Ristorante Trattoria Oberdan da Mario
Where? Ristorante Trattoria Oberdan da Mario (Bologna CBD, Bologna, Italy) Map Menu
When? Thursday March 30, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
Of course I have to have bolognese when I'm in Bologna. While the "spag bol" has become a favourite in many countries outside of Italy, that's not actually how they do it here! Chefs say that the sauce adheres better to the flat shape of the tagliatelle than the spaghetti and I am in no place to argue about this fine tradition.
I'd been wandering around the city center all afternoon and this place was on my way back to the hostel, slightly off the main road so it was quite quiet. I've arrived just at opening time, so the restaurant is relatively empty. I'm attracted by the sign out front that says pasta is handmade and freshly made. Excellent!
Antipasto
Beef tenderloin carpaccio on fresh salad and parmesan slivers
Beautifully sliced raw beef with cheese and salad, this at least gives me the first raw greens that I've had in ages. The lemon juice makes this spring to life.
Primo Piatti
Tagliatelle alla Bolognese
The tagliatelle arrives. The sauce is rich with wine and slow cooked ragu, and I love how the powdery Parmesiano reggiano disappears into the pasta as it melts. A glass of the house red is the perfect compliment to the meal and oh boy, it has gone straight to my head. Whee! I'm stuffed. I think I should skip dessert today.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:20pm on Friday April 28, 2017 :: 0 comments :: 
La Lanterna Da Gas
Where? La Lanterna Da Gas (Santa Croce, Venice, Italy) Map
When? Wednesday March 29, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
This cosy little restaurant off the beaten track is well rated on various websites, and is a stone's throw from my hostel, so it's a goer. Instantly greeted by a free glass of prosecco - I foresee a good time. I've ordered a platter of deli meats and cheese for starters, and first course is black tagliatelle with prawns.
Antipasto
Selezione di Affettati e Formaggi - selection of cheeses and sliced meat
Oh my goodness. The platter arrives and there are three kinds of meat, three kinds of cheese, olives and pickled onion. I am in Italian heaven. This is so good. I greedily devour everything by myself, even though this has obviously been designed to share. I really like the intensity of the gruyere; that was the best thing on the plate.
Primo Piatto
Tagliatelle Nere con Gamberi Verdura di Stagioni - black tagliatelle with prawns and seasonal vegetables
Moments later, the tagliatelle arrives. What a wonderful aroma of onion, spices and seafood. The pasta is cooked perfectly and the prawns are seasoned well. The dish is rich with classic Mediterranean flavours and I'm so happy right now.
Dessert
Tiramisu
I've already had a tiramisu today but that was so six hours ago, so I order another one, especially since my mains were so impressive. I love it. It's got that home feel to it, and the flavour and texture is spot on.
As I go to pay, I'm given a free shot glass of limoncello. My head explodes. This is the best meal I've had in Italy so far.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:11pm on Friday April 28, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
Pizzeria OKE
Where? Pizzeria OKE (Dorsoduro, Venice, Italy) Map
When? Tuesday March 28, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
Venice isn't known for a particular dish per se, but like Como, their seafood is well renown. This particular restaurant I've come across has sardines and polenta "Venice style" so I give it a go. It's in the middle of Zattere, which is very popular with tourists wanting to catch the sunsets in Venice.
Appetizer
Venetian-Style Sardines with Polenta
The sardines are fresh and sweet, with that hint of saltiness and no fishiness. The polenta is not very well seasoned, but eating it with the sardines and the pickled vegetables solves that problem. Not too bad.
Pizza
Mangiafuoco - spicy salami, chilli pepper, paprika, Tobasco sauce
I'm at a pizzeria so I should really have some pizza too. I'm also in the mood for something spicy, which is not a particularly common element in Italian cooking. I learn quickly that eating pizza by yourself can be quite a mission, and of course, the more people there are, the greater the variety. Oh well. I finished the pizza, in any case. Also not too bad.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:01pm on Friday April 28, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
Borgo Sant'Agostino
Where? Borgo Sant'Agostino (Como, Italy) Map
When? Monday March 27, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
The sun has set, producing some beautiful colours in the sky over the water. A view by the lakeside, a romantic candle (for myself) and a glass of the house white. This is the life. I am having a good time.
Primo Piatto
Spaghetti ai Fruitti di Mare - spaghetti with mixed seafood
I've ordered the spaghetti with mixed seafood and wow it hits the spot. A rich tomato base with lots of fresh herbs and olive oil, and above all, a great selection of seafood: mussels, clams, octopus, squid, fish, shrimp and scallops. The shrimp is slightly overdone but I'm willing to let it slide because the rest of the dish is delicious. Any leftover sauce is greedily devoured with the bread on the side.
Dessert
Panna Cotta al Caramello
I had an orange yogurt gelato before dinner but that isn't stopping me from having another Italian classic dessert - panna cotta with caramel sauce. The all-important test of a good panna cotta is to jiggle the plate; if it jiggles with the plate and doesn't break, it's good. Mine is molto bene - very good!
Posted by Jeremy at 7:53pm on Friday April 28, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
La Cucina di Stella
Where? La Cucina di Stella (Como, Italy) Map
When? Sunday March 26, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
Being by the lakeside, it makes sense that Como is well regarded for its seafood. It's not quite tourist season at the moment, so it's very quiet in the town center, but I've gone with a well rated restaurant in the alleyways of Como.
Antipasto
Grilled Zucchini and Eggplant
The vegetables are drizzled generously with olive oil, and it's damn good olive oil because I can actually taste the olives. It's easy to see how good the produce is in Italy; there's lots of flavour in the zucchini and eggplant, as opposed to tasting like water.
Secondo Piatto
Triglie alla Griglia ai Profumi del Mediterraneo - grilled red mullets with Mediterranean spices
Sure enough, the underside of the fish is this wonderful red colour. The spices come through nicely, not overpowering the fish, and a sprinkle of lemon juice makes this tangy. It's a simple dish - perhaps too simple for the price - but the seafood is top quality.
Dessert
Tiramisu Tradizionale
I can't resist the temptation of tiramisu for dessert, and I am not disappointed. Soft and rich with the taste of rum and coffee chocolate, the dessert is everything a traditional tiramisu should be. It's important for the sponge to maintain integrity and not disintegrate, otherwise the texture feels unpleasant, like that of wet bread.
Posted by Jeremy at 7:44pm on Friday April 28, 2017 :: 0 comments ::