurant in Oaxaca.

‘Morgans,’ is Bragantini’s second restaurant. Previously, he had owned ‘Café I’ in Calle Morelos, which received great reviews in magazines in both Europe and the US. It was a tiny place and space was becoming an issue, so when the opportunity arose to move to a more spacious site with a traditional colonial courtyard, home also to a grapefruit tree, he decided to go ahead.

As the owner of an Italian restaurant, he says: “my biggest disadvantage is that people tend to be ignorant when it comes to Italian food, as even the most average Italian food can taste really quite nice. This means that some restaurants get away with placing lower quality products on their pizza or pasta to save money.” In order to reproduce a true flavour, he imports all the most important ingredients used in Italian cuisine, from Italy: tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar from Modena, and even pasta. “The difference in taste is obvious when you compare them side by side, but people very rarely get this opportunity and settle to compromise their food for a restaurant with an Italian sounding name and paraphernalia.”

Bragantini invited me to a bottle of wine and began to prepare the feast. First, a lightly toasted fresh bread bruschetta, topped with finely chopped tomatoes (you can taste that real Italian tang), basil and light sprinkling of virgin olive oil. This was followed swiftly by a perfectly balanced salad; the real parmesan contrasting and combining deliciously with the crunchy fresh lettuce and black olives, christened again with real olive oil and a splash of balsamic.

Next. Ravioli. The pasta ‘al dente,’ was cooked to perfection. Neither the taste nor the texture had been decimated by overcooking, as is so often the case. The meat inside was again ‘respected,’ in terms of cooking. The extensive pasta menu also includes antipasti, ravioli, tagliatelle, maccheroni, bucatini, tagliolini, penne rigate, contorni not forgetting fresh spaghetti. Sauces come with both meat and vegetarian options.

Pizzas come prepared as you like them. They are large with a thin crust and more than adequate topping. All the Italian classic pizzas you’d expect are there but Bragantini says he’s trying to decide whether to add three more to the menu: Pizza Hawaiian, Americano and Pepperoni, none of which exist in traditional Italian cuisine. Maybe, with a bit more arm-twisting, the chef might be persuaded to deviate from his purist roots and start experimenting with chapulines and frijoles as pizza topping too!

There is a wide range of wines, both national and international, and Bragantini himself is delighted to help you decide which best will compliment your meal. A perfect Italian cappuccino or Irish coffee rounds the meal off nicely, but there is also the option of sipping or necking (whichever you prefer) the ever popular Limoncello or Grappa (both from Italy), among a wide range of other spirits.

So why go to an Italian restaurant while in Oaxaca? Well, when in Rome, do as Romans do, but remember that this is not just Italian food; despite the wishes of Bragantini and others like him, there are certain compromises that have to be made. Mozzarella, for example, is not readily available and often has to be replaced with Oaxacan quesillo. Italians would argue that this isn’t ideal, but it gives his Italian food that unique twist, which can’t be found in the US or in Europe, where ingredients are readily available. In a way, this is the cutting edge, the forced experimentation on food which leads to discoveries, which in themselves may stem a whole different genre of food. Bragantini is currently trying to work out how solve the mascarpone problem to make his famous tiramisu. Don’t you want to be the first to try it?

Morgan is located in Calle Porfírio Díaz No. 301 (between M. Bravo and Matemoros). The menu ranges from $35 pesos for a starter, $52-$72 pesos for the pasta and salad dishes and $100-$130 pesos for the pizzas (remember they are large!) House wine is sold by the glass or 1/2 litre. Pizzas are also available for local delivery. For orders and/or reservations call 514-8815 (closed Mondays).
www.ristorantemorgan.com for more info.