In the heart of San Gimignano lies this wonderful Gelato shop, it’s the one with the line in front of it. WAIT do not go to the other shops without a line!!
This is homemade Gelato that is truly “World Class”. It’s not the best Gelato I’ve eaten but very close.
Probably the finest traditional Tuscan meal we’ve eaten.
We walked into a packed restaurant without a confirmed reservation. There was one table for two or deuce for those in the business available. We were told that it was previously reserved however they have not arrived yet, they were 20 minutes late. I started a conversation with the restaurant staff and convinced them to give us the table.
BTW: they never showed however there was a never ending stream of walk-ins turned away.
Primi: The most delicious poppardelle with a wild boar ragu imaginable. The wild boar was so soft it melted like butter in my mouth. The tagliolini with white truffle was excellent with a very delicate flavor of truffle.
Secondi: I decided to try the Tripe stuffed with sausage. Tripe has a bad rap at times of being rubbery. This tripe however was anything but it cut with a fork and melted like butter. In fact I even applied the tripe like butter to the bread.
Lori had the Florentine steak for two. It was cooked to perfection and possibly the most tender meat, we have consumed. BTW: we let them serve it as it should be without issuing any temperature preference.
This was better than a Peter Luger’s steak and we consider that to be the best porterhouse in NYC.
I noticed the table of local next to us all ordering the Cantuccini so we followed their lead. The Cantuccini was hard like a rock however it absorbed the vin santo like a sponge and was special.
Needless to summarize we love this place and will return.
Trattoria del Tribunale offers excellent fresh cooked local specialties at a very reasonable price.
We started with the Torta Fritta and Parma Ham. When in Rome as they say! The dough was light and airy and the Ham as expected wonderful.
Primi: The Tortelli di Zucca(Pumpkin Ravioli) was so good my wife almost chopped my finger off when I went to taste a piece. The pumpkin filling was flavored with Amaretto, a really nice touch. I had the Tortelli al radicchio rosso e noci (ravioli with chicory and walnuts) it too was excellent however the Tortelli di zucca was special and I highly recommend it.
For the Secondi: We both had the Parmigiana di Melanzane (eggplant parmigiana). At first the portion size looked small however it was extremely rich with an amazing depth of flavors. We both were pleasantly surprised by a real eggplant parm… it was great !!! The contorni we had was Spinaci bolliti o saltati alla parmigiana it was cooked to perfect with just the right amount of cheese. “This was the best Spinaci I have ever eaten.”
Dessert is mandatory! You must try the SBRISOLONA, it is this light and delicious almond crumble. We both agree that we would fly to Italy from Florida just to have another one !! The Torta di Chocolate was also outstanding.
When in Parma do not pass by Trattoria del Tribunale… its worth the trip!!
<a href=”http://www.trattoriadeltribunale.it/” rel=”nofollow”>www.trattoriadeltribunale.it/</a>
Highest quality ingredients, prepared perfectly and elegantly plated. I’m usually not a fan of the tasting menu fearing that after eating 10 tiny plates, I’ll leave hungry and seek out the nearest Pizza I can find. This was not the case at Agape Substance the tasting menu included several substantial courses that met your visual needs as well as fill your stomach. The plates were all painstaking prepared by the chef owner David Toutain. David actually personally handles every plate that leaves the kitchen for the tables.this is quite a feat considering the huge number of plates.
The service was excellent yet not stuffy and I really enjoyed the whole experience. The prices of the meals are very reasonable especially at lunch. This is a real value in a city were a fine dining dinner can set you back a thousand dollars. I highly recommend you visit Agape Substance and see what surprises David and Laurent have in store for you.
This is perhaps the best Gelato product, I’ve had outside of Italy. It has the light yet creamy texture of an Italian Gelato and very strong flavor of the ingredient. They also deserve extra credit for their great presentation.
They have about a dozen shops around the world.
We stopped in for light lunch in Naples Florida today revisiting a favorite from last year. We are happy to report that the food is better than ever and all is going well at Sea Salt.
This visit we where lucky enough to have a long chat with the Chef/Owner Fabrizio Aielli. He was a most pleasant Italian gentlemen that was passionate about the quality of the ingredients he serves. He proudly explained how he is getting fresh ingredients flown in several times a week and some of his fish from Italy is fresher than that of some of the local fish served elsewhere. Tomatoes are another passion of the Chef’s he loves to serve them with just a bit of fine olive oil and salt.
We are looking forward to returning shortly to have the fresh Gelato the chef promised us and to visit his new venue opening in the fall. We highly recommend that when in Naples Florida, you dine like your in Naples Italy at Sea Salt.
Sea Salt
1186 3rd Street South
Naples, FL 34102-7055
(239) 434-7258
I have decide to change my rating system for Gelato and rate Italian Gelato in a separate category because to compare it to anything else is unfair and places most US products in the poor category.
Fine Italian Gelato the homemade kind found in the small family run shops is beyond compare, it simply puts all others to shame . It possess a creamy yet not thick texture with flavors at explode in your mouth. I have yet to experience this in the US. I have come very close and the establishment that came close has even flown in a Gelato consultant from Italy to assist them. I believe the next time I return they will have their product at a level of a descent Italian product.
Pitango Gelato uses all mostly locally scoured and all organic ingredients.
They charge a premium price for these ingredients, is it worth it. Well if you desire to eat an organic diet it is to others it may not be. At 5.60 a scoop it very expensive snack for a family.
My verdict; I tasted about six flavors. They where very eager for me to try the nut flavors. The nut flavors or shall I say lack of flavor where very disappointing. The Chocolate Noir was good and I even ate more than one spoonful which is saying a lot because I usual taste a spoonful and throw the rest out because I’m so disappointed.
Rating: US/Fair-Good
We have lost count as to how many times we have dined at Le Florimond. Lori and I bring our family to Le Florimond when we are in Paris. This restaurant features home style french food. It’s like eating at your French Grandma’s house. Our favorites included Grandma’s stuffed cabbage and the mille-feuille. Rather than try to choose a wine let Laurent do it for you. Laurent is the manager of the dining room and our friend. I have reservations about revealing Le Florimond to the masses, I don’t want it to get so crowded by tourists that it looses it’s charm. Send our regards to Laurent and enjoy an authentic French dinner.
19, Avenue de la Motte-Picquet
75007 Paris
Tél. : 01 45 55 40 38
Simple and fresh TEX MEX at a very reasonable price.
This is not gourmet dining however the service was excellent . The food was several steps above your local Taco Bell however it was not the finest TEX MEX either. I would recommend it for something fast and cheap around Washington DC.
On a lazy Florida summer morning, I decided there has to be something to eat in this state. I went to my computer and signed in to my Zagat.com subscription. I started searching for places to dine in Palm Beach county. I noticed that Danial Boulud had a Cafe in Palm Beach. We have been to a couple of his places in NYC and enjoyed them as well as meeting him during lunch at DBGB. I made a reservation for lunch.
Cafe Boulud in Palm Beach has an amazing 3 course lunch for 20 dollars. I’d pay the 20 dollars of the dessert alone it was so good. The service team was highly professional lead by the manager Andrew. As one would expect from one of Chef Daniel’s establishments everything is beyond first class. As you can see from the photos we have returned several times and have been delighted each time
http://www.danielnyc.com/cafebouludPB.html
Spring has arrived in Edinburgh and so has my wife Lori. I have flown to Edinburgh many times this year and have enjoyed dining at some local Indian and Thai places. This trip was special, I was bringing my wife to work. I did some research and found the Plumed Horse was one of the best restaurants in town. We got off to a slow start in EWR and arrived late missing our lunch reservation. I spoke to Ian (one of the partner’s that own the restaurant) and explained the situation. He informed us that they where fully booked for the evening meal and would wait list us. We hit the ground running and got in many of the sights of Edinburgh. When we got back to our hotel to take a nap the phone rang. It was Ian; they had a cancellation and could seat us for dinner.
There is one seating for dinner at the Plumed Horse because it is a relaxing all evening dining experience. We decided to put the meal on auto-pilot as Ian suggested and have the Chef’s tasting menu. Chef Tony Borthwick has won many awards including a Michelin Star. There were so many courses we lost count. I documented them all with the photos. We enjoyed the very interesting seafood course the most; it was wonderfully presented and prepared to perfection. . .The most memorable course was the FOIE GRAS & SAUTERNES TRIFLE, BRIOCHE MELBA TOAST. It included Foie Gras ice cream. The service like the food was world class.
We both enjoyed our evening at the Plumed Horse and highly recommend you join Ian and Tony for a special dining experience.
The Plumed Horse
50-54 Henderson Street
Leith
Edinburgh
EH6 6DE
plumedhorse@aol.com
0131 554 5556
Fresh and creative Thai food located just steps from the Royal Mile. I have enjoyed dining at Thai Orchid several times and have never been disappointed. Good food quality and great value.
5a Johnston Terrace, (Just off the Royal Mile)
Edinburgh, EH1 2PW
After a wee bit of sightseeing, I decided it was time to introduce Lori to Haggis. I have been to the Worlds End a few times and have enjoyed the Haggis which is local from Macsween. They are most well know for their huge Fish and Chips which is not only huge but quite good as well.
The Worlds End
4 High Street, Edinburgh,
City of Edinburgh EH1 1TB,
United Kingdom +44 131 556 3628
I picked up a trip to Madrid. Being a fan of the Travel Channel, I remembered Andrew Zimmern eating at Botin.
I love roast pig! and the Baby roast suckling pig was amazing.
This is the oldest restaurant in the world and THE place for Baby roast suckling pig in Madrid.
Hidden in an unmarked store front near the corner of Broome and Orchard streets is this jewel of a Mexican restaurant. This is not Tex-Mex but rather the real deal. They produce some of the freshest most authentic Mexican food, I’ve had outside of Mexico. Remember I’ve been to Mexico many times.; they don’t call me Juanpilot for nothing. The kitchen is tiny so the menu is limited but whatever is on it is great. I have introduced my friend Anatoli to this place and it has become his place of choice for lunch.
253 Broome Street
New York NY
Great conceptual menu and great service. The ingredients were excellent however the preparation was poor. The steak was cooked to the wrong temperature and salad soaked in oil. Pizza dough was tasteless and undercooked. To the staff’s credit they did remove it from the bill.
Unfortunately there was a fatal flaw in the Men’s room: it was dirty and paper towels where overflowing the basket. I’d expect better than this in a fast food establishment. Michael needs to get off TV and back in his restaurants !!
Miami Design District.
I have discovered this Italian style Coffee shop in Edinburgh. Their coffee is great. It’s much better than the American brand X. They also have a great Hot Chocolate Milano which is worth every delicious calorie it contains.
Low budget dive called Prosperity??.. Dumpling Shop in NYC. They have managed to get a “A” grade from the NYC Health department so they must be clean. The Dumplings are 5 for a dollar which explains the line that is always in front of the place. The dumpling are pretty good and for a dollar who can complain. Cheap snack after a night out on the Lower East Side.….
Prosperity Dumpling
46 Eldridge Street NY NY
After watching “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” show on the food network, Lori wanted to try the EGG YOLK CARPACCIO. This dish turned out to be a little disappointing. We sat at the tapas bar and the chef making the tapas was very friendly and helped us select some other dishes. The other dishes were excellent and the very simple PAN CON TOMATE turned out to be the star of the evening. We had the Jamon on top of it but it really wasn’t necessary, the tomato alone was enough. The fresh heirloom tomatoes and EVO just exploded with flavor in every bite. The SHRIMP TIRADITO also excellent featuring high quality prawns, huancaina sauce and popcorn. Popcorn sounds unusual however it works very well in the dish. The Rabo Encidido was also wonderful Trofie pasta with full flavored oxtail meat sauce with just a touch of richness from the creamy sweet mascarpone cheese. The desserts where spectacular, my favorite was the Pastelito De membriello Y Queso. The candied Jarom Serrano was over the top……
SRA Martinez
4000 NE 2nd Avenue
Miami, Florida 33137
305.573.5474
info@sramartinez.com
Several years ago we asked our friends that live in Camucia to take us to a local place where people go to eat for everyday food. They took us to Canta Napoli and we LOVE it….I have been reluctant to place anything about this place on the internet fearing it may ruin such a wonderful place unspoiled by tourists.
It’s a Neapolitan style pizzeria as the name implies. They feature a large variety of pizzas. We always have one however we never miss some of the freshest seafood available anywhere. I recommend the calamari salad and mixed grilled seafood. Both of these dishes are featured in the pictures above. Let’s not forget the fresh Neapolitan pastries driven up from Naples almost daily. The Baba Rum or Baba au Rhum is my personal favorite and I rejoice when they have them……..
I wholeheartedly recommend Canta Napoli and we will certainly return hoping that not too many of my followers are taking all the tables.
Canta Napoli – Ristorante – Pizzeria
Loc. Le Piagge, 33 – Camucia Cortona (AR)
http://www.cantanapoli.net/chisiamo.htm
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