Why is it, that Italian food is so special? I am no food expert, but while at Lefay it became apparent that perhaps part of the secret, is their simplicity. A platter of cold meats, fresh salad and a plate of pasta in the right setting can make the heart race. Or maybe it's Italy's genius for adding vitality to everyday ingredients? A pasta dish thrown together with pesto and pine nuts, as well as the inevitable pepper - a simple yet mouthwatering dish.
Most of the ingredients used at Lefay are sourced locally, so that fresh burst of flavour can be noticed in every dish. Many of the herbs and ingredients are grown onsite (in the resort gardens or Olive groves), organic too of course, even the pasta is made by the chefs during the day. It goes without saying therefore that the food at Lefay is rather exceptional, even to Italian standards. During our stay, we enjoyed a very modern take on the typical Mediterranean diet, starting with the buffet style breakfast served in the stunning Limonaia restaurant;
Each morning we chose from the different breakfast sections; eggs cooked before our eyes, overflowing bowls of fresh fruit, apricots, bananas, apples, nectarines and more, platters of cheese and meats, sweet pastries, fresh orange juice, even bottles of Prosecco!
At lunch time we sauntered up to the Trattoria La Vigna, where on the warmer days we sat on the shaded terrace area overlooking the lake, and enclosed by potted lemon trees. We chose from the A La Carte menu offering a selection of pastas and risottos, the fish of the day, or choosing from the buffet section. Forget other buffets you've experienced before because Lefay do buffet's differently - a cuisine haven with platters of beef Carpaccio, parma ham sliced before us and delivered to our tables, creamy bowls of plump mozzarella and truffle infused hard cheeses just for the starter! A selection of freshly baked bread, bowls of pasta and rice dishes as well as various pizza and focaccia selections were presented for mains, before possibly the greatest desert selection that I'd ever had the pleasure of devouring! My favourites included the creamy panacotta squares, banana creme br�l�e, and passion fruit mousse!
Ingredients picked fresh from the hotel gardens
We spent our evenings enjoying an aperitif in the beautiful hotel bar, before choosing between the Trattoria or La Grande Limonaia restaurants for dinner. The latter is the hotel's main restaurant, where dishes included Steak, Lobster and fresh Fish, all cooked to absolute perfection along with a selection of seasonal vegetables. We were tempted by the extensive wine menu too, choosing to sample various (ahem) beverages from the local Bardolino region. Those on the Spa programme can also stick to a healthier set menu which had equally as mouth-watering dishes! We finished the evening with scrumptious italian classic deserts; a passion fruit and lemon parfait cocooned inside a frozen lemon skin was my personal highlight!
Lefay has successfully ticked all the boxes, the food, the spa, the location are all unbeatable - and we are already plotting our next visit!
Lefay Resort & Spa on Lake Garda is bookable through Small Luxury Hotels.
xoxo
