Greetings, all. My work as a travel/food/wine writer in Italy means that I end up eating out often; if I like the place I write it up afterwords and post the review on the Net. Lately I've been to a couple of good places; the reviews follow below, while all of my restaurant reviews are on my Italian cuisine site, at http://italianfood.miningco.com/blrev.htm. If you're coming to Italy and there's nothing listed for where you'll be, drop me a line -- I also have copies of many local restaurant guides. Kyle Phillips WebWeaver, The Mining Company's Italian Cuisine Recipes, techniques, ingredients, wines, travel and lots of Italian food links http://italianfood.miningco.com/mbody.htm To reply directly, foil the spam blocker by replacing ** with net ______________________ Vigin Mudest Via Giacosa 4, Alba (Cuneo), Tel 0173 441 701 This is an amazingly traditional place on a side street off Alba's main drag, which is extremely homey during the winter and would be hot in the summer were there not an ample terrace outside. The cuisine is absolutely traditional, and begins with appetizers. You can always say no, but if you don't expect to begin with mild soft sausage, followed by minced raw beef lightly spiced, carpaccio with flakes of Parmigiano, vitello tonnato, fresh toma (a soft mild Piemontese cheese), braised baby onions, eggplants with tomatoes and anchovies, frittata with onions, minced celery with chopped walnuts and cheese, boiled beans with tuna and onion, deviled eggs, Russian salad, and shredded fennel with flakes of Grana (a close relative of Parmigiano) and prosciutto in a vinaigrette sauce... First courses are traditional and Piemontese -- the ravioli al plin, ravioli with a meat and cheese filling served with a butter and sage sauce, were quite tasty; the pasta sheet was extremely thin, as it should be (plin, by the way, is a twist given to the pasta as the filling is sealed). The seconds are also quite traditional, and I opted for something vaguely Tuscan, wild boar, which had been marinated in red wine and juniper, and braised. Very tasty, and the polenta was perfect for absorbing the sauce. Afterwards? Mixed cheeses; the selection wasn't as extensive as I might have liked. Wine? A Borgogno Grignolino d'Asti 1996. It wasn't as tannic as some other Grignolini, but was quite nice, with good fruit and nice acidity that went very well with both the appetizers and the ravioli, and was nice with the boar too. Cost? 65,000 lire -- quite reasonable, and perfect if you're looking for a quiet, relaxed meal. Enoteca I Terzi Via Dei Termini 7, Siena, Tel 0577 44329 Siena is divided into thirds; this wine bar is located on the junction between them, in the ground floor of a medieval tower. Very pretty, and quite worth a visit for the food too: a wide selection of cold cut platters, as well as pastas and other first courses. The highpoint however is the selection of wines, which is extremely extensive, with all sorts of Chiantis and wines form other parts of Italy by the glass, and a considerably broader selection by the bottle, likely the best in Siena. It will make an excellent spot for a quick lunch or dinner. Recommended. The cost? Depending upon what you order, 15-30,000 lire per person, or more if you order an expensive bottle.
Italy