My wife and I are serious foodies (she works for an epicurean magazine) and we need opinions on choosing between the following restaurants: <BR> <BR>Arnolfo's OR Cane e Gatto <BR>Locanda dell'Amorosa OR La Chiusa <BR> <BR>We'd love to do them all, but can only do 1 of each. Food quality is #1 prioirity. If you have been to both restaurants in each pairing, please help! <BR>Thanks.

Hi Scott - Sorry I can't help by comparing La Chiusa to Locando del'Amorosa, but I can tell you my husband and I (also serious foodies) had a wonderful lunch at La Chiusa. <BR> <BR>We were there in early June 3 years ago, and even now, off the top, two dishes (among many) stand out. <BR> <BR>One, pasta with white truffles and two, an offering of three different soups - bean, mushroom and vegetable. I still dream about the pasta (and, actually, I think I'm still paying VISA for it!) <BR> <BR>One observation I would make, however, is that like some Michelin One Stars and Relais et Chateauxs (we had eaten at Il Falconiere near Cortona the day before) I would characterize the experience and cuisine as more 'international' than 'local'. I'm struggling abit to describe what I mean - obviously the cuisine is Italian, but the experience is 'refined' and somewhat high end/universal (I'm horrified at how that sounds, but it's the best I can offer!) <BR>Hope the above helps in your decision. Regards <BR> <BR>Elizabeth <BR> <BR>

Hi Scott: <BR> <BR>There was a thread a couple of weeks ago that covered high-end restaurants in Tuscany, including Cane e Gatto. I don't remember the exact dates, but if you do a search, I'm sure you'll be able to locate it. Another source that I always turn to when researching restaurants is www.chowhound.com. Chowhound is a Fodors-like site for "foodies," with a very active message board. Do a search there, and you'll get some great tips on where to eat, and what to order, in Tuscany. Have a great trip!

Elizabeth, <BR> <BR>How was your dinner at Il Falconiere? My husband & I are thinking of eating there as our "splurge" in Tuscany. We are also considering a splurge in Rome and Venice as well. Still researching which one to go to for those cities. <BR> <BR>DFW 8/9/01

We've got our splurges for Tuscany (Cane e Gatto-and may not be able to resist Arnolfo's as additonal splurge)and Venice (Da Fiore). We're still working on Florence--anybody got any ideas?

Thanks Elizabeth & Nancy for your comments. <BR> <BR>Judy, for a splurge in Florence, check out Enoteca Pinchiorri (ph 39-055-24-27-77). It is a Relais & Chateaux Gourmand, a Gambero Rossi 3-forker, and also written up in the Tuscany issue of Bon Appetit last year. I believe the dinner menu is 230,000 lire, so definitely not cheap. <BR>Unfortunately it's closed Sunday and Monday so we can't go when we are in Florence. <BR>

In early July my wife and I visited Tuscany and had dinner at both Arnolfo's and Cane e Gatto. They are about the same size (24-25 people) and provide excellent service, but after that the comparison ends (at least as far as we were concerned). <BR> <BR>Our dinner at Arnolfo's was simply magic. The setting is spectacular - on a terrace overlooking fields and forest just inside the walled old city of Colle di Val d'Elsa. The menu is varied, with two set menus (one is all meat, the other is all shellfish/fish), plus a la carte items. In addition to what you order, there are a variety of surprise little tastings - I won't spoil the surprises - but they were each one or two mouthsful of something really special. With each course or two, someone comes around to place something on your bread plate - each time, it is something different and unique. Every single thing they served was beautifully presented, tasted wonderful, and was a unique creation of the restaurant (not a standard dish). At the end of the 3 1/2 hour meal, when the chef came out to each table, one of the diners hugged him and (laughingly) asked him to come back home with her! We spent $165 for two with a moderate bottle of wine. It was a GREAT experience. <BR> <BR>Two nights later we ate at Cane e Gatto. It is a completely fixed menu, including wines, a concept I really liked. Paolo (the owner) is very gratious and the evening is very pleasant, but the food didn't wow us at all. It was a nice meal, with lots of things to taste, but not remarkable, and not in the same league with Arnolfo's at all. We couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about. <BR>It cost us about $125 inclusive. <BR> <BR>DON'T MISS ARNOLFO'S! <BR>

Hi Deb - we had lunch at Il Falconiere in early June a few years ago and were the only patrons that day!! <BR> <BR>Consequently we had a wonderful time with the the maitre d' and waiter - wandered around between courses into the kitchen and garden accompanied by one of them. It's a lovely place and the food was delicious, but again my qualification is that it's more of an international experience than a local one. <BR> <BR>After two meals (back to back) at La Chiusa and Il Falconiere we were much happier in local restaurants, but if you're looking for a 'splurge' it would certainly qualify. <BR> <BR>Hope that helps.

Rich: Thanks much for mentioning the cost of those meals. Wish more people would so we could have a rough idea for budgeting.

I know what you mean. When we ate at Cane e Gatto there was no menu (because it is an entirely fixed menu), and we sat there for 5 hours (really!) wondering what the bill would be.

. . . more restaurant input for Barbara.

We just got back from Tuscany, and can't make the comparisons you want, but will tell you that we tried to get into Arnolfos for lunch w/o a reservation and they said there wasn't anything available for 2 wks or 2 mos. -I forget since we were just passing thru that day. We stayed at Locanda Dell'Amorosa and the place is fabulous!!! We ended up eating there 2 nights and the meal & service was great.

I can comment only on La Chiusa. It was simply one of the great meals we have ever had in a restaurant. I have been in the food business 25 years and La Chiusa represents a passion the is unbelieveble. I do disagree about those who commented on the food not being "local" or being too international in style. The meal at La Chiusa we enjoyed was a total progression of classic Tucan dishes. We had simple dishes like roast lamb and duck roasted with fennel. The pasta included tortellone. we had grilled porcini and a tuscan bean soup. What set off the food was the quality of the ingredients. And those ingresients all came from a radius of 10 km. I love to eat at local restaurants (I have mentioned Il Pestello many times in other posts as an example) but La Chiusa is a real treat. The tasting menu for two with a bottle of Innocenti Vino Nobile (the local winery) will rpobably cost over $200 but my wife and I felt it was a bargain. <BR> <BR>To Deb, for a splurge in Rome either Agata e Romeo for modern cuisine or La rosetta for seafood. In Venice Fiaschetteria Toscana for seafood, incredible cheeses and a wonderful wine list.