Review: Saporium

Amid mirrors, crystal chandeliers, and lush greenery in a 1950s-style dining room, a gourmet meal at Saporium feels like a night at the theater. In the open kitchen, chef Ariel Hagen, a homegrown wunderkind, finishes his dishes with a set of perfect gestures one could watch forever—but only until the food is set on the table to amaze with its scents, textures, and flavors, whether from land or sea—even the strictly vegetarian fare leaps off the plate, leaving audiences-slash-diners with the idea that haute cuisine without animal protein is spectacular and well-deserving of an encore. Every ingredient is from Tuscany, organic and seasonal, and often comes straight from the farms and gardens of one of the most luxurious resorts in the region and all of Italy: Borgo Santo Pietro.