JulieVikmanis

Thanks for reviving this thread and for adding so much useful information. We hope to be there in late September in between Lake Como and Nice so I need to get going to research. I'm tempted to just take what you've already found, but I'll try to add something if I find anything in the same league while I'm looking. I'll certainly be looking for your report when you return. It pays to book a trip after a good eater has just been there.

JulieVikmanis

Oh, Eks, I'm disappointed not to be able to see a picture of you and info on your profile. If you're not publicity adverse, please get it out there. I've followed your advice so much, it would be fun to see who you are, just in case our paths ever cross--say in Italy somewhere.

ekscrunchy

Oh, Julie: I would love to meet up with you someday! You cannot imagine how much help you have been to me here and on another (food) site. I would not know the first thing about how to post a photo. I am too busy "researching" restaurants and food!! I really love to do this, although I do realize that I spend more time planning than on the trip itself. Can you post your tentative itinerary here so I can let you know if I come across interesting eating places?

Turin certainly does not get much traffic here. And the same goes for Ischia, where I am hoping to go after the summer..I will have to blaze some new food trails! Well new to us here, at least!

JulieVikmanis

I'm just starting to plan, but I thought we'd go around the 24th of Sept., spend 4 nights on Lake Como staying either at
du Lac in Varenna or GH Menaggio, then spend 3 nights in Piemonte, probably staying somewhere around Alba and doing Turin (primarily Eataly which looks fantastic to me) as a day trip, then drive along N204E74 through Tende and Saorge to Nice for 4 days before flying home from there.
I have your info for places in the Lake Como area and now I'm looking forward to your finds in Turin and surrounds.

We were in Ischia many years ago. I could check my notes but I don't recall it as any kind of gourmet mecca. Lots of German tourists so portions are hearty. We stayed at the San Montano which had lovely views and nice pools. It's above the bustle of the port cities. But we really liked a tiny town, I think San Angelo maybe, which I can't even find on my map in the Europe Road atlas. I'll do a bit of research and give you the questionable benefit of my old experience. I'll also send info on where in Turin/Alba area we expect to be so if you're there you can keep an eye out for places for me. Again, thanks for all the research you've done here.

JulieVikmanis

Ok, I checked the Ischia notes. Not much of a notetaker was I back in 1994. Mostly I just found proof of what I said above. The place is pretty but fairly crowded with tourists and San Angelo was the best, cute little town. My notes say that we ate well at the only listed restaurant. Since my current Italy Michelin Red Guide still lists only one recommended restaurant, I'm going to take a leap of faith and say it must be Lo Scoglio with views of the sea and outdoor dining. At least keep that name in mind while you do the rest of your research on Ischia. My further review of the guide for towns on the island suggests that the majority of places are resorts with restaurants which probably require half-pension, in fact many of them are spas with guests taking "the cure." I recall getting addressed almost all the time with "Guten Tag, Frau..."

ekscrunchy

Julie, thank you for the Ischia tip! San Angelo looks beautiful; Caroline (poster here) stayed there twice. But it may be too out of the way for touring the island. But even if we do not stay there, I will put Lo Scoglio on my list. Did you have a car?

Guten tag and danke schoen!

ekscrunchy

Adding this Turin page, with restaurant recommendations, from Conde Nast Traveller:


http://www.cntraveller.co.uk/Guides/...rin/print.html

repete

Actually, there's one snarky rip of C'era Una Volta on Chowhound and several good/excellent ones. I've eaten there at least half a dozen times and never had a bad meal, plus there are usually a lot of locals there, including family birthdays and other celebrations. I will say the service dropped off a bit on the busier nights and that poster might have hit an extreme.

Tre Galline is also a reliable rec.

Also, La Cantinella just across the Po is a moderate, casual place.

ekscrunchy

I read the poor review of C'era Una Volta; there are also bad reviews by Italians on TripAdvisor. Although I don't usually pay attention to restaurant reviews on that site, the cluster of negative reviews would probably keep it off my list since I will only have three days there.

Thanks for the other recs! I am also looking forward to EatItaly!! They have a brach of the famous Guido restaurant:

http://www.casavicina.it/

repete

Three days is also the perfect amount of time for the ChocoPass.

La Cantinella now has a website. http://www.lacantinella.com/

It is a casual, moderate place. My two highlights were an octopus/potato salad and a piece of beef that you cook tableside on a heated soapstone.

ekscrunchy

Many thanks! By the way, there is also the option of having dinner at the Turin home of one of the "cesarine" associated with HomeFood. Have any of you ever done this in Turin or elsewhere in Italy?

JulieVikmanis

Yes, we and our two traveling companions had dinner at the home of a Cesarine in Bologna. It was quite fun, for us and I think for her. It was a lovely home in a town house sort of complex. The Cesarine and her mother (probably in her 70's) met us, spoke with us (they had limited English and we had very limited Italian and a translating dictionary), and then she served us a multi course meal. We had read what she'd be preparing on the website--included rabbit and a lovely veggie terrine among other dishes. We let them know that it was a birthday for one in our party and the two teenage children appeared with a battery powered flower that played the happy birthday song. We'd purchased an apron at one of those market stands and had it embroidered with her name and Cesarine on it, and she was quite touched.

The lack of language skills to communicate with our hostess made for a somewhat strained but happy evening. The food was wonderful. I forget what the historical background was for the meal, but that's a typical part of the whole production, to preserve and spread the history of regional cookery. We periodically receive e-mails from the organization that arranges the dinners letting us know of additional opportunities. We note that our personal Cesarine is still with the program. I was a nice experience. I don't think I'd do it on every trip to Italy, but to do it once was a very worthwhile activity.

ekscrunchy

Julie that is very interesting. I am not planning to do one of the HomeFood dinners on this trip. We just have too limited a time in Turin. But I will definitely try one on another trip--I am surprised that more people here have not considered doing the same..there seems to be quite a broad network of possibilities--I am going to have a better look at their site later today..

ekscrunchy

topping for dac

ekscrunchy

Here is the Gambero Rosso list for Turin (in Italian):


http://www.2night.it/v2/nazionale/sp...e/14/45434.php