Mouthwatering Italy: 2003
When you take your tongue out sightseeing in Italy, what are its favorite taste treats?
Osteria Santo Spirito, Oltrarno section, Florence
Non-touristy, robust meals, and we didn't go wrong with a thing we ordered
(the boar sausage was particularly interesting). The gnocchi with gorgonzola
cream sauce was absolutely decadent, and although I was trying hard not
to be a "gauche American tourist", I had absolutely no embarassment at all
about asking for a to-go container of it. There was no way I could finish
it all, but there was no way I was leaving it behind. And it was perfect
the next day for our picnic in Fiesole. Yes, I HIGHLY recommend Osteria
Santo Spirito. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Sarah Haas <email>
Farmington, MO USA 12/23/03
Venice
Venice undoubtedly has amazing food and most tourists/travelers pay for
it. If you just wander down a few of the alleys, you are guaranteed to find
a little spot that is a little more local and a lot less expensive. I studied
just outside of Venice and every restaurant we tried was delicious.
Jenni
USA 11/14/03
Il Vegetariano in Florence is great!
I found a wonderful, reasonably priced vegetarian restaurant in Florence,
called Il Vegetariano. I'd highly recommend it for healthy, good-tasting
food, even if you're not vegetarian. It's all locals, too! It's on v. delle
Ruote 30/r. The street is short, but there isn't a sign (just a menu), so
look for the stained glass windows along the front. The vegetable grocer
across the street can also enthusiastically point it out to you (perhaps
that's where they buy their veggies?). It's close to some tourist sites
you might be visiting. For information on other vegetarian restaurants,
here are some links: http://www.vegetarian-restaurants.net/Europe/Italy.htm
http://www.wguides.com/city/52/125_51949.cfm
Cheryl
Santa Cruz, CA USA 10/28/03
Vivoli's Gelato
We took Rick's recommendations and visited Vivoli's Gelato in Florence,
Italy. I tried one of my favorite flavors, pistachio. I was totally blown
away. In every other place the pistachio is usually green and is very sweet,
you can't really taste the flavor of the actual nut. But at Vivoli's it
is brown and you can taste the actual pistachio nut. The aroma literally
jumps out at you. I was very impressed as I love gelato/ice cream/any dessert.
Kwong <email>
San Leandro, CA USA 10/22/03
Eating in Rome
A friend and I just returned from Paris and Rome... we discovered a great
place to eat in Rome-- in Piazza Navona, directly across from Tre Scalini:
I think the name was "Bevitoria"-- great food (try the prosciutto and melon)
and good prices. We splashed out on the Tartufo at Tre Scalini afterwards...it
was worth it!
Gail <email>
London, England, 10/10/03
Italian drinks
I was just checking out some of Rick's archived columns about a few of the
local drinks here in Italy, and I'd like to add my comments. First, limoncello
- he's absolutely right, limoncello is fantastic. For the uninitiated, limoncello
is a lemon liquor that Itlalians drink after their meal, sort of an aperatif.
It's best served ice cold, and the lemon pallate is a good compliment to
any Italian meal.
If you like limoncello, I'll recommend another favorite I discovered a couple years ago - it's called crema di melone (cream of melon). It's similar to limoncello, but made with melon liquor. It's more popular in the south (I live in the north), but I actually prefer it to limoncello. Try it, it's delicious.
Second was grappa. Here in Italy, we call it firewater. Bassano del Grappa, the main producer of grappa, is only about 30 minutes down the road from where I live, so we go there periodically (you can swim in the Brenta River). I'm not a big grappa fan - it's very harsh - but the Italains love it.
One of the most popular drinks in Italy
is called "cafe correto", which means "coffee corrected". My neighbor explained
the story to me. don't know if it's true, but it's interesting: Being a
Roman Catholic country, many Italian women woouldn't allow their husbands
to drink in the house. The custom has always been to go to the local cafe
and have a coffee (cafe), so they would do that, but they would have the
bartender put a shot of grappa in the coffee. They ordered it as "cafe correto"
- coffee, but corrected. Anyway, I've tried it, and just can't seem to adapt,
but the locals love it. Try it if you're ever over here, you might like
it...Ciao & Salute!
Rik Thibodeau <email>
Vicenza, Italy, IT 06/23/03
Dining in Vernazza and Varenna
Just returned from two great weeks in Northern Italy. Two restaurants not
to miss in Vernazza. Tratorria del Capitano. Everything was good. Tratorria
Gianni, order the pesto! In Varenna, stay with Laura at the Hotel Olivedo
and enjoy the fresh fish with green sauce and the local favorite dried beef.
Jeff Ruemmele <email>
Brownsburg, IN USA 06/07/03
Dining In Italy
After hiking in Cinque Terre we relaxed in Santa Margherita for a couple
of days and had a delicious dinner (including fish ravioli) at Antonio Ristorante,
Piazza S. Bernardo 6. If you enjoy great food and service, this restaurant
is fantastic.
Marty & Annette
Hopkinton, MA USA 06/06/03
Great Siena restaurant
It's called La Cellina, on the corner of Della Rossa and Caterina. Excellent
risotto and pork steak.
Edward Flaherty <email>
Tallahassee, FL USA 05/24/03
Delightful seafood in Cinque Terre
My wife and I just returned from a spectacular honeymoon in Northern Italy,
capped by a three-day stay in Vernazza. We recommend the Trattoria del Capitano
for a good sampling of local cuisine. Although neither one of us is a big
seafood fan, we accepted the proprietor's recommendation and each ordered
the seafood antipasti. Though it was more expensive than other menu items
(14 Euros), the sampling of fresh-caught anchovies, shrimp and other tentacled
goodies made it money well-spent. It proved the old adage: When in Vernazza,
eat what the Vernazzans catch.
Erik
Vancouver, WA USA 05/12/03
Good Food in Rome
We were in Rome for 8 days last month (April). We enjoyed the following
3 restaurants very much.
Our first stop was Ristorante Due Colonne, Via del Seminario, 122, every dish we tried was made fresh. One with freshly shelled peas. We ate there 3 times altogether and of all those meals my favorite was the spinach crepes. The staff were easy to communicate with and on our second visit we were welcomed like family. Seminario is directly across from the columns on the front of the Pantheon to the left when facing the Pantheon. I say this only because there is no street sign and we had a little trouble finding the street the first time.
From the Rome 2003 edition, Trattoria der Pallaro, Largo del Pallaro 15. This was one of my favorite meals. There is no menu, but not to worry every plate of food they place in front of you is great. They bring you food and wine for a total of 4 courses ending with dessert (torte on our visit) and liquor for 19 euros per person.
On our last day we ate lunch at Osteria del Sostegno,
Via Delle Colonnelle, 5. The food was delicious here as well. We had an
apetizer called small hot pizza which was actually a small wedge of pizza
crust with a dollop of olive pate on top. It was heavenly even though
a tiny portion. I also had Spaghetti Carbonara, which was very good. The
waiter was very personable too!! The problem is so many great foods and
so little time.
Marjie <email>
Cottage Grove, OR USA 05/06/03
Il Latini in Florence
If you are ever in Florence and have a big appetite, be sure to have dinner
at "Il Latini"-- here's what 35 euros per person will get you there: antipasti
(we had a plate full of delicious prosciutto and salami plus bruschetta
and crostini with goose-liver pate); choice of tuscan barley and bean soup
or ravioli; various types of meat (we had a mouth-watering plate of roasted
pork); your pre-dessert course is biscotti that you dip into vin santo;
dessert was either tiramisu or gelatto with strawberries; and then to top
it all off they brought us each a glass of sweet white after-dinner wine!
Did I mention that all the house chianti and mineral water you could drink
was included? Its a family-style restaurant so you get to meet other travellers
which is an added bonus if you enjoy socializing. Just make sure to get
there by either 7:30pm or 9:30pm because they only have 2 seatings per night
(they do take reservations too).
Alison Marcoff <email>
Boynton Beach, FL USA 04/02/03
L'Orso 80 in Roma
On a short narrow street a couple blocks north of Piazza Navona, you'll
find L'Orso 80. It can be a little tricky to find without a map..but definitely
worth the trip! L'Orso 80 at Via Dell'Orso 33 serves an amazing antipasto.
The majority of their diners don't even order anything else. For €11 each
person gets a ball of fresh mozzerella, a deep fried risotto ball, and a
whole stewed artichoke. Along with this comes a platter of bread, a plate
of proscuitto, and several bowls of goodies including roasted red peppers,
deep fried zuchinni, roasted zuchinni, roasted eggplant, spicy eggplant,
meatballs in tomato sauce, beans in tomato sauce, fennel and cheese salad,
cauliflower and caper salad, and marinated mushrooms. YUM!!
Missy <email>
Bellevue, WA USA 03/05/03
2 Good places in Rome, 1 of them very inexpensive.
The Ristorante La Fontana, in the expensive Via Veneto area provides a truly
terrific meal for those who want to become members of the family. Anyone
who comes in is inducted within about five minutes. Dinner for two, 2 enourmous
antipasti and pasta is about $40 before wine, and is more than enough food.
In addition, how could one resist a restaurant where the directions are
to follow the signs to the "CicaCicaBoomBoom" and go to the door just to
the left. Via Liguria 36/E 0642020177
Near the colosseum and in an area
with few good places to eat is the Trattorai da Valentino, Via Cavour 293,
Tel. 06 4881303. The decor rates a minus 10. 1950's plastic wainscotting
and painted surfaces turned brown by years of cigarrette smoke. But, the
food is outstanding and cheap! Good soups and pastas, with English speaking,
after a fashion, wait staff. Avoid the deserts and go for a $10 bottle of
wine and dinner is still less than $35 for two.
Jeff Poster <email>
Arlington, TX USA 01/01/03