Bros`: The different and unique world of Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Poti in Lecce

Bros` in Lecce is one of 325 restaurants in Italy that have a Michelin star pinned on their lapel, which they have held since 2018. However, its fame was catapulted by a highly harsh - almost vitriolic - text written in 2021 by a food blogger. It went viral to an outrageous degree, sparking the interest, or rather curiosity, of many restaurant critics and foodies worldwide. I read the text after having eaten at Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Poti`s Bros`, three years after its publication, and while those of us who write reviews ought to be completely open and indulgent to the criticism that our readers, in turn, offer us, for me any "weightiness" was exhausted in the title: "We ate at the worst restaurant ever awarded a Michelin star".

But is it really, as Geraldine de Ruiter says? To make such an absolute statement, one must have eaten in every star on the planet, which for 2024 is 2902. I doubt if a living human has set such a record, so as a statement, it is brushed aside, along with the rest of the text. I find Bros` a very, very interesting restaurant, with advanced ideas that occasionally provoke quite a bit of - and rightly so, attention-grabbing - attention, but also with more - so to speak - "loving" moments with notes that strike direct chords on the calyx. No, this is by no means a "boring" to everyday fine dining, and no, it`s not for everyone.

It is more of a restaurant lab with a dynamic spirit of eccentric experimentation, which follows the school where food becomes an occasion and a field of reflection while reflecting the strong personalities of the chef-owners: in addition to the kitchen, Floriano and Isabella share a life. But they also share another common belief. If they can do other things alongside cooking, from advertising for shoes, sunglasses and cars to their clothing brand, who limits them to being just chefs? They even have a rugby team, and apart from their pasticceria and trattoria, where they serve all-time classic flavours of the region with their touch, every year they organise Bros` Land, a gastronomic event with guests of famous chefs from all over the world, which they accompany with a techno party and lots of interactive surprises.

At Bros` they serve three tasting menus: a 25-stage menu at €200, a 20-stage menu at €170 and a 13-stage lunch-only menu costing €120. I tried the intermediate 20-stage option, and although most of these long menus don`t keep their pulse until the end and, as a result, become tedious, Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Poti`s intriguing cuisine has a chirpy, beautiful flow, brilliant scenarios, exact executions, beautiful complexity and almost exclusively ingredients from the greater Lecce region. Of course, in such an extensive menu, some dishes still have a way to go in terms of development, although I found that even in the most progressive combinations, the work done is remarkable. Some powerful moments show that Bros` deserves its star and flirts with higher accolades. I singled out several specials that move at a high level: their roasted eggplant oozes umami, and the black lemon on top works refreshingly; the timbale with pigeon is a highly technical dish but not lacking in flavourful density; the monkfish came impeccably cooked in various versions, alongside an impeccable bao, while the meat with its riotous capers served with a masterful medium rare, and the dessert series culminated with Isabella`s chocolate tart combined with banana. I`m not a fan of banana desserts at all, but this one far exceeded my expectations.

I won`t go into any more descriptions or further analysis of what Bros` means if you`re in the mood for sui generis experimentation and original creations that put Lecce`s terroir at the centre and don`t lack deliciousness. It`s also worth seeking to get to know them since you will see a lot, a lot, behind the dishes, which might make you give them different translations and interpretations. But anyway, flavours have a personal language that speaks to each of us individually.

Rating: 8/10

Info: Bros` - Pellegrino Brothers