Les Rouges Cucina & Cocktails — Restaurant in Genoa

The empty shell!

Haven’t we all walked the beach, hoping to find a shell, not only big and intact but also full of life or at least putting your ear against it and expecting the sound of the ocean. Les rouge Cucina is that. The old narrow streets in the quarters of Genova and a spectacular palazzo with stunning architecture still owned by the templars is very exciting. As you enter the building you don’t know what to expect and mystical anticipation is in the air. Having the destination of this bar in focus but still taking in the atrium and its architecture is a hard balance to strike. Once you reach the bar you realize you have arrived. And what a place! The space, the beautifully and roughly kept ceiling, the simplicity and the lighting brings you into a lost world and the feeling of being in a romantic capsule during the second world war having drinks with your fellow soldiers feels very real. We then meet the waiter ”Marco”. ”Marco” looks at us with skepticism, silently asking himself; ”do I really need to accommodate these people as well?”. It is a slow informal intro in bursts where he tells us what we are not allowed to do. ”Don’t sit there, don’t move that, we cant do that, we don’t like that”. Trying to orientate ourselves through this maze of cocktail bar rules of engagement we finally manage to order. ”Marco” is not impressed by us. We then sit there like good school children sipping our drinks not daring to do anything.

So maybe Les rouges is not an empty shell but the animal living in it is barely alive and if he had his way he would only be serving bitter drinks...

In my 15 years of hospitality experience, mixologist are always too cool for school. This place is no different. I really wanted to like it…I had one night in Genova. I walked in early, no reservation. I was seated at the worse table, facing a wall. There were plenty of other tables available…the gentleman who sat me; is one of the main faces of the group. He told me everything was reserved. I then asked if a seat at the bar would open up. The response was his girlfriend was sitting at the bar and will probably be awhile. Such poor service. Any owner or manger would prioritize their guests. Thankfully, I walked up the street to Hostaria Ducale (a Michelin star restaurant) and was seated promptly. I had a wonderful a la carte meal, local wine and all without a...

The owner of the hotel where we are staying told us this was a great place for a cocktail. It was not for us because they would not serve us. They asked if we wanted a table and we said we just wanted to buy a drink. They told us we needed to wait. The bartender talked to the manager who asked us if we wanted a table and we told him we just wanted a drink and he walked away. We asked the bartender again and he said we had to wait. I asked how we could order a drink and he said from the manager, who ignored us. I’ve traveled in more than 50 countries and never had such a terrible experience. I’ll note the facility is 500 years old and remarkably beautiful in direct conflict with the staff,...