Mario Batali's Bologna: Have you been to any of these spots?
Oct 6th, 2008, 11:42 PM
#23
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Just a quick post from Bologna. It is a truly lovely city and we are headed out shortly to continue explorations.
Food so far has been a disappoint and we are hoping to be wowed today. We arrived from Milan yesterday and the restaurants we hoped to visit were closing by the time into our hotel, the Novecento. They sent us to a cafe around the corner where we never got the water we ordered and the waiter just up and left after he plopped our food on the table. We got no bread nor cheese for my husbands lasagne though the table of locals next to us did. I went inside twice as no one ever came to check on us nor bring a check and was ignored til we started to get frustrated and leave. Not a good start.
For dinner we had reservations at Il Caminetto but the front desk talked us out of it and I really should have known better. We ended up at a local spot called Trattoria Benso where we ordered a swordfish carpaccio that smelled as soon as it arrived. I sent it back and told the waiter that is was not fresh and we did not want it. He came back a few moments later telling me in Italian that it was just fine and how they normally served it. So I guess they serve fish that is smelly as a matter of course
.
Today we have lunch reservations at Le Mela and dinner at Cesari and we are hoping for better food. We are writing off yesterday to just a bad food day!
More to come...
Food so far has been a disappoint and we are hoping to be wowed today. We arrived from Milan yesterday and the restaurants we hoped to visit were closing by the time into our hotel, the Novecento. They sent us to a cafe around the corner where we never got the water we ordered and the waiter just up and left after he plopped our food on the table. We got no bread nor cheese for my husbands lasagne though the table of locals next to us did. I went inside twice as no one ever came to check on us nor bring a check and was ignored til we started to get frustrated and leave. Not a good start.
For dinner we had reservations at Il Caminetto but the front desk talked us out of it and I really should have known better. We ended up at a local spot called Trattoria Benso where we ordered a swordfish carpaccio that smelled as soon as it arrived. I sent it back and told the waiter that is was not fresh and we did not want it. He came back a few moments later telling me in Italian that it was just fine and how they normally served it. So I guess they serve fish that is smelly as a matter of course
.Today we have lunch reservations at Le Mela and dinner at Cesari and we are hoping for better food. We are writing off yesterday to just a bad food day!
More to come...
Oct 7th, 2008, 02:33 AM
#24
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I am so sorry about the bad experiences. But today will be better!
I must say, and should probably start a separate thread on this, but I am beginning to be a bit suspect about places recommended by hotel concierges or front desk people. Too many times when they tell you about a place, they then make the call to reserve. There is something "in it for them" to send you there. I have had a few instances where hotels tried to overrule places that I had in mind, for no apparent reason, and send me to another place. I could kick myself for taking a hotel person's word on a place we ate at last week in Tremezzo, instead of heading for a less-known place that looked far more interesting.
I must say, and should probably start a separate thread on this, but I am beginning to be a bit suspect about places recommended by hotel concierges or front desk people. Too many times when they tell you about a place, they then make the call to reserve. There is something "in it for them" to send you there. I have had a few instances where hotels tried to overrule places that I had in mind, for no apparent reason, and send me to another place. I could kick myself for taking a hotel person's word on a place we ate at last week in Tremezzo, instead of heading for a less-known place that looked far more interesting.
Oct 7th, 2008, 04:26 AM
#25
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kfusto - if you're speaking of this place - I went for lunch - it was a really well prepared meal - wish I had gone back for dinner.
http://www.caminettodoro.it/
One place I would recommend - about a 10e taxi ride - is Antica del Cacciatore:
http://www.ristoranteilcacciatore.com
Via Caduti di Casteldebole, 25
40132 Bologna
Tel. 051 564203
http://www.caminettodoro.it/
One place I would recommend - about a 10e taxi ride - is Antica del Cacciatore:
http://www.ristoranteilcacciatore.com
Via Caduti di Casteldebole, 25
40132 Bologna
Tel. 051 564203
Oct 9th, 2008, 09:09 PM
#28
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My daughter and I loved Bologna. We were there last February. Our favorite dish was pumpkin tortelli in a balsamic reduction. We ordered it twice and the second time the owner had the cook come out and describe how to make it. He gave me a bottle of Crema de Balsamico to make it at home. I believe the resto was Da Cesarina but I'm far from my notes and can't be certain. Wonderful city.
Oct 13th, 2008, 07:55 AM
#29
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Finally got up to Bologna in my trip report from this summer - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35160710
