Italian Restaurants – Page 5

Emilia-Romagna – The “Devils Bridge” and a Mona Lisa Mystery in Bobbio and Easter Lunch at Osteria Carducci (Piacenza)

August 14, 2018 mmm-yoso Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Travel

Let's be perfectly honest here….I love obscure history and places; thus my love for Atlas Obscura. And since there's no sponsors or advertising on our humble little blog, you know I'm not getting anything out of recommending both the book and the website. And sometimes, I can get the Missus interested in searching something out as well….in fact, once that seed is planted, She is much more relentless than I am.

That is why; after having breakfast in the Agritourismo, we headed off to Bobbio. Driving thru Piacenza, which would be our stop for lunch, then alongside the River Trebbia. As we came across a bridge the Missus asked that we make a little detour.

To the charming medieval town of Travo.

Since this was a spur of the moment kind of thing; we really didn't do any research, nor plan any stops. We just took in the relaxed vibe and beauty of the town. We parked along one of the side streets and stretched our legs a bit.

I believe that's the Church of Saint Anthony in the photo above.

It was Easter morning and we could singing coming from the church.

We watched as two elderly men parked their walkers and entered the church; the harmonies briefly escaping from the door as they walked in.

This is so vastly different from the life we live here in San Diego……

It was fun sitting on a stone wall and watching folks go about their day.

We took a walk across the bridge to take in the town….that's the second photo above.

From there it was a short 20 minute drive to the town of Bobbio. It seemed that Bobbio had a restricted traffic zone; at least on this day, Easter. I found parking in the Supermarket parking lot and after asking one really nice lady for directions headed in the direction of Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge"), also known as Ponte Gobbo ("Hunchbacked Bridge") and Ponte Diavolo (you know this one, right?).

What's the reason for wanting to see this bridge? Well, perhaps it's the story that the Devil built the bridge over the River Trebbia in hope of receiving a soul of the first person crossing it as payment. The Devil however was tricked as St. Columbanus, who made the deal with the Devil, had a dog (or a bear) be the first to cross the bridge! The irregularity of the bridge is due to either the Devil's workers not being able to build something of consistent heights….oooor the Devil got so angry in being tricked that he kicked the bridge making it lopsided!

Take your pick…..it's a great story whichever you choose to; or not to believe!

As great as that story is, the real reason we came here is because of….well, you may recognize her.

So, what does the Mona Lisa have to do with Ponte Vecchio? Well, according Art Historian Carla Glori, the background in this iconic painting is not some imaginary landscape, but Bobbio! Shades of the Da Vinci code Batman! Here's an interview of Carla Glori. So, of course, we just had to check it out. As did quite a few other folks, of the two and four legged kind.

We both thought the bridge was quite beautiful……

There seems to be interesting things everywhere around the bridge.

We spent a good amount of time before heading back across the bridge and exploring Bobbio.

Unlike sedate Travo, Bobbio was bustling……I later learned that folks usually leave their homes to visit other places during the Easter Holiday.

And I really regretted not doing a bit more shopping here.

I'm thinking as much as we really enjoyed Bobbio, that we'll return and perhaps stay here one day in the future.

It was soon time to head off. I thought we'd have the best chance to find a place to eat in Piacenza so we headed back to the city, which was strangely quiet. I later found out that many folks head out of Parma and Piacenza during the long Easter weekend to be with family or friends. We soon found that Piacenza had its own ZTL zone, but we quickly found parking. And as I was getting ready to pay, one of the folks across the street told us…or at least signaled…letting us know that parking was free during Easter.

We headed down the quiet streets looking for a place I had on my list named Osteria Carducci. Past the Gotico and down Piazza Cavalli….Google Maps was my best friend right now.

All the businesses and even restaurants looked closed; but when we took the left turn at Via Giosuè Carducci, I knew we'd be okay….well, I knew that at least the place was open. The light in the sign was on and there were cars parked alongside the building.

We entered the place, which was bustling, to the surprise of the folks behind the bar. Somehow, in the middle of Eater rush, two Asians walk in!

We were told that they could provide a table for us; but the menu for today was an Easter menu. Which would be no problem; especially since all the vino (for the Missus) was free!

We were led downstairs, which was quite busy. By the time we left every table had been filled…….and no one except us had left yet.

Soon enough, plates started arriving at the table. We were a bit confused as there seemed to be a choice of two items as the primi and secondi……the really nice young lady who spoke really great English explained that this was the menu. We'd be getting everything on it! Yikes! And of course places like these do not do take-away…..these was going to be interesting. The young lady seemed quite amused with us.

Things started off with the Culaccia con Flan de Verdure. Culatello! My flavorite salumi….I ate both my portion and the Missus's. The flan was a moist, though highly caramelized zucchini and ricotta pastry, much lighter than it looked.

We thought we might be able t survive this until two bowls filled with Piacenzi Tortelli con la coda (tortelli with a "tail"), the city's namesake stuffed pasta arrived.

The pasta was both springy and tender; the filling was quite rich and creamy. I could make out ricotta, perhaps a bit of chard or other similar greens, some milky-salty cheese, it was quite satisfying, and filling. The sage butter sure didn't hurt things either.

A minute later, out came two plates of Nidi di Rondini (Swallows nests); roasted rolled pasta, with a nice crunch; rolled around cheese and salumi in a very tasty asparagus cream.

Crunchy-creamy-cheesy goodness.

Next up; the Roasted Veal and Potatoes.

Nicely roasted if a bit on the chewy side…..very nice gravy….but man, a whole plate of potatoes!

The pistachio crusted lamb ribs were quite tasty….the lamb nice and gamey, but also on the tough and dry side.

The mint and yogurt sauce helped a bit.

The Missus and I looked at each other and cracked up……..this was way more than we wanted. Then dessert arrived.

Luckily, this was a light chocolate mousse topped with a tangy fruit compote.

We'd made it…we survived….then the cake arrived.

The Missus discreetly got some paper towels out of Her purse and snuck these away. Yes, we smuggled cake out of Osteria Carducci.

We did enjoy ourselves and the folks here were so warm, friendly, and welcoming. And after this, well, "hearty" would be an understatement….meal, we skipped dinner.

They sure don't mess around with Easter lunch at Osteria Carducci.

Osteria Carducci
Via Giosue' Carducci 6
Piacenza, Italy

We really needed to take a walk after that meal. So we wandered around a bit and ran into the Duomo of Piacenza.

The Cathedral of Piacenza was built between the 12th and 13th centuries in the Romanesque style. It is quite striking.

And the square in front of the Cathedral was fairly busy. This was the most people we saw during our afternoon in Piacenza.

It was fun seeing folks socializing and having a good time.

That's the Column of the Virgin Mary in the photo below.

We took a few minutes to walk around the interior of the Cathedral.

And then decided to head back to the car. I'd taken photos with my phone of the landmarks on the way from where we parked; but we were just down the street from Sant'Antonino Basilica.

And soon enough, we were on our way back to Parma.

It had been a been a fun day…..and Bobbio, I think we'll be back someday!

Thanks for reading!

Monzu Fresh Pasta

July 22, 2018 mmm-yoso Italian Restaurants

We're still on the hunt for pasta as good as we had in Emilia-Romagna. Simple, soulful, fresh, with "that" texture. Maestoso was pretty good. Then I read that Monzu Fresh Pasta had finally opened in the Eater. So, a couple of weeks later….on a day that the Padres were scheduled for an away game, I headed down to the East Village to check out Monzu.

This rather discreet little shop; wasn't it previously a Meatball Shop? Is bright, clean, and simply appointed.

There are shelves of specialty Italian grocery items and a counter with fresh pasta stocked. There's a chalkboard menu and you order and pay at the counter.

I really enjoyed the folks working here on my two visits…very laidback, but friendly. I believe I spoke to one of the owners about cooking time for the pasta….she was amazingly nice.

On this visit; having just gotten back from Bologna; I went with the Bolognese……simply called a "Ragu" in Emilia-Romagna. The price was very reasonable at $13. When the plate arrived; it looked a bit over-sauced, but it turned out that they add most of the sauce to the top of the pasta, allowing you to mix. I thought the presentation of the grated pecorino was nice, but it also served another purpose as I thought it was too much cheese. The presentation allowed me to not use all the cheese.

The pasta was firm, but on the brittle side, lacking that pillowy, al dente pull that we loved. It was not bad however. The sauce was bit on the thin side and there wasn't very much meat, which meant the meaty "punch" of a typical ragu was missing. On the bright side; this meant it was lighter that the really hearty stuff we had in Bologna.

For your reference.

It was without a doubt, more than worth the thirteen bucks. I ended up picking up a pound of the tagliatelle. When I asked about some cooking times; the young lady called back to the kitchen area and a really nice woman came out and told me 60 to 90 seconds.

A few weeks later I took my car in for servicing. Instead of waiting for my vehicle; I decided to take the trolley. It had been awhile since I'd done much exploring using the trolley. I started at Grantville Station….made it down to San Ysidro, got off at H street….but nothing really caught my attention. So, I headed back to the Gaslamp; this was the weekend before Comic-con, so while things were rather busy in Hillcrest and North Park for Pride Weekend, things were rather quiet; at least on this day, downtown. More on that in a later post.

I started getting a bit peckish; so I walked on over to Monzu just as they were opening for the day.

This time around; I asked for a recommendation. I was told to try the Ligurian Pesto ($12).

This take on the classic Genoese Pesto was fairly strong in the pine nut area. The rather large amount of cheese helped to balance things out. Sadly; the pasta was over cooked and on the mushy side.

Still, not a bad deal at twelve bucks.

Things are priced right at Monzu. I like the simple approach and fresh pasta; though not everything is to my taste. The folks here are very friendly as well. I hope they do well.

Monzu Fresh Pasta
455 Tenth Ave
San Diego, CA 92101
Hours:
Tues – Sun 11am – 9pm

Give them a try.

So, what of the fresh pasta I bought?

Well, I divided up the pound into two half pound servings.

I decided to make the Missus's current favorite; Tagliatelle ai Funghi Porcini. Using the last of the porcini cream we bought in Bologna and dried porcinis, which I soak, strain the liquid, then reduce by half to make a "sauce" of sorts.

I tried the sixty second version first and it was much too hard and brittle. The second time; I did an eighty second boil; which the missus preferred. Timing is important here….you make sure to salt your pasta water, get your sauce going and reduced, perfectly in time with getting your pasta cooked. That's why I specifically asked for timing when I bought the pasta.

It is so simple, but quite good. Though the Missus still thinks the pasta from Assenti's is a tad better.

Revisits – Bistro Kaz and Talavera Azul

June 27, 2018 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Breakfast/Brunch, Italian Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants, Mexican Restaurants

The restaurant landscape of San Diego sure has changed from when we moved here back in 2001. And while I still complain about the quality and the preference of style over substance…..I'm still not happy "just to have" something; it's sure nice to have some variety available. Here are two examples; one of lunch on Friday, then breakfast on Saturday, in two drastically different areas of San Diego.

Bistro Kaz:

My coworker "SJP" wanted to take me to lunch……how very sweet of her. At first I thought perhaps Korean would great. But the petite SJP is not a very big eater. She was also born in Japan. Even though my last visit to Bistro Kaz wasn't that great; I thought she'd appreciate the food.

The menu here has grown nicely since they first opened. It was a pretty warm day, so I chose the Cold Natto and Mekabu Pasta. The lunch combo came with a nice, refreshing, simple salad, and a passable pseudo egg drop soup.

But it was the pasta I was looking forward to. And it did not disappoint.

The pasta was cooked…well, just about as well as this type of pasta can be. It had a nice pull and was nicely chilled. The natto fragrance wasn't over-powering and combined with the slimy mekabu (the bottom area of the same seaweed that gives you wakame – it gets slimy when heated) gave the whole dish that wonderful "neba neba" sensation that I find satisfying. For some reason, this seemed quite refreshing and the yuzu kosho added a touch of spice and saltiness to the whole, beautiful mess.

SJP had a taste and thought it was delicious….so did I. But you know how much I enjoy natto and the memories it elicits. I think I'll have this again soon.

Bistro Kaz
3904 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Talavera Azul:

Yes, another post so soon. The next morning the Missus wanted Her Menudo Rojo fix. So we headed to Downtown Chula Vista and back to Talavera Azul.

And the Missus got Her menudo. This time around I finally found "my dish" here. The Sonoran Machaca with Easy Over Eggs.

The shredded beef is griddled with onions, peppers, and tomato; adding some nice crunchy bits of very flavorful beef. Who doesn't love drippy eggs (just kidding Jessica). Some beef wrapped in a tortilla with a smear of beans, potatoes, onions and cilantro, and finished with salsa….man, this was good. In fact, the Missus ate more than I did! And it was one of the rare occasions where we finished all the tortillas. The Missus took half the bowl of menudo home with Her!

We returned the following week with the same result. I'm guessing we'll be returning soon.

Talavera Azul
365 3rd Ave
Chula Vista, CA 91910

Parma – Trattoria Sorelle Picchi

June 7, 2018 mmm-yoso Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Travel

After returning from visiting Castello di Torrechiara and Fontanellato we returned to the Agritourismo and rested up a bit.

As the afternoon sun faded, we decided it was time to head to Parma for dinner. We again found parking alongside the Parma River….as double bonus, because the next day was Easter, the parking pass was good for two days! Instead of heading into Parma like we did the previous day, the Missus decided we should just walk up Stradone de Martiri Della Liberta', just called the "Stradone". Interesting history here as this was the first Italian Boulevard designed in the French style. We hadn't been on this street before; it was side, tree-lined, with some very nice houses along the way.

At the East end of the street is this interesting structure…..it stood out since it seemed to be isolated in the middle of traffic.

This is the Casinetto Petitot, once a stylish cafe, designed by French born architect Ennemond Alexandre Petitot, who spent most of his career in the Province of Parma.

From here we took a left, past the Chiesa di San Pietro d'Alcantara and down some side streets. If we thought that seeing a non-Italian tourist was a rare sight before….now it looked all local.

It was a nice walk…..and we ended up on busy Strada della Republica again.

Even stopping back at the same cafe as the day before for a nice shot of espresso.

It was still a bit early for dinner, so we just wandered around a bit more……

And ended up back at Parma Cathedral.

There a nice open piazza in front of the Cathedral…..it was fun to sit and people watch for a bit. In contrast to Florence, things seemed so laid back here.

The Missus noticed that folks were going in and out of the cathedral.

So we decided to take a look.

The interior and the frescoes were quite dramatic.

From here it was back across Strada Giuseppe Mazzini and down the busy pedestrian Strada Farini. This lively street was Missus's favorite in central Parma. There are busy bars, restaurants, and shops.

Also on this street was a restaurant that was recommended to us named Trattoria Sorelle Picchi. We found the place which seemed really busy. Well, at least the outdoor eating area did. There's what seemed to be the kitchen, which could be viewed from the sidewalk.

There's a deli area and then the dining room, which, unlike the outdoor area, was quite empty when we arrived.

It did fill up quickly a few minutes after we were seated. At which time we noticed that there was an additional dining area downstairs. This was a deceivingly large trattoria!

Our Server was very nice, professional and attentive.

Of course we (I) started with the Culatello di Zibello, this one was aged 20 months. I loved how thin it was sliced.

Because of how thinly sliced and moist this was, it just melted away once it hit our tongue. Amazing……

This time it was the Missus who ordered the Cappelletti en Brodo.

First off, this capon broth was rich, chicken-ny, and not overly salty. It was really good. The pasta, stuffed with what seemed to be a meat-salumi mixture was excellent. The texture was amazing. I mentioned this to our Server who then brought back the menu and pointed out the names of the "Sfoglina" (the pasta makers) on the menu; Giuseppina and Luisella.

I ordered the "Trio de Tortelli".

First off, the ravioli like pasta was excellent, perfect pull, no hard spots, relatively doughy and springy at the same time. The erbette, which I believe is chard and ricotta had a nice milky-bitter-salty balance that was enjoyable. The Missus thought the "zucca" pumpkin tortelli was too sweet and I would probably agree with Her. The spalla (cured pork shoulder) in the green tortelli was nicely flavored and not too salty and the shaved Parmigiano Reggiano did help elevate it.

Overall, a very nice meal. We had really taken to the wonderful textures and flavors of the region. Things seemed so simple and yet the tastes and textures were quite amazing.

Trattoria Sorelle Picchi
Strada Luigi Carlo Farini 27/A
Parma, Italy

We had a nice walk back to the car…..through the part of Strada Farini that was more sedate.

It had been such a nice day and dinner just topped everything off.

Parma – Castello di Torrechiara, Rocca Sanvitale di Fontanellato, and Lunch at Ristorante Io Parmigianino (Fontanellato)

June 6, 2018 mmm-yoso Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Travel

Our first morning in Parma was going to be about castles. Upon arriving at the Agritourismo, Adriano gave us a pamphlet with photos of various castles in them. After doing a bit of research that evening, it was determined that we should visit two of them.

The first being Castello di Torrechiara, located about 11 miles South of Parma, it stands on a hill overlooking the Parma Valley.

We parked our car at the foot of the hill and walked up the road. There was a slight drizzle, but that didn't diminish the wonderful view as we walked up to the castle.

The walk up to the gates seem a bit intimidating and forboding…..especially with no one else around on this morning. We had arrived just after 8am when the castle opened.

It does indeed look like a fortress on a hill.

And yet, once you walk upon the wall and porch, you start noticing things….like the magnificent views.

It is quite enchanting.

You start understanding that building this castle was a labor of love. In fact Pier Maria de Rossi built this castle, for the love of his life Bianca Pellegrini, a Noblewoman of Milan. Both were married…..

Once you enter the rooms and see the frescoes you really start understanding.

This is the "Golden Room", the bedroom of Pier Maria Rossi. Gold leaf once adorned the tiles on the wall.

The Room of the Jugglers.

Several other rooms have impressive frescoes……it's quite breathtaking.

It was quite impressive and quite a bit to take in.

It was still drizzling off and on as we walked back down the hill to the car.

We decided to head to the town of Fontanellato about 12 miles west of Parma.

We noticed that all the streets into the center of town were blocked off.

So we went ahead and found a parking lot right outside the town center.

We had actually stopped in Fontanellato to check out the castle; this one was built in the 13th century and featured a moat. But upon arriving in town we were immediately distracted by…..pirates?!?

And Food Trucks?

And Pop Music….American of course……coming from the castle? A quick look at the sign explained all.

"Castelo Street Food" it said….it was some kind of street fair.

We cracked up…….

We decided to just walk around a bit, then grab some lunch.

We weren't in Emilia-Romagna to eat burgers or fish and chips….food trucks were out. We passed by a few nice looking places, but just didn't "feel it".

Then down on of the side street from Rocca Sanvitale we saw a deli….which seemed to have some tables in the front….it also had a nice small menu. The woman behind the counter waved at us; so we walked in.

The shop had a nice little dining area in the back of the shop.

The menu was totally in Italian, but it had started getting pretty easy ordering. Since this looked to be selling a lot of salume, formaggi, and trays of pasta to locals….ordering was easy.

Salume Misto con Torta Fritta (12€).

All the salumi were good; but the Culatello di Zibelo was the star. I swear, there's a porky start, with a cheesy, mushroomy finish to it.

The torta fritta was a bit thicker and not as light as what we had the previous evening. It was however, super hot, and seemed to bring out the best in the prosciutto, culatello, and especially the fatty pancetta canusina.

The Missus had never bought into the combination of balsamic vinegar on Parmigiano Reggiano; but I couldn't help but order the Gustazione Parmigianno Reggiano (10€), which had 24/30/36 month old cheese.

While we both enjoyed the 30 month old the best; a balanced nutty-milky, the Missus isn't a big fan of the crunchy tyrosine (it's NOT SALT) crystals in aged Parmesan, She did enjoy the 36 month old cheese with the balsamic drizzle. Oh, and none of these cheese were salty…..that's what we found with Parmigiano Reggiano, it's not especially salty. This was a lot ofcheese and we ended up taking half of it with us to go.

The pasta en brodo (9,5€) here was Cappelletti….."little caps".

The broth here was a bit darker than what we had previously and not quite as rich. Nice chicken flavor though and the cheese filled pasta was lovely; milky, not overly milky. There's something about capon broth and these pastas that are so good.

The Missus got the Tortelli de Patate con Funghi Porcini (9€).

Porcini was really the way to go as mushroom and sauce was earthy and almost sweet. The potato filling was pretty much that…..filling; the texture of the pasta was a nice al dente, the grated parmesan added a nice milkiness to thing. This was quite filling.

The Missus enjoyed the Lambrusco….I was driving so I just had H2O. The two young ladies, one which seemed to be the woman behind the deli counter's daughter were very ncie.

A nice meal overall.

Io, Parmigianino
Via Guglielmo Marconi 21
Vicino Alla Rocca Sanvitale, Fontanellato, Italy

It's amazing…..a random spot…..another nice meal.

Parma – I Tre Siochett

June 1, 2018 mmm-yoso Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Travel

After lunch at Osteria dei Sani in Sasso Marconi we headed to Parma. It was a rather uneventful drive. Figuring out the toll process was pretty easy. Since we had a car and central Parma is a restricted traffic (ZTL) zone; that is only vehicles with permits are allowed in the central area, I decided to book an Agritourismo….which turned out to be a mixed experience. Even at only a few miles outside Parma, it was a pain driving to the city, though we did manage to find parking….not in one of the pay lots, but alongside the Parma River (Torrente Parma). And then take a nice walk into town.

And while we didn't spend too much time in the city itself; except to eat and wander the streets. That's the Governor's Palace above.

We did take in some of the sights. That's the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata below.

The Monumento ai Caduti…..the war memorial.

And the large open space in front of Parma Cathedral which we'd visit again a bit later.

On this afternoon and evening, we were just trying to get our bearings and stretch our legs a bit after spending most of the day driving.

We headed back to what we considered the main street in the city; Strada Giuseppe Mazzini and just headed up the street where it suddenly became Strada della Republica.

We decided to stop for a coffee right before Chiesa di San Sepolcro.

You could tell that Parma wasn't a heavily American/English/Asian tourist destination. Some folks were quite surprised to see the Missus and I. My linguistic ability is basically nil, except for food, but folks in Parma were really warm, kind, and easy to smile. The woman working at this cafe; I believe it's called Provinciali was so nice. When we returned again the following day later for coffee she waved and smiled to us.

Our host at the Agritourismo, Adriano was super friendly, and even gave us a list of restaurants……..places he ate at. I Tre Siochett was outside of Central Parma, it looked fairly close to where we were staying….though we were warned, "it's not so easy to find in the dark". We did find it though…..

Just along a roadside….the place was hopping! The guys working here were very friendly. We were handed menus and I immediately ordered something from the menu…..the Italian menu mind you…..the guy looked shocked….we were immediately brought an English version of the menu and I still ordered the dish….more on that later.

Of course we had to have the Salume Misto, which was a bargain at 8 Euros!

The culatello and the prosciutto were very good; but it was the item on the left side of the plate we both loved…..our first experience with Ciccioli, all the wonderful fatty and scrap pieces of pork, so porky and delicious. Also, this was truly served the Emilio-Romagna way. With lovely, yeasty, light pockets of dough called "torta fritta".

Each version we had was a bit different. This one was light and crisp, not overly "lardy", with some decent salt. You open up the one end of the torta fritta and place your salumi in it and eat….at least this is how we were taught. I also saw folks eating two pieces of torta fritta with salumi between them like a sandwich. Regardless….this was heaven with salumi.

Every area within Emilia-Romagna seems to have their own type of stuffed pasta……and the best way to eat it is "en brodo" in a clear chicken based broth. In western Emilia-Romagna it's Anolini.

Usually the most expensive primi on the menu (it's all relative – this was 12 Euros); because of the amount of work needed to make the pasta, the payoff, like this version, was usually quite good. A bit of meat, cheese, or sometimes "Zucca" (pumpkin). Loved the texture of the pasta.

And then, there was the "Pesto di cavallo con pestata di capperi" (10 Euros). I ordered it from the Italian menu, then was immediately brought the English menu……just for clarification purposes and we still ordered it. Just so you know, cavallo is horse, and this is basically horse tartare. The really nice Server just wanted to make sure. Because as he said in English, "even Italiano…it is yes-no, yes-no, yes-no…." Which made the Missus and I crack up.

This was definitely a "yes"….served with a caper relish on the side….a squeeze of lemon…the finish is so clean, the flavor almost refreshing, with a slight sweetness. The acid and brininess adding character to the dish.

The Missus ordered the "cake" for dessert and holy-moly…..this is one serving of "cake"…..

The place was even more packed as we left. We loved the gracious, friendly service. This was a fun meal and folks here just put us a ease.

I Tri Siochett
Strada Comunale Farnese 74/A
Parma PR, Italy

Adriano was right when he said finding our way back via the side streets outside Parma in the dark was going to be interesting….even with a GPS. I think we took a couple of circles….the good thing about roundabouts is that if you miss your exit, you just take another loop. After what seemed like 45 minutes for a 15 minute drive, we ended up back at our room.

There was something about the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna that really seemed to suit us.

Osteria dei Sani – Sasso Marconi (Emilia-Romagna)

May 17, 2018 mmm-yoso Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Travel

Though we had enjoyed our time in Florence, I was really looking forward to spending the rest of the trip in Emilia-Romagna.

But first we had to get there. We'd be spending the next three nights in an Agritourismo outside Parma. So I rented a car. Somehow, we found our way onto Autostrada A1 in the direction of Bologna. Driving in Italy was interesting, in a good way, I loved that slow traffic went to the right, the middle lane was for most folks, and the left lane was for passing or driving like a bat out of hell. I gotta say, there's nothing like going 160 km/hr (99.5 mph) and seeing some properly dressed "Nonna" driving a Maserati pass you like you're standing still!

I knew we'd have to stop for lunch on the way to Parma, so I did some research on restaurants between Florence and Bologna and one place kept popping up; Osteria dei Sani. So that's where we headed. We got to sleepy little Sasso Marconi (population approx 15,000), found parking next to the park at the edge of town (like three blocks from the center) and easily found the restaurant.

The folks here are super friendly and warm. Something we'd find throughout Emilia-Romagna. I'm sure they found us to be a bit "different" from their regular clientele.

There was just one other table of customers when we arrived.

But the place filled up fast and it seemed that all the customers knew each other…….

This being Emilia-Romagna, I just couldn't wait to dig into some salumi, so I ordered the Sfiziosita de Salumi a combination of salumi, which was only 8 Euros!

That mortadella was delicious as was the salami; but the pancetta canusina, pork belly was so mild and almost silken. And my favorite by far, the culatello, which was firm at first, but then gave way while chewing. The flavor was amazing, slightly sweet, a bit funky, with a finish like cheese. It was love at first bite. I'd end up ordering culatello everywhere the Missus would let me. And each was different……

One of the classic dishes of the region; the Tortellini in brodo (10€). It seems that every area has it's own stuffed pasta that would end up in broth. While this dish seems so simple, it was often times the most expensive primi on the menu. It's because these tiny stuffed pasta is hand made and also so tasty.

The texture is tender, pillowy, yet with a slight pull. Simply stuffed with cheese and a tiny piece of salumi….well, that's all you need. The chicken broth had just enough fat and though we'd have much better brodo later on during our time in the area, I instantly knew I'd love the food here.

The Missus got the Tagliolini con Tartufo (10€). Yes, the Missus was still in "truffle mode".

The fragrance was amazing, but the flavor rather mild. Let on during the trip, the Missus would start switching up to porcini. The pasta was a tad over-cooked for our taste, but this was still very good.

The Missus wanted to try he Scallopina all Aceto Balsamico (10€).

The balsamic vinegar based sauce was quite tangy and sour….it was actually quite good with the bread….at least I thought so. The veal was a bit too lean and tough for us.

Overall, a very nice meal and a great start to our time in Emilia-Romagna.

The Gentleman who seemed to be the owner was very friendly and came by to greet us and shake our hands. Service was warm and friendly. The Missus enjoyed Her glass of wine and the price was very reasonable.

Osteria dei Sani
Via Porrettana 324
Sasso Marconi, Italy

If every place in Emilia-Romagna was going to be like Osteria dei Sani, we were going to have a great time!

Florence – Santa Maria Novella Church, Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, and Dinner at Il Tartufo and Il Lampredotto (In Mercato Centrale)

May 14, 2018 mmm-yoso Florence and Tuscany, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Sandwiches, Travel

After recovering from a busy morning, we decided to head on out to do some exploring and last minute shopping.

First stop, Santa Maria Novella Church.

This church stands just a short walk away from the busiest parts of the city; but it seemed quite relaxed, except for all the hawkers. Construction of the began in 1279 and was completed around 1357. The upper part of the façade was completed around 1470 by Alberti. We were actually going to another destination (more on that later), but decided to stop in here. After all, it was covered by the Firenze Card.

The interior, much like Basilica de Santa Croce is large and open. The Cruxifix here is by Giotto and dates back to the 13th Century.

Another rather famous work in the church is the Holy Trinity by Masaccio whose work was lauded, but died at the young age of 26. (Some say he was poisoned by a jealous rival)

During the 16th century, under orders from Cosimo de' Medici, Vasari painted over the frescoes in the church while creating his own work.

Brunelleschi, who designed the dome of the Duomo is also mentioned as designing the layout of the church as well as creating this wooden crucifix in the Gondi Chapel.

We also went to check out the Cloisters.

And then the Spanish Chapel, which had wonderful frescoes by Andrea di Bonaiuto depicting the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ.

After leaving the church, we went around the corner and down the street to a shop that was once run by the Domincan Monks of Santa Maria Novella, the Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy (Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella). It is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world having been established sometime in the 13th century.

It doesn't look like much from the outside, but is quite huge….and busy. The Missus, who loves shopping was overwhelmed with what to get from the huge lists of products.

Walking around I noticed what looked like to be the old entrance from the Cloisters.

As much as the Missus likes to shop, She is easily overwhelmed. Indeed, when in places like cosmetic shops in Japan, the Missus will often send me photos of the make-up items She needs and I'll go find them by matching the photos and designs on the boxes and containers. After about twenty minutes in here, the Missus was fried.

I had noticed a little Tea Room off to the side of all the crowds.

I suggested getting a nice cup of tea before heading off. Which sounded like a good idea to the Missus.

I had a nice cup of Earl Grey. The Missus, fascinated by the offerings ordered a medicinal liquor, whoa, really sweet…..yikes!

But it was a nice break in the action.

Walking back through the store, I found something that I thought the Missus should purchase. "Acqua di Santa Maria Novella" is said to be the remedy for hysteria and the accompanying indigestion. The Missus wasn't amused.

There was one more place I wanted to visit in Florence. So we decided to head off before dinner, to find a pig. A pig? I always have some oddball items I want to see when travelling and Atlas Obscura has only fed into that desire. Earlier in the day I got to check out Galileo's middle finger, now I was after a bronze pig named Il Porcellino. It took some effort to find Mr Piggy since it's in the area of a large outdoor market. Some nice folks in a nearby restaurant helped us out when I pointed to their little brass pig in the window and asked directions.

So, the drill goes that you place a coin in the mouth of the boar and let it drop. Should it go to though the grates you are destined to have good luck. You then rub the snout, which has been polished smooth from all the folks rubbing it. This ensures you'll return to Florence someday. The coin thing is not as easy as you think. The poor Japanese fellow in front of me tried three times and it never went in. I got it on the first try!

Take that, Mr Piggy!

We decided to do something fun for dinner on this evening and headed off in the direction of Basilica de San Lorenzo.

These duo, playing in front of Monumento a Giovanni delle Bande Nere were really good so we stopped and listened to a couple of songs.

I'd read that the second floor of the Mercato Centrale housed a food court food stands that were pretty good an a lot of fun. It was fairly busy when we arrived, but I had a plan in mind.

The first stand we headed to was……

In case you don't know; tartufo means "truffle".

We ordered the Tagliolino al Tartufo Nero. I was told that these Tartufo Nero were the last of the season (it was the end of March)……it sounded like fun, so why not.

So while the Missus waited for our pasta, I went to the wine shop in the corner of the food stands. Man, the folks here were so nice….I believe the name of the shop is Enoteca Chianti Classico and it was the best glass we had in Florence, the temp was perfect, nice acid….unfortunately it was from Alsace!

Man, that was a pile of truffle on the pasta. The fragrance of the truffle was amazing, though the flavor was quite mild. There was a bit too much sauce for our taste, but the pasta was cooked perfectly. Not bad for 20 Euros. Yes, fresh pasta with truffle in a food court from a food stand.

While we were eating, we saw this huge young man….swear to god he looked like a sumo wrestler. Turns out he was Korean. He cracked us up when he looked at what folks were eating a loudly exclaimed "Paaaa-AAAstaaAAA"! He said this with such sincere joy that you couldn't help but laugh. Oh, and he did get his two plates of pasta!

Next up? After returning our wine glasses we headed to this stand near the other end of the collection of food stands.

Where I saw this sign…….

Really. Florence's ultimate street food made from the abomasum, the "fourth stomach" of the cow with truffle?

Don't mind if I do.

The fragrance of the truffle cut through some of the funky smell of the lampredotto, but didn't interfere with the gamy-offal flavor. I thought the bread was pretty good; light and yeasty. The guy also put some of the mildly spicy salsa verde on this was well. The texture was a bit tougher than versions I had in other dishes during our visit, but this wasn't bad.

The Missus also wanted the Trippa alla Fiorentina as well.

Which arrived just as the Missus got back with our next glass of wine. A nice, light Chianti. She told me the guy working the wine counter was so nice as She asked about the various wine. When She picked one out he told Her, "good, very good, you on vacation, there's no time for bad wine!" You gotta love it.

This tripe was a bit tougher than other versions, but had no off flavors, and was quite tasty overall and for 5 Euros…..

While the Missus went for dessert, I dropped off our wine glass, something I guess others don't do? I got a very nice smile and a thank you from all three folks behind the counter of the wine bar.

I then headed straight for the central bar and got the Missus an espresso and me……well, I thought a Negroni would be a nice way to end the evening.

By now, the place was getting quite busy.

So it was time to stop taking up seats and head on back to the apartment. We really had a fun time at Mercato Centrale.

Mercato Centrale Firenze
Piazza del Mercato Centrale 4
Florence, Italy
Upstairs Hours Vary from 10am – Midnight

We got back to the apartment, had the last glass of wine and went off into dreamland.

Our wonderful host, Matteo was nice enough to arrange for a taxi to the rental car stand for us. He told us, it was the best way to get there. We had gotten up fairly early and packed, our cab wasn't due until 955. Since the Baptistrey opened at 830 and was essentially right down the street we decided to head on over.

Plus, the Missus wanted to see what was behind those bronze doors.

The most striking site was the mosaic on the ceiling.

Which of the Last Judgement.

As we waited for our taxi, we watched daily life in Florence go by……

Lots of tourists yes; but daily life goes on for all the residents.

You know, we ran out of time and didn't even make it into the Duomo. So maybe Il Porcellini is right. I'm going to have to return.

Well, we were off to get our rental car…..

Next up. It's off to Parma. But first, a stop for lunch!

Thanks for stopping by!

Maestoso

April 30, 2018 mmm-yoso Italian Restaurants

**** Maestoso has closed

The Missus had really loved the pasta in Emilia-Romagna. The simple, yet perfectly executed, fantastically textured pasta. And She was craving it from the time our plane landed back in San Diego. So, I've been toying around with various pastas, some fresh, some dried, but when you get the chance to have some house made pasta, at a place where your friend from Italy (my good buddy "Al"), and even the Eater endorses, you gotta give it a shot.

Which is how we ended up in Hillcrest, in the strip mall that houses TJs, Ike's Place, and many others. Things tend to turn around quickly here…..the Hillcrest location of Tokyo Deli came…and went in the blink of an eye.

And if memory serves me right; I think this used to be Napizza. Anyway, I'd heard the place can get crowded, so the Missus and I got over to Maestoso right as they opened.

They've done a nice job with the space; there a large bar area where all the action takes place.

The menu is small and tight, with flat breads, pastas, and the rest (i.e. starters/mains).

There's also the interesting concept called "passage" ("to pass by") whereupon carts with various dishes, a la dim sum, will circulate in the dining area.

The Missus always has to order the Meatballs whenever She spies them on the menu. It was no different ere.

The two most delicious things about this dish were the amazing Parmesan sauce; milky, but not salty, tongue coatingly perfect. And the confit tomatoes, which added brightness to the dish. The meatballs were fairly mild in flavor and on the dry side, though the Missus enjoyed them.

We got the La Selvatica as the pinsa, this flat bread topped with duck and wild boar salami.

We both loved the light, but crisp texture of the bread. But this was way too sweet, which really interfered with all the other flavors.

We were both thrilled when the Tagliatelle arrived. We loved that it wasn't over sauced, it also smelled lovely.

The tomato sauce and tomato confit were very good……I always say, "it tastes like sunshine", so bright, perfectly acidic, just wonderful. We weren't as pleased with the pasta as it was too "brittle",,tearing too easily, and lacking the springy pull that we enjoy. Regardless, we loved the flavor of the dish.

The big winner of the night was the Strozzapreti, the texture of this rolled-tubular pasta was just perfect. Tender, with a nice chew to it. The texture totally reminded the Missus of the wonderful spinach strigoli we had in Modena.

The oxtail was so beefy and there was just the right amount of it, any more of it and the dish would be too rich. There wasn't much tomato in this and the "mirepoix", added some nice textural contrast as well. There's ground cocoa on the pasta, which really didn't add much to the dish. The portion size of this dish was quite large, I took the leftovers for lunch the next day and "R", who is from Torino asked me where I got this……I'm guessing he'll be visiting soon.

As we were eating, the cart came by……

And we got a nice beet salad.

That pasta….and the meatballs, meant that we'd be returning. Which we did a week or so later.

This time the meatballs were amazing……so moist and tender. There was a pleasant mild gaminess that had us almost thinking there was lamb in these.

This was just plain wonderful.

This time around we tried the Maccheroni, basically macaroni, though thinking of the typical American tubular pasta would be an insult to how good this was.

The description "al dente" is perfect for how the pasta was cooked, perfect firmness, but not hard. The tomato sauce had the brightness that we'd experienced here before. The protein was pork cheek, but we'd have been happy with the tangy-acidic tomato sauce and that wonderful Parmesan sauce.

Of course we ordered the Strozzapreti again. Though this time it was bit different.

This one had much more oxtail, which nicely balanced out by more tomato sauce this time around. It seemed like a different dish, but the flavors were just as good. The pasta was a bit too under cooked this time. Still, we're going to definitely order this again next time.

We got the quinoa salad off the cart as it passed by. It was nothing special.

We enjoyed our meals at Maestoso. I'm thinking because our meals were quite early, before the place started getting busy; there wasn't much in terms of "passagi". But that's ok, we're going to keep coming here for the pasta. Service was efficient……there's some colorful characters here; which remind us a bit of Rome; without the attitude (aka "typical Roman service per our friends from Italy"). This place just might be on our rotation soon.

Maestoso
1040 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92103
Hours:
Open Daily 5pm – 10pm

Florence – Basilica de Santa Croce, Piazzale Michelangelo, and Dinner at Il Magazzino (“The Warehouse”)

April 23, 2018 mmm-yoso Florence and Tuscany, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Memorable Meals, Travel

After a morning of visiting Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello Museum, not too mention a wonderful lunch at Sergio Gozzi, we had a nice nap. Upon wakening, the Missus was ready to go. Her destination, the view from Piazzale Michelangelo. We decided to not even look at the map and just headed off in the direction of the Arno River. We walked past a hospital, down some side streets, then crossed busy Via Verdi and ended up in front of this wonderful looking church.

At which time I took out the map. This was Piazza Santa Croce.

And the church? It was the Basilica di Santa Croce. Since it was covered by the Firenze Card, we decided to visit, and we were really glad we did.

The largest Franciscan Church in the world, it houses and impressive crucifix, of which there's a story. In 1966 Florence suffered a devastating flood, the Arno overflowed and in the Santa Croce area, the high water mark reached 22 feet! The Crucifix, built by Giovanni Cimabue in 1287 was damaged. you can read more about that here. We'd see that crucifix later on.

Another interesting set of stories is of who is….and isn't buried in the church.

There are many notable people buried here; Galileo, Rossini, Ghiberti, and Michelangelo. The photo I took of his tomb is to the right. In 1564 Michelangelo died in Rome. Pope Pius IV gave instructions that the great artist, architect, and poet was to be buried in Rome. Lionardo Buanarroti, Michelangelo's nephew, under the guise of taking care of his uncle's estate and belongings, coordinated getting Michelangelo's body smuggled out of Rome by merchants. There are more stories here. As for who isn't buried in Santa Croce, but have what I guess we can call "monuments" is Dante, who was exiled to Ravenna. When Florence demanded his remains, Ravenna refused. And so, he has a place waiting here I guess. We'd see Dante's tomb later on during the trip.

In the sacristy, you'll find the original crucifix that has been restored as much as possible.

It was approaching 5pm so we decided to head on out.

As we approached the Arno River, we could see our destination.

That's the Torre San Niccolo, once a gate to the city walls. Piazzale Michelangelo is visible on the hill above.

We crossed the river on Ponte alle Grazie and headed up the hill.

From the stairway, you can actually see parts of the old city wall.

Needless to say, the view from Piazzale Michelangelo is wonderful.

And lots of folks walk, cab, and drive it up here. Many, to take in the view, and then have some nice refreshment.

After walking down, we decided to stay on the south side of the river. I had a restaurant in mind which was located in the Oltrarno neighborhood.

A few blocks off of busy Via de Guicciardini is a quaint little square.

Sadly, our destination wasn't open yet. Nor were the doors unlocked so I could ask for reservations. On the other side of the Piazza della Passera was a café, by the name of Caffè degli Artigiani. This was one of those places…..that I wish we had here; serving everything from espresso, to beer, to wine, to cocktails, to Spritz. Feeling a bit hungry? Well, for one euro, you can fill up your plate with Apertivo, basically snacks. I'm not sure if it's all you can eat, but we saw one guy come in a fill up his plate three times!

I'd been waiting to finally get my hands on a Negroni, which was created in Florence. I've done a couple of posts on meals I've had with a Negroni or two.

This was not bad……but most of the fun was just sitting and watching all the folks come in; grab a spritz, stand at the bar or hang around the square and come back to drop off the glass when done.

Caffè degli Artigiani
Via dello Sprone 16/r
Firenze, Italy

By this time, the restaurant, named "Il Magazzino", aka "the Warehouse" was open.

Sadly, we were told they had "no tables….all reserved". The Missus asked about the outside tables and the really nice guy said, "oh no…too cold". I was a bit bummed, but that's the way it goes. As we thanked him…..he looked at us and said, "ok, you want outside….is ok…..is ok." That's how we got our dinner at Osteria Tripperia Il Magazzino.

We started with a very beefy, really nice beef tongue carpaccio.

The cheese added just the right amount of milky-saltiness to the tongue. The greens were very bitter, which I kind of enjoyed, but the Missus did not.

The Missus's favorite dish of the evening? The Ravioli di Lampredotto con Cipolla di Tropea.

I gotta say; this was super delici-yoso! The tomato sauce was just tangy enough, it tasted like sunshine! The sauce was thick and the flavor condensed which helped to balance out the strong flavor of our friend, the "fourth stomach" of the cow, which was almost buttery when minced. There was a small amount of red onion "Cipolla di Tropea" which added a bit of texture to the ravioli. The Missus is still talking about this dish.

Of course I had to try the Trippa alla Fiorentina here.

The tripe was oh so tender, and I really like the tomato sauce here. This was really good.

The Missus, still fascinated by Lampredotto ordered the Lampredotto Salcicca e Fagioli.

A nice, slightly smoky, almost Spanish style sausage, with those oh-so tasty local beans, and mildly offal-ly – beefy lampredotto.

A couple of glasses of wine; the very warm and amiable service.

Being able to watch the happenings on the local square.

The big, jolly guy working here wasn't so jolly when a guy sitting on one of the benches threw some litter on the ground. He saw it….went to the guy and made him pick it up and throw it in the trash can. We loved it!