Restaurants Reviews in ITALY
Oct 8th, 2003 | 06:58 PM
#1
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Restaurants Reviews in ITALY
Thought I'd pass on my culinary experiences from my recent trip to Tuscany, Florence and Rome. My husband and I are big foodies from NYC so hopefully these comments will be of some value.
Tuscany
Sinalunga: LOCANDA AMOROSA. We stayed several nights and really loved the restaurant. We ate there twice. The atmosphere was wonderful and romantic. I had Gnocchi on night which MELTED in my mouth.
Montepulciano: LA GROTTA. This place was FAB! And the prices were quite reasonable. Upon being seated, we were each handed a complimentary glass of champagne, and things just got better from there!
Montefollonico: LA CHIUSA. Elegant. Fanstastic, friendly service. Ravioli to DIE for! An older woman came out and handmade the ravioli right in front of us!
Radda in Chianti: RISTORANTE VIGNALE. Another winner. I ordered the Ribollita, and we got a bottle of the house Chianti (yum!) which is part of the Fattoria Vignale. This place was cozy and delicious. We had a table right in front of the window with a beautiful view of the hills of Chianti.
Siena: OSTERIA LA LOGGE. My favorite meal in Tuscany. Sit outside if you can. It's a beautiful cobblestone street where time has truly stood still. Everything about this place was magical.
Montalcino: BOCCON DI VINO. Go for lunch because there are tables with a view out on a terrace with truly breathtaking views.
Florence
IL LATINI. Did not love this place at all. A tourist trap in my opinion. Communal tables (everyone at ours was American, so that told me everything) Food is okay, but there are much better places to eat. The best thing about this place is the big ol' jug of wine they put on the table that costs less than the water.
Florence: TRATTORIA ZAZA. Not bad, But I'd say for lunch only. Very inexpensive so it gives your wallet a nice break. Good soups.
Rome
DA BAFFETO: Yes, yes! Fantastic pizza. Again, we sat at communal tables out on a cute cobblestone street, but this time, we were the ONLY Americans at the table. That's when we knew we hit the jackpot! This is where the Romans eat pizza! Very inexpensive too, but be prepared to wait, both for a table, and then for the pizza...it's worth it!
RISTORANTE 34: Great pesto! Chic place. Nice atmosphere.
QUINZI E GABRIELI: My LEAST favorite meal during the entire trip. Unfortunately, also the most expensive. Way overpriced. NOT worth it. I'm sorry, but do NOT go to Rome for the seafood. Come to NYC or the Carribean or Maine. And the worst part was that we sat outside and were constantly harrassed by people asking us for money or trying to sell us things. They would actually lean over the railing!
So that's about it!
Tuscany
Sinalunga: LOCANDA AMOROSA. We stayed several nights and really loved the restaurant. We ate there twice. The atmosphere was wonderful and romantic. I had Gnocchi on night which MELTED in my mouth.
Montepulciano: LA GROTTA. This place was FAB! And the prices were quite reasonable. Upon being seated, we were each handed a complimentary glass of champagne, and things just got better from there!
Montefollonico: LA CHIUSA. Elegant. Fanstastic, friendly service. Ravioli to DIE for! An older woman came out and handmade the ravioli right in front of us!
Radda in Chianti: RISTORANTE VIGNALE. Another winner. I ordered the Ribollita, and we got a bottle of the house Chianti (yum!) which is part of the Fattoria Vignale. This place was cozy and delicious. We had a table right in front of the window with a beautiful view of the hills of Chianti.
Siena: OSTERIA LA LOGGE. My favorite meal in Tuscany. Sit outside if you can. It's a beautiful cobblestone street where time has truly stood still. Everything about this place was magical.
Montalcino: BOCCON DI VINO. Go for lunch because there are tables with a view out on a terrace with truly breathtaking views.
Florence
IL LATINI. Did not love this place at all. A tourist trap in my opinion. Communal tables (everyone at ours was American, so that told me everything) Food is okay, but there are much better places to eat. The best thing about this place is the big ol' jug of wine they put on the table that costs less than the water.
Florence: TRATTORIA ZAZA. Not bad, But I'd say for lunch only. Very inexpensive so it gives your wallet a nice break. Good soups.
Rome
DA BAFFETO: Yes, yes! Fantastic pizza. Again, we sat at communal tables out on a cute cobblestone street, but this time, we were the ONLY Americans at the table. That's when we knew we hit the jackpot! This is where the Romans eat pizza! Very inexpensive too, but be prepared to wait, both for a table, and then for the pizza...it's worth it!
RISTORANTE 34: Great pesto! Chic place. Nice atmosphere.
QUINZI E GABRIELI: My LEAST favorite meal during the entire trip. Unfortunately, also the most expensive. Way overpriced. NOT worth it. I'm sorry, but do NOT go to Rome for the seafood. Come to NYC or the Carribean or Maine. And the worst part was that we sat outside and were constantly harrassed by people asking us for money or trying to sell us things. They would actually lean over the railing!
So that's about it!
Oct 11th, 2003 | 04:52 AM
#4
Joined: Aug 2003
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May I offer a different opinion of Ristorante Vignale in Radda? We ate there in September, and found it stuffy and terribly overpriced. We enjoyed every other meal in Italy more than this one.
We cannot rave enough about Bottega Lornano, in Lornano near Castellina. We just happened into this cozy restaurant, and were bowled over by the risotto and everything else.
We cannot rave enough about Bottega Lornano, in Lornano near Castellina. We just happened into this cozy restaurant, and were bowled over by the risotto and everything else.
Oct 11th, 2003 | 05:55 AM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
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Having just returned also, I can second your recommendation on La Chiusa. I personally would also second your recommendation for Vignale in Radda. This was my second time there and I love it. But my friend who was with me thought it mediocre at best. Guess tastes vary and everyone reacts differently.
Oct 12th, 2003 | 03:22 PM
#6
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Joined: Oct 2003
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to dmm19063
RE: Ristorante Vignale
Out of curiosity, was it the one in the hotel, or on the street? Anyway, sorry you did not like it. We went for lunch only, which may have been a different experience. And we had been driving around for hours, and we so hungry and tired, that when we finally arrived (plus we got a parking spot RIGHT in front of the restaurant) it was a welcome oasis! It was a rainy day and we got there during the latter part of the lunch shift, so there were only a few tables lingering. We got the best table in the house with a great view and all the food was hearty and wonderful. So I guess there are many factors that always come into play...
RE: Ristorante Vignale
Out of curiosity, was it the one in the hotel, or on the street? Anyway, sorry you did not like it. We went for lunch only, which may have been a different experience. And we had been driving around for hours, and we so hungry and tired, that when we finally arrived (plus we got a parking spot RIGHT in front of the restaurant) it was a welcome oasis! It was a rainy day and we got there during the latter part of the lunch shift, so there were only a few tables lingering. We got the best table in the house with a great view and all the food was hearty and wonderful. So I guess there are many factors that always come into play...
