Italy – mmm-yoso

Milan – MU Dim Sum

April 1, 2025 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Chinese BBQ, Chinese Restaurants, Fine Dining, Italy, Memorable Meals, Milan, Travel

We had enjoyed our time in Genoa and the Cinque Terre, but now it was time to head back to Milan. Our train from Genoa to Milan Central took about an hour-and-a-half. Since we had a flight the next morning, I booked a hotel fairly close to the train station.

As for dinner; well that was going to be interesting. I had taken into account the Missus's need for Asian food, but I missed the mark by one day. Still, I had made reservations for dinner at the Michelin listed Mu Dim Sum. After our rather disappointing meal at the 2 Michelin Star A Wong in London earlier during this trip, the Missus really wasn't too excited about this meal. Though I did point out that our previous foray into Chinese here in Milan at Hekfan was pretty good. Still, the Missus obviously didn't want to get Her hopes up.

As we walked to our dinner destination, I was quickly reminded that it was Halloween Eve. I never knew that Europe celebrated Halloween….but now I do.

It was a short four blocks to dinner. The restaurant is quite classy looking and rather dark.

We had a corner table. The service was quite relaxed, only one person spoke Mandarin which the Missus found interesting.

The menu is quite large; so while we looked it over, I started with……well, this is Milan…an Aperol Spritz.

The Missus was fascinated by the tea selection and ordered some tea, which She loved.

They even had a fancy hourglass for timing the tea based on type.

We placed our order and soon enough the Asume Bouche arrived. A tasty version of Million Layer Potato and a crisp-crunchy Fried Chicken "Nugget".

And soon our food started arriving. Things started on a high note as the Sweetbreads with Shiitakes and Shellfish Foam was delici-yoso!!!!

The rich buttery sweetbreads balanced with earth-tender shiitakes dancing in a shellfish based emulsion that was sweet-savory-umami-oceany.

Next up was one of my favorite crustaceans, Mantis Shrimp.

You know how I love Mantis Shrimp, right? The Soy-Sake sauce was light, not overly sweet, and didn't interfere with the wonderful sweet and tender shrimp. My favorite item of the meal.

The Mushroom and Truffle Crystal Dumplings were delicious as well.

The filling was so earthy-savory, with the black truffle flavor coming thru clearly. The wrapper was a bit thick, but had a decent "pull" to them.

The wrapper on the Spicy Duck Ragout was quite good, nice stretch, not brittle.

Didn't care much for the overall flavor as the salt and seasonings overshadowed the duck. It was quite salty.

We got one each of the Regular and the Black Char Siu Bao.

The filling was fairly tender, not overly sweet, very classic seasoning. The regular bao was a bit too wet and doughy. The "Black Bao", obviously made with activated charcoal had an almost gritty-crunchy texture, though the flavor was less sweet, but not substantially different from the "regular" one.

The next three dishes came out all at once.

The Missus was told by the one person who spoke Mandarin that the Char Siu was made from pork neck. We did like the toothsome texture and the strong porkiness.

The pork was nicely seasoned with five spice, white pepper, and salt. Instead of being highly glazed it was sauced which dampened the savory-sweetness a bit; but this was pretty good. The Missus enjoyed the fermented cabbage.

The Tripe was a bit harder than I like, but the flavor of ginger came thru quite nicely.

This was nice and savory and frankly better than many versions I've had here in the states.

IMG_3285b The Peking Duck was "almost there". The fat had been nicely rendered, but the skin was still a bit rubbery. The flesh was very tender, the flavors spot on, good gamey-earthy notes, five spice, a hint of sweetness. The dan bing weren't up to the task and tore easily. Still, the duck was not bad at all.

We took the dessert with us to go and the Missus had them to finish up Her evening in our room.

We had enjoyed this meal. Who'd have thought, not one, but two decent Chinese dinners in Milan? The service here was a bit spotty, but the Missus enjoyed the tea, we liked most of the dishes, and would gladly dine here again. And of course….the sweetbreads and mantis shrimp!

MU Dimsum
Via Aminto Caretto 3
Milano, Italy

The next morning, we headed out early, up Via Napo Torriani to Milano Centrale. Passing quite a few interesting things along the way. Like the church pictured below.

That's the Santuario di San Camillo de Lellis, a Catholic Church.

And while there was nothing that would quite match the sculpture L.O.V.E. which I made a point to see earlier during our stay, there is the sculpture below right in front of the Central Station.

It is a work by Michelangelo Pistoletto named The Big Apple of Milan.

While we had flown into Milan landing at Milan Linate Airport, we would be flying out of Milan Malpensa Airport. We caught the first available train from the station to MXP which took about 50 minutes or so.

We were flying out on Air France….you can figure where we were headed right? Anyway, since we had first class tickets, we had use of the lounge which was surprisingly empty.

Which meant I could get some lunch before our flight.

Our next stop was my favorite city in Europe, so I was quite happy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Genoa – Ravioli Orientali

March 15, 2025 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italy, Travel

We were pretty full as we sauntered back to our room after our traditional food tour of the city.

We took a nice little break before heading back out. We strolled around thinking of what to get for dinner.

I was ready to get a final meal of Trofie al Pesto……and the subliminal hints were there.

But I could tell that the Missus had gotten Her fill. She was having "Asian food withdrawals" and sorely wanted something to fulfill that need. But we were in Genoa!

Then I recalled seeing a tiny shop during our walk the previous evening named Ravioli Orientali right down the street. I know, dumplings in Genoa? But the Missus needed Her fix, so we walked over to find that the place was open.

It had started drizzling as we walked over; nature setting a "trap" perhaps? So we took the bait and scooted on in.

It was interesting as the two guys working were of African descent, but all the dumplings were being made by hand.

So, we placed our order and started with a Tsingtao (of course). Aaah, this was "nice to have around" indeed!

About this time a family of four, mom, dad, and two sons walked into the restaurant. The youngest boy was super interested and excited. He also spoke perfect English as he walked over and asked us, "are you the owners?" After all, we were the only Asians in the place, right? We cracked up and said no, but also offered to help with the ordering. The parents wanted a beer and we recommended and ordered the Tsingtao for them. The parents weren't interested in any food as they had already had dinner, but the boys were.

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The gentleman working tried to explain things; but only spoke Italian, so the Missus, charmed by the young man stepped in. And when She explained what Xiao Long Bao was, his face lit up, he had heard of "soup dumplings" and he spoke to his parents….turns out they are from Romania and were spending a month traveling. And so they ordered some jiaozi and XLB.

We got the XLB and one each of the Baozi.

The wrappers on the XLB were too thick and gummy; but there was actually "soup" in them, the filling was very "oinky", great pork flavor, and surprisingly tender! Better than much of what we have here in San Diego!

IMG_3222b The texture of the baozi dough was not as fluffy as I enjoy; but it had a hint of sweetness and was not bad. We enjoyed the pork version more….pork here is mighty tasty. There were hints of sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce….not sure how easy it is to get it in Genoa, but this was pretty good overall.

Much better than what we expected.

As for the family….well, they placed two more orders for XLB! We asked the young man what he thought of the dumplings and he said "it's the second best food we've had on this trip!" What was the first? "We could not eat enough kebabs in Istanbul!" You know, I give the boys parents a lot of credit, you could tell they weren't interested in trying any dumplings or baozi, but they encouraged their son to try it! They fed his curiosity and passion. Who knows, a few decades from now he could be Romania's Anthony Bourdain!

Ravioli Orientali
Piazza della Raibetta 4
Genova, Italy

In a way Ravioli Orientali exemplifies what Genova was to us. We arrived not knowing what to expect and were gleefully surprised at what we encountered.

We took a short stroll before heading back to our room, through the atmospheric caruggi, totally enjoying the evening in spite of the drizzle.

Walking thru the porticos, back to the hotel for the final time, we celebrated the fact that Genova had exceeded all our expectations……

As we hope to return someday, as we had only dipped our toes into the vast ocean of what Genoa has to offer!

Thanks for stopping by!

Genoa – Traditional Food Tour

March 14, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Travel

Over the years, the Missus and I have become advocates of small group or private traditional food tours with locals. Especially in places that have so much to offer like Emilia – Romana or places like Genoa; where we weren't too familiar with the traditional cuisine. And I thought since we basically spending one full day in the city, we might enjoy walking the streets and tasting traditional cuisine. After doing a bit of research; I settled on Do Eat Better Experience's Traditional Genoa Food Tour.

We met at Vascello Neptune, a replica of a 17th century Galleon that was actually created for the movie Pirates.

Located at the Old Port, Porto Antico, it was just two blocks away from our hotel.

It was a small group; just 8 of us. Funny thing, 4 of the folks were actually on a cruise that stopped in Genoa for a day.

We strolled past the Palazzo San Giorgio, which I mentioned in an earlier post.

And were off to "graze"….

It was a drizzly day, but not too cold.

The Missus and I hadn't really heard a lot about Genoa and were quite taken by all the ornate sculptures and monuments, like this one of the Virgin Mary in the cornerstone of a building.

Our first stop was a little shop to try traditional Focaccia Genovese.

The focaccia cannot be thicker than 2 centimeters and it is lightly coated with Ligurian Olive Oil. The crust is crisp, the interior very light, and it is a staple of the typical Genovese diet.

Focaccia e Dintorni
Via di Canneto Il Curto 54
Genova, Italy

The next stop was this little shop.

That's our guide Marina above. The place smelled heavenly!

Here we got to try Farinata which the locals call Fainá, a flat bread made of chickpea flour, quite nutty with the olive oil flavor coming thru. And Focaccia al Formaggio (aka Focaccia di Recco) which is two thin layers of slightly flaky dough with Stracchino Cheese in the middle. The Village of Recco is most famously known for making this layered focaccia.

Le Delizie dell'Amico
Via di Canneto Il Lungo 31r
Genova, Italy

We passed some interesting looking buildings and churches as we made our north to our next stop.

Which was this restaurant.

Here we had Pesto Lasagne and Minestrone alla Genovese.

The lasagne was quite rich and I was told that it is typical to use a bechamel in this version. The minestrone was quite hearty. Both were bursting with peppery Ligurian pesto flavor.

Ristorante Zimino
Vico delle Scuole Pie 4
Genova, Italy

By this time, it became quite obvious that we needed a short break so we strolled over to bustling Piazza San Lorenzo.

And were given some time to explore the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo (Genoa Cathedral).

Apparently, there has been a church here since the 5th or 6th century. This version was first completed in the 11th century.

The altar is quite stunning and there's a ton to see here, but we only had 30 minutes, so we just wandered around.

This is the tomb of Ibleto_Fieschi.

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There are two lion sculptures at the entrance to the Cathedral. The one to the left is famous for looking very sad.

From here we headed more inland, to the East.

We actually passed Christopher Columbus's House, but that photo didn't turn out.

And then we got to our next stop.

Where we had a wine tasting…..

And more wonderful focaccia…..

Topped with a variety of items; pesto (of course), local cheese, salumi……

Man, I was stuffed!

Locanda Tortuga
Via di Ravecca 13r
Genova, Italy

At this point, the folks on the cruise had to head back, and we bade them farewell.

There was just one more stop. Down a quiet alleyway was this chocolate shop.

Which has been around since 1866!

We went to the gelato portion. Then over at the chocolate shop, the Missus stocked up a bit.

Cioccolateria Romeo Viganotti
Vico dei Castagna 14R
Genova, Italy

From here, we strolled back to the Porta Soprana, one of the two surviving ancient gates of the Walls of Genoa.

Where Marina bade us farewell and gave us instructions on how to get back to Porto Antico….which was straight down the street!

Overall, we enjoyed this tour, it was fun tasting and getting a better understanding of Genovese Cuisine.

But now it was time for a nap!

Genoa – Vegia Zena

March 8, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Seafood, Travel

We enjoyed the nice walk along Porto Antico as we strolled back to our hotel.

Yes, it was somewhat touristy….check out all the cruise ships.

But, things were still pretty relaxed and mellow. And the ship were already leaving port as we passed.

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We checked into our hotel and tried to figure out where to get dinner; I wasn't able to get reservations at my first two choices, so I did the obvious. I strolled down to the front desk and asked the really friendly gentleman working for a recommendation of a place that made good local style cuisine. He told me that when he has friends and family staying nearby, he recommends Vegia Zena. He told me look at what the other tables of locals were getting and not pay attention too much to the English menu. The place was a short two streets away, tucked down one of the atmospheric "caruggi"; the alleyways that weave thru the city.

We found the restaurant and entered. It was very brightly lit in comparison to the caruggi. The place was half full; we were quickly seated.

And two menus; basically placemats were placed on the table; one with the Italian menu; the other with an "English" menu. As you can see; the Italian menu had many more items.

Some bread and foccacia were quickly provided.

The foccacia was quite good; crisp, then soft, light saltiness……I got a hint of why folks had mentioned focaccia Genovese to me!

We placed our orders….this being Genova; home to the world pesto championships, of course I had to get the Trofie al Pesto.

While being perhaps a bit over-sauced; the pesto tasted so fresh; peppery-garlic tones-I could really taste the pine nuts in this! Oh the peppery-anise flavors as well. The pasta was perfectly cooked; the slight "twists" holding the sauce well. This was our fourth Trofie al Pesto in Liguria….I could tell the Missus was getting tired of it; though I could have kept on having it!

One thing the Missus wasn't tired of was the seafood; especially the Mussels.

This was a huge portion. Sweet, plump, wonderful brininess….no grit to be found!

For our final item; I had noticed a dish that looked quite good on another table; so I discreetly pointed it out to our Server and ordered it.

Not quite sure what the name of the dish was…I'm thinking it's the Misto Mare Vegia Zena? Man, more wonderful mussles; that langostino! The highlight was the stack of pesto enriched seafood in the middle of the plate. It was so delici-yoso!!!!

And the Missus enjoyed Her dessert.

The meal was a pleasant surprise and the nice fellow at the hotel desk earned himself a good tip as well!

Service was a bit on the serious side; except for the woman working who was quite nice. Overall, a very nice meal!

Vegia Zena
Vico del Serriglio 15R
Genova, Italy

After dinner we took a stroll away from the port and down the alleyways into the city.

Getting a first glance at some of the more ornate buildings heading to the historical center of the city.

Until we got to the Basilica of the Santissima Annunziata del Vastato.

From here we decided to head on back to the hotel. I'd become quite interested in the cuisine of Liguria; so much like we did in Emilia-Romana, we'd be doing a small group food and history tour the following day.

So it was time to head back to our room and get some rest!

Thanks for stopping by!

Genoa – Antica Friggitoria Carega and Eataly

February 22, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Markets & Grocers, Seafood, Travel

We were sad to leave the Cinque Terre. We had really enjoyed our stay. My first instinct when planning our trip was to head back to Milan. But while planning things out, I watched Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy and in the episode on Liguria he visited Genoa and basically indicated that it was the "home of pesto". The episode featured a restaurant, Il Genovese, yes I made sure to call Genoa, "Genova" during my time in Italy. Anyway, the owner of the restaurant established the Pesto World Championship. And heck, we'd had pesto almost everyday during our stay in Liguria, so it made sense to stay in the city, right?

It was a mere hour-and-a-half train ride from Monterosso to the main train station in Genoa. We were staying in near the Old Port, Porto Antico. It was an interesting half hour walk from the train station as we got an introduction to the Caruggi di Genova, the narrow alleyways of the city. Our hotel, the Best Western Hotel Porto Antico Genoa was right down one of these side streets. We had arrived too early to check in, so we stored our luggage and went for a walk.

There are quite a few things to see in the area. It seemed quite touristy during the days, but quiet during the evenings. We quickly figured out things when we saw two cruise ships in port. Still, in spite of having a population of over a half-million, things seemed so relaxed.

It was interesting to watch folks line up for the Bigo a lift on cranes which give you views of the city.

We decided to just relax, especially after all the walking and hiking we did in the Cinque Terre. Just take our two nights and enjoy things.

While walking down the lovely porticos of the waterfront we noticed this little shop. The smell of frying seafood wafting in the air.

Looking things over, we got a "Misto a Piacere" (mixed seafood), "medio" (medium) for a mere 9,5€!

The Missus didn't want the calamari, so we got just the Gamberi Fritti (Shrimp) and Fritto di Pesce (Anchovy). Man the shrimp was fried nicely, still crisp, and quite briny-sweet.

I loved the crisp-savory anchovy. Like I said before, the seafood in Liguria!

Nothing like some good fry-o-lated seafood to get started in Genoa!

Antica Friggitoria Carega
Via di Sottoripa 113r
Genova, Italy

We decided do a bit more exploring before heading back to the hotel. There's quite a bit to do. The Genoa Aquarium is right across…well, across and under highway SS1 which hugs the shoreline, there's Vascello Neptune, a replica of a Spanish Galleon. It was market day at the port.

Part of which ran right under the highway.

We took our time checking things out.

And though we didn't find anything we were interested in; this little one seemed to be happy with its purchase!

We passed this historic building. It's the Palazzo San Giorgio, which is currently the HQ of the Port Authority. This lovely building was built in the 13th Century and the palace was once a prison.

Which housed the one and only Marco Polo. It is said that during his time in the prison, Marco Polo dictated his travels to a fellow prisoner; the writer Rustichello da Pisa. The manuscript which eventually became The Travels of Marco Polo!

A bit further down the port we noticed a location of Eataly.

Well, we'd been to Eataly locations in Copenhagen, Florence, and Bologna, so we thought why not check it out?

As always, there's much to tempt you if you have the $$$$ or in this case the €€€€.

The cheese looked quite enticing, but we were only spending two nights in the city.

And we'd find better ways to spend our Euros.

Still, it was a fun exploring…..

Eataly Genova
Edificio Millo, Calata Cattaneo 15
Genova, Italy

As we left the shop, we figured it was time to check in and take a break before heading out to dinner.

We were enjoying our time in Genova!

Thanks for stopping by!

Liquria – Visiting Levanto, a Pesto Class at Cinque Sensi, and dinner at Taverna del Capitano (Vernazza)

February 1, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Seafood, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

We were at the train station in Corniglia, wondering what to do. Well, we had already been to all five villages of the Cinque Terre, but I had an idea. The Northernmost stop on the train route is the town of Levanto, known for the beaches, surfing, and resorts. Getting there from Corniglia took less than 15 minutes!

It was about a fifteen minute walk from the train station into the Old Town. There's a daily market in the covered market hall, but it had already closed when we arrived.

We walked into the Old Town on Via Garibaldi where a gate dating from the 1700's marks the start of a charming pedestrian only street.

It was so calm on this day….which was a Saturday!

Via Dante Alighieri is one of the streets that go to the beach.

Interestingly, there's a "promenade" that rises above the shore, you need to cross thru one of passages under the promenade or go up cross the street, then back down the other side to access the beach.

It was quite a lovely winter day and not very crowded. We loved watching this pooch enjoying his "back scratch" moment!

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There were folks enjoying a winter days at the beach and a couple of surfers as well.

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I was told Levanto is a nice option to the busy Cinque Terre as it is still a short train ride from the villages, has beaches, is cheaper, and a bit more laid back.

I've also read that there's quite a bit to see and do beyond the beach as well.

And lots of history as well.

As for us, well we just did a quick hour or so walk before heading back to Vernazza.

Well, in contrast to Levanto, Vernazza was buzzing on this Saturday afternoon.

The Missus wanted to do some shopping then relax. So, I decided to take a pesto class, wine and olive oil tasting at one of the wine bars right past the train station.

I had noticed that Cinque Sensi had pesto classes three times a day; the 3pm and 530 pm classes also did a wine and olive oil tasting. Not cheap at 50 Euros, but this ended up being a lot of fun.

I learned that there are over 60 varieties of basil in Liguria! Also, you should never use a food processor; heat is the enemy of basil, so the colder the temp the better.

And of course, we had to pick the basil leaves by hand!

First crush the garlic; then the pine nuts. You add salt to the mortar, then the basil leaves and crush. To types of cheese are used Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Sardo.

This is what my final product looked like.

Of course, just as we were about to taste guess who showed up? Yep, so the Missus got a chance to taste the pesto, which She said was delicious and could not believe I made. And also some wine and olive oil.

This was a fun hour-and-a-half class.

Cinque Sensi Vernazza
Via Roma 71
Vernazza, Italy

We took another stroll down to the piazza and harbor.

It was much calmer on this afternoon.

We then headed back to the flat and took a break. And since I know, no post in Vernazza is complete without a photo of stairs…..

This was the view from the living room as the sun went down.

We decided to head on down to the harbor and piazza for our last meal in Vernazza. This being the winter season, not all the restaurant are open. The only other place we hadn't tried was next to Ananasso Bar, a place specializing is seafood named Taverna del Capitano. We had been forewarned that the service here was awful, but we decided to go ahead and try it out. A big plus was that it was a decent evening and we had a table outside.

And our experience with the service was fine. A bit slow, but of course a Negroni makes everything better right?

The bread offered was terrible; sorry to say I forgot to take a photo. Our strategy stayed the same; go for local seafood, don't order anything too fancy, keep it simple. Which worked out for us again.

The smoked swordfish was quite meaty; though not as "smoky" in flavor as we like. The Balsamic did add some personality to the dish which would have been pretty bland otherwise.

The house preparation of Anchovy – three ways was a winnah!

We were told that these came from Monterosso; the fried version was crisp and salty; so umami. The version with lemon was tart and rich, the soaked in olive oil on the potent oily-rich scale. All different, all enjoyable in their own way.

Of course we got the Mussels.

Plump, sweet, this version had more butter and a more pronounced acidity, which really added to the flavors. We polished it off in no time.

Not a bad last dinner at all!

Taverna del Capitano
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 21
Vernazza, Italy

Now here's were it gets a bit interesting. Remember how I mentioned that being in a little village during the slow season means you'll notice things? Well, while we were eating, we noticed this woman having a drink at Taverna del Capitano.

Well, we had seen her the night before having a drink at Ananasso Bar and then at the bar at Gianni Franzi and on our first night at the bar across from 5 Terre Bistrot. Always alone; always wearing the white jacket.

We went to have a drink to mark our last evening in Vernazza at Ananasso Bar.

And guess who was getting another drink there?

By this time we'd gotten to know one of the Servers at Ananasso Bar and we mentioned the woman to him. He looked at us and smiled saying "ah yes, mystery woman, she showed up a few weeks back by herself and has been here since!" Mystery woman?!??!

Oh the stories that must ride the tides in the Cinque Terre!

Well, for us it was getting late, it was time to head on back to finish packing and hopefully get a good night sleep before heading out the next day.

The next morning we did the typical espresso routine, took a last stroll around the town, packed, then dropped off the keys to the flat at one of the restaurants. We caught our train to Monterosso for our transfer to Genoa.

There's a nice bar/cafe at the train station, Bar Della Stazione, which has a nice view.

The Missus and I got a caffeine fix and shared a panini for a light lunch.

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And soon we were off to our next stop; Genoa! It was going to be interesting to see how we'd deal with a big city after enjoying the relaxed confines of winter in the Cinque Terre!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cinque Terre – Castello Doria (Vernazza), Corniglia, and Caffè Matteo (Corniglia)

January 31, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Croissants, Italy, Travel

It was our third full day in the Cinque Terre, but it for some reason, it felt like we'd been here for a while. We kept running into a very friendly Aussie couple, like 2-3 times a day. They were staying in a flat we could see from our window with a patio overlooking the sea. We'd see them having wine every evening. We gotta stay there next time!

By now, our morning coffee routine was a visit to Ananasso Bar.

Where the views from one of the tables overlooking the harbor is wonderful.

The wind and the rain from the night before had made for fairly clear skies and the winter air was crisp.

This seemed like a perfect time to visit Castello Doria (Doria Castle) and the tower of the ruins which stands on the edge of a ridge overlooking the village and the sea. Of course, there were a good number of stairs to climb!

The views from the tower are fantastic; especially on a clear day like this was.

From one side you could see the south shoreline.

From the other the North.

And of course a postcard view of Vernazza below.

While admiring the views, the Missus and I discussed our plans for the day. Well, it ended up being pretty easy; we'd been to four of the five villages f the Cinque Terre. There was just one left, Corniglia. We decided we needed to complete the "set".

So, it was back to the apartment to get our stuffs….yes, more stairs…..

On the way up to the train station, we decided to take a peek at the tiny chapel on the main street, Via Roma.

This lovely little temple is the Chapel of Santa Marta.

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And then we were off to Corniglia; the train there takes only 4 minutes! Corniglia has the distinction of being the only one of the five villages not on the ocean; instead it is perched on a hill above the water. Though the train station is at the bottom of the hill.

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So, to get up to this village of 150, you need to catch the shuttle……or…..

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Yep, you guessed it; take the stairs, all 382 of them! Guess which option the Missus picked?

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No, I didn't count them. It actually wasn't too bad because they were nicely maintained and quite even.

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Once near the top, you simply walk thru some narrow streets and end up where the shuttle buses actually stop.

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We strolled along Via Stazione into the charming little village. And ended up at a lovely little square in front of a church.

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This is the lovely Chiesa Di San Pietro.

Which was built way back in 1334!

While enjoying the white marble interior, we quickly noticed a pooch walking thru the church. The dog had a harness on and we thought he was with the nice gentleman and his son. However, when they left the church, the pup did not!

He just hung around and greeted people.

And when folks started coming in for what appeared to be services, he took his leave! Such a well mannered pooch!

You'd weave your way between buildings.

And then suddenly find yourself on the edge with a view.

Crossing over we entered what looked like the "downtown" of Corniglia, there were some cafes and restaurants and a nice little square. And an interesting chapel.

With an even more interesting…and kinda gory statue in the front.

Later on, I did a search in Google maps and found that this is the Cappella dei Flagellati Corniglia, the "Chapel of the Flagellants". Which explains the statue; because you know what Flagellants are, right?

It's quite a lovely area.

Following the instructions of Rick Steves Cinque Terre guide we walked down the little street named Via Fieschi.

Which led us to a lovely terrace known as Santa Maria Belvedere, which had beautiful 180 degree views of the Ligurian Coast.

Corniglia was so chill!

We decided to get a very light brunch and some espresso and headed back to the square, Largo Taragio. Where the Caffè Matteo was doing some good business! This was the most folks we saw in Corniglia.

And they had a bunch of breakfast deals going.

The Missus got a croissant and coffee for 3 Euros; I got the croissant, coffee, and OJ for 5 Euros. The prices were indeed quite fair; even though the croissant, as expected was not very good.

The exterior hard, the interior too brady and doughy, not enough butter…but of course, we expected that.

Between the carbs and the coffee; well, that was enough to keep us until later in the day.

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And at 8 Euros for two?

Caffè Matteo
Via Fieschi 157
Corniglia, Italy

And carbs were good, because well, remember those 382 steps???

I also loved this sign that was in the cafe…..

As the Missus and I waited for the train; we made a decision on where we'd be going to next….since we'd been to all five villages in the Cinque Terre; we thought we'd visit one to the North where the local train ended.

Stay Tuned!

Cinque Terre – Back to Monterosso al Mare, Aperitivo at Ananasso Bar, and Dinner at Gambero Rosso (Vernazza)

January 18, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Cocktails, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Seafood, Travel

After enjoying our time in Riomaggiore and Manarola, the Missus decided She wanted to revisit Monterosso. Which was not a big deal since it was just a 12 minute train ride to Monterosso and boy was I happy we weren't hiking there! My knees were still stiff from that one! Like before, we got out at the station in the New Town and walked thru the tunnel to the Old Town. This time we went further up the main street, Via Roma.

Along the way, we came across something that kinda reminded us of Japan in a way. A vending machine. This one is like a portable pharmacy!

We enjoyed doing the "Flâneur" thing. After a busy morning, just wandering in the largest village of the Cinque Terre with a "massive" population of 1,300, away from the major tourist stops was relaxing.

It gave us time to really appreciate the beautiful colors of the Cinque Terre.

As we got closer to the train tracks and the shoreline more businesses appeared, but because this was the winter season, things seemed quite sedate.

Sometimes, just meandering around can be more fun then having to see all the required sights.

As we headed back to the New Town and the train station, the Missus decided She wanted another gelato from Gelateria La Scogliera. And of course we needed to sit and have that view of the bay as well.

Gelateria La Scogliera
Via Fegina 20
Monterosso al Mare, Italy

Back in Vernazza, we climbed those stairs back to the apartment and relaxed, before heading back out. We strolled down Via Visconti toward the breakwater to get that "typical" view of Vernazza Harbor and Piazza Guglielmo Marconi.

It seems that more than a few folks had the same idea in mind.

Then it was time for something I'd really taken to during our stay in Milan; aperitivo time. And the lovely Piazza Guglielmo Marconi seemed like the perfect place.

So, we were back at Ananasso Bar, where we'd had our morning espresso. We actually sat at the two top right out the door of the shop. And guess who decided to take a "break" below my seat?

Yep, it was the ferocious feline we saw earlier in the day! Of course, I wasn't going to try to make it move, nor even bother it at all!

As for our aperotivo.

The Missus ordered the "non si sa", the "bartender's choice"! In this case an interesting aperol with tequila and mezcal, which was right down the Missus's alley. I got the Negroni Basilico; made with Cinque Terre Basil and Cocchi Americano which added a nice bitter-sweet tone; the basil added some interesting peppery-anise flavors.

Ananasso Bar
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 30
Vernazza, Italy

We also got some free entertainment, courtesy of this fellow.

I guess he's one of the caretakers of the piazza. He came on down singing, greeting everyone, playing "air guitar" on his broom!

Such a nice and friendly fellow.

By this time, the waves started picking up.

Quite dramatically.

At one point, the first couple of tables nearest the beach on the piazza got splashed. I'm glad we sat where we did!

For dinner, we picked a spot next to Gianni Franzi where we'd had dinner the previous night. We were told that Gambero Rosso was the "finest" restaurant in the area, so we had to check it out, right?

It had started drizzling and the waves were pounding the shore, so we dined in the warm, stone walled dining room.

The service was a bit rushed, but the place was pretty busy. Prices were a bit more than on the previous night. Sticking with local seafood/products and uncomplicated dishes had served us well thus far so we weren't going to deviate.

First up was the Misto de Acciughe alla Gambero Rosso. The house style anchovies. Basically both fried and filet of anchovies.

These were fine; the fried version crisp and savory, the salted filets fine, though not as full of umami as we'd had the night before.

The Trofie al Pesto was better than we'd had the previous night, though not as enjoyable as what we'd had at 5 Terre Bistrot.

The real "winnah" of the evening were the Mussels. Oh my, so plump, mildly sweet – oceany, not a bit of grit to be found!

Cooked simply and perfectly. We plowed thru this in no time!

Like I said, simple and local…….

Ristorante Il Gambero Rosso
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 7
Vernazza, Italy

Things were quite damp when we left the restaurant. And not all of it due to the mild drizzle.

Looking between the buildings you could see what the waves had brought ashore. In fact, waves were hitting the window of the living room of the apartment! I wish I had taken a photo of that!

We were really enjoying ourselves. The charming and colorful villages, the views, the wildness of the sea….but, to be honest, it was those little special moments that really made our stay memorable!

Cinque Terre – Morning Coffee at Ananasso Bar, Checking Out Riomaggiore and Manarola

January 17, 2025 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italy, Travel

**** No food in this one, but if you'd like to see where we visited in Riomaggiore and Manarola read on!

We woke early on our second morning in Vernazza. We walked on over to Piazza Guglielmo Marconi and took a look at the waves breaking. Yes, it was fall and it was pretty rough out there. Right at the end of the piazza and on the harbor is the popular Ananasso Bar, which serves coffee in the mornings and cocktails during the evening.

A nice espresso.

We'd end up stopping by on our next morning as well.

You get a front row seat of the harbour as well!

Ananasso Bar
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 30
Vernazza, Italy

Speaking of a front row seat. During rough seas, the fishermen will bring their boats ashore and while passing among the boats we heard a loud whimper and saw a large Golden Retreiver run to it's owner for comfort. What was the cause for this distress. Well, the source soon walked out from among the boats…..

Like I mentioned in a previous post, these cats have no fear and apparently are not to be trifled with. We saw this feline hiss at a couple who tried to pet it making them back away, it also scared away a fairly large mutt on the next morning. After my previous experience with a "Killer Pussy" on Easter Island, I knew better than to mess with them!

After our coffee we headed on out. We decided on visiting the two southern most villages of the Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore and Manarola. We went and purchased the two day train card at the stop in Vernazza. This gave us free access to the La Spezia – Cinque Terre – Levanto railway line, free use of restrooms, etc. It took us just 10 minutes by train from Vernazza to Riomaggiore, the second largest of the five villages. It's an interesting train station, overlooking a ravine. You access the village via a tunnel.

From there we got onto Via Telemaco Signorini and walked on up to the village.

It's a fairly steep hike, but the views are quite fabulous.

We took a turn around the bend and found the stairs (yep more stairs!) up to Castello di Riomaggiore.

The hulking structure, built in the 13th century, has some pretty nice views, though it wasn't open to visitors. There's also an interesting small church the Oratorio di San Rocco which was built to commemorate the end of the plague.

Walking inland along Via Pecunia, you'll get some nice views of the town.

Via Pecunia ends at a piazza where the Church of San Giovanni Battista stands.

The grey stone church stands above the village. While originally constructed in 1340 and dedicated to John the Baptist, the church went thru a huge renovation in 1870.

From here we headed down to the main street of the village; Via Colombo.

At the end of Via Colombo was one of my favorite spots on this trip. As you approach the train tracks, you'll find stairs leading up to a square. This is Piazza Vignaioli and is right above the train tracks.

And also nice views of the lovely pastel colored buildings in the town.

But what really caught our attention were the views of the "harbor"….I'll just use quotes on that. Because of the rather rough weather, the boats had been pulled up onto the square…which really look like the street! It really look like the waves are breaking on the village streets.

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Quite dramatic looking, huh?

On our next stop, we were going from the second largest, to the second smallest village in the Cinque Terre, Manarola with a population of about 350. And in keeping with the number 2, the train ride from Riomaggiore to Manarola takes about 2 minutes! The village is tucked into a ravine and to get to it from the train station means a 200 yard walk thru a tunnel. The tunnel opens right up in the center of town, which was pretty busy on this day.

The view from the harbor was lovely and you can see the trail that we took along the vineyards to the cemetery…with of course, a wonderful view a short time later.

We then headed back up the main street, lined with shops and restaurants, for some reason, this seemed to be the most touristy of the villages.

The higher up into the the village, the less tourists we saw.

As you get to the bend in the road you'll come across a large water wheel.

Manarola is the oldest of villages in the Cinque Terre, supposedly dating back to the 13th century founded by the Romans. The town was built alongside a large creek and according to the story there was a large waterwheel (magna rota in Latin) in the village from which it got it's name .

Things seemed a lot quieter here.

And so it seemed like a nice time for a Limonata break.

Before heading onward.

We finally came upon the trail we were looking for. It was right next to this church.

This is the Church of San Lorenzo which dates back to 1338.

The namesake of the church is Saint Lawrence, who is the patron saint of the Cinque Terre. I found the ceiling fresco to be quite "interesting". It has San Lorenzo holding a grill…..

The grill "gridiron" is the symbol of San Lorenzo as he was roasted alive on it. It is the symbol of his martyrdom!

To quote the Wikipedia page:

After the martyr had suffered pain for a long time, the legend concludes, he cheerfully declared: "I'm well done on this side. Turn me over!"

Thus Saint Lawrence is not only the patron saint of Cooks, but also the patron saint of comedians as well!

Turning back down the street, next to a wine bar you'll see the sign for Trail 502C. This trail heads up past lovely vineyards to the cemetery, which of course means that the best views.

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I mentioned that cemeteries were moved out of villages for hygienic purposes and many seemed to have ended up on hills with wonderful views.

From the cemetery, you can take some stairs and end up with amazing views!

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Check out the harbor and breakwater!

We then took Via di Corniglia back to the town and the train station.

Since it was still fairly early, the Missus decided that we should head back to Monterosso before calling it a day!

Cinque Terre – Passo del Termine, Monterosso, Gelateria La Scogliera, and Trattoria Gianni Franzi

January 10, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Desserts, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Seafood, Travel

So, on our first morning, the Missus was rarin' to go. She wanted to do the typical hike from Vernazza to Monterosso. Unfortunately, due to some landslides that oceanside hike was not available. So, instead it was decided to do the Via Passo del Termine route, which is over 4 miles long and considered at challenging route, sigh.

Instead of starting where the Alltrails hike starts, we went up to the beginning of Via Brigate Partigiane, like we did the previous day.

Because frankly, the views are fabulous.

And also because of the lovely, serene cemetery that resides on a hilltop.

Those "residing" here have one of the most beautiful views of the village. You can read more about it in this post by Rick Steves. Cemeteries were located outside of town by law for hygenic reasons in the early 19th century.

And then we were back on the trail again.

Sometimes you'd get a peak at Vernazza below.

And soon we ended up in a clearing and this church.

This is the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Reggio. And right on the other side is a road that leads to Highway 51.

It was fairly easy to find our way as you'll look for the "signs"…..

We started walking among the terraces; grapes were grown along the steep hills. There were often these devices on rails that went up and down the terraces so folks could maintain and harvest the grapes.

From here we walked along the highway, until we saw the signs indicating the way to Monterosso. At that point we got back onto the trail. This would be the last view of Vernazza on the trail.

And of course, what goes up, must come down.

And soon enough we could see Monterosso in the distance.

And then it was really "downhill all the way". Alltrails says the elevation gain is 1,771 feet and my knees could feel every foot as we descended. Said joints didn't recover until we were in Paris later on during the trip.

Somehow, we ended up in Centro Storico, the Old Town of Monterosso. Monterosso al Mare is made up of two distinct "towns" which are separated by a pedestrian tunnel. One of the first buildings we saw was the Oratorio di Santa Croce o dei Bianchi.

In need of a break, we decided to take a look inside.

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The Oratory was built in the 15th century as is named for the brotherhood, who ran the hospital and dressed in white (Bianchi) robes.

From here we headed toward the shore on the main street in the Old Town, Via Roma.

Taking time to stop at a few more churches; the Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista….

And the Oratorio Mortis et Orationis – Confraternita dei Neri.

Basically, the Oratory of the Dead.

So, we'd seen the "White Brotherhood"; this was the home of the "Black Brotherhood" who took care of burials for those who could not afford it. The interior is adorned with skeletons and skulls.

Eventually, you get to the railroad tracks….the actual station is in the New Town and right past the tracks is the beach.

Monterosso is the "resort" town of the Cinque Terre with hotels and beaches.

We took the pedestrian tunnel over to the New Town. And took a stroll along the Fegina, the waterfront of the New Town. This being winter, things were quite peaceful and relaxed. That's the distinctive "Eden Rock" in the photo below.

At about this time, I wanted a break. It was indeed winter, but I thought some gelato would be nice. And this shop is right along Via Fegina.

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And the tables with a view of the beach across from the shop were unoccupied. It was a nice and refreshing stop.

And the view was wonderful as well.

Gelateria La Scogliera
Via Fegina 20
Monterosso al Mare, Italy

After a nice break, we strolled, or in my case "lurched" our way to the Monterosso Train Station…. I'm kinda glad the Blue Trail back to Vernazza was closed due to blockage because there ain't no way I'd make it back.

Needless to say, it was nice to be able to rest my aching knees back at the apartment. When dinner time came around we picked a spot that had been recommended to us; Trattoria Gianni Franzi, which was located right on Piazza Guglielmo Marconi.

The waves were riding high on this day and it had started drizzling so there would be no al fresco dining on this winter evening. The warm and cozy interior of the restaurant was quite busy on this evening, yet we were able to get a table.

The menu is quite large and there was a section of "typico" dishes, which is where we made our selections. The prices were 4-5 Euros more per dish than on the previous evening. The service was a bit rushed, but professional.

We ordered two Antipasti and two Primi. First up was the Pulpo con Patate, yes octopus and potatoes.

Sometimes simple is best, like in this case, the pulpo was just the perfect texture, firm, but not chewy, with a mild "oceany" flavor highlighted by the olive oil. The potatoes brought a bit of starchiness to the dish.

Now, if you wanted an umami boost, well, the Accinghe Salate, salted anchovies had that in spades.

The textures of the anchovies were almost buttery, the flavor was very salty-briny and umami….while I wouldn't call it fishy at all. Just a plain umami bomb.

Of course I got the Trofie al Pesto.

I didn't enjoy this as much as what I'd had the previous evening. The flavors seemed watered down. And indeed, there was a pool of thin liquid at the bottom of the bowl as if the pasta had not been drained properly. I would have also enjoyed a bit more pesto on this as well.

The Mussels in the Spaghetti ai Muscoli might have been the highlight of the meal.

I enjoy my pasta to be nicely coated, not overly drowned in sauce like many places do in the states, so this version perfectly al dente, coated in peppery-fruity olive oil, with a hint of garlic and hidden red peppers did fine. Those mussels were very good, sweet, tender, and without any grit. This got us ordering mussels when we'd see it on the menu from this point forward. And though we'd have even better mussels a day later, this paved the way for our future ordering.

Even though we were eating in touristy type restaurants; we were enjoying our meals

Trattoria Gianni Franzi
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 1
Vernazza, Italy

When we got back to the apartment, I took a quick look at my walking distance for the day.

Whoa….164 floors! No wonder my knees were screaming for mercy!