I have to agree with Ambra and Jen. I've never seen a restaurant here that starts serving dinner before 8:00 pm. As much as Italians are crazy for children I've never seen any infants (or small children for that matter) at dinner time at any fine dining restaurant in Piemonte. If you want to experience some of Piemonte's great restaurants you might want to go for lunch.

We have done the tour and tasting at the Banca del Vino in Pollenzo and LOVED it. I recommend adding the Slow Food Presidia products to the tasting if that is still an option... you get to try some amazing local artisanal food products. We sampled some great salumi and cheeses that went very well with the wines. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

The University of Gastronomic Sciences is actually in Pollenzo which is a frazione of Bra. I have enjoyed several good dinners at Carpe Noctem e Diem which is very near the University. The restaurant is located in a former stable and has been beautifully renovated. They have good Piemontese cuisine and I have never been disappointed. If you prefer to go upscale there is the famous Ristorante Da Guido adjacent to the university. Great food but very elegant and very pricey.

I agree with David T that you will be able to find great Piemontese wines in just about any enoteca in Turin. But if you do have the time you should go to the Langhe (one hour south of Turin) and buy directly from the producers. The Langhe offers some of the best wines in the world (Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto) and the scenery is breathtaking. Cheers.

I responded to Dweinstein, not you. It wasn't your post I was referring to, it was the other poster. Sorry if that wasn't clear to you. Actually, I didn't even read your response until now. I'm still not sure if you've eaten there or not but my meal at Magorabin most certainly wasn't an abomination of Piemontese food, quite the contrary. Perhaps the chefs aren't the same now since, as I stated, my meal was about a year ago. Cheers.

I had a wonderful dinner at Magorabin about a year ago. I'm not sure why the other poster would compare this restaurant to osterie piemontesi because this is fine dining and has nothing to do with home cooking. I remember the fantastic scamone of Piemontese beef that absolutely melted in my mouth. There were several chefs in the kitchen that night and the food and service was outstanding. I can't remember all of the other courses but I walked out very happy with my meal. The cuisine is based on traditional Torinesi recipes (we are talking House of Savoia not ma and pa) but a modern interpretation. I'm curious to hear what you think.

Here is a link to all of the Autumn festivals in Cuneo Province which includes all of the Langhe, Alba, Bra and Cuneo. It lists truffle festivals as well as other local celebrations of food and wine.

http://www.cuneoholiday.com/file_down...

I just read the Time article and I have to agree with Fred. If you don't do anything else, be sure to try the Focaccia di Recco as Fred suggested above. It is quintessential Genovese street food that should not be missed.

Could this be the place you are talking about? I believe it goes by Esisti as well.

Antica Osteria da la Stella

www.anticaosteriadalastella.com

There most certainly are Piemontese preparations of seafood and fish dishes. Historically anchovies and tuna have played an important role in Piemontese cuisine and there are many local recipes using seafood, such as Acciughe al verde. Although "landlocked", Turin is only about 2 hours away from the Mediterranean and has some of the freshest seafood available in Europe.

I simply wanted to let Spacesasha know that Laspada is basically a pizzeria. I always think it is a better practice not to recommend a place unless I've personally been there.

Cheers

Spacesasha, I've been to La Spada Reale and they do not serve Piemontese cuisine. It is a pizzeria that also makes some good Sicilian style seafood dishes.

Since you travel for good food, there is an "undiscovered" jewel of restaurant in Mondovi' called Il Baluardo. The restaurant is only a few years old and was just awarded a Michelin star thanks to the outstanding chef/owner Marc Lanteri.

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Il Baluardo
piazza d'Armi 2, Mondovi Cuneo, Piemonte 12084, IT

Our favorite seafood restaurant in Turin is Da Benito. I've been there many times and was always impressed with the food. They are not in the central part of the city, but the food merits a cab ride. The restaurant is at Corso Siracusa, 142 in Turin.

I suggest you try some of our local cheeses that have truffles in them. Beppino Occelli is one of the best cheese (and butter) makers in the Langhe and he makes several artisanal cheeses with real truffles in them. Occelli's Tuma del Trifulau and Crutin are two of my favorites. Remember, locals don't eat truffles out of season for a reason. Try the cheese instead.

Oops. The town for the regional enoteca is Mango, which is in Cuneo Province. I've always found it interesting that the heart of the so-called "Asti Spumante" zone is in Cuneo not Asti province. People still remember those Asti Spumante commercials from years ago and they assume it comes from Asti. I think the province of Asti should commemorate the person who created that adverting campaign.

The actual production center for Asti Spumante and Moscato d'Asti is near the town of Canelli. Other than the name, the city of Asti doesn't have much to do with wine production. The regional enoteca for moscato, both spumante and still is in the town of Canale. As a matter of fact, the production zone for moscato includes parts of Alessandria and Cuneo provinces.

Regarding local sweets (dolci piemontesi), the Pasticceria Giordanino in Asti is famous for its Astigiani which are amaretti cookies soaked in various liqueurs like rum, maraschino and Grand Marnier.

Yes, they serve lunch on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. I believe they start around 12:30 or 1:00 p.m.

It's not far but with all the hills and winding roads it would take at least 45 mins to drive to Corsaglia from Alba. Unfortunately the restaurant does not have a website so you have to call them to reserve a table. Most likely there will not be an English speaker answering the phone so it is best to have someone who speaks Italian call for you. If you go, you will have a truly unforgettable dining experience.

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Corsaglia
Via Corsaglia, 41b, Montaldo di Mondovì, Piemonte 12080, IT

I thought I would share my recent review of one of best rustic trattorie in Piedmont's Monregalese area just outside of Mondovi.

The road you take to Ristorante Corsaglia follows a rocky stream through one of the most beautiful valleys in the Monregalese. Its hillsides are covered with chestnut forests that are the source of many ingredients found in the local cuisine: wild boar, venison, hare, porcini, truffles. The scenery along the way seems ready for an artist’s canvas: alpine meadows with wildflowers, rustic farm houses, dilapidated 400 year-old barns, occasional road-side chapels. Combine all of this with the hypnotizing sound of the stream’s rushing water and you feel as if you are in a magical place.

Ristorante Corsaglia is located in Montaldo di Mondovi in the heart of Piedmont’s Monregalese area. This family-run establishment has year after year been recommended in the Slow Food - Osterie d’Italia guide of traditional places to eat. Chefs Sebastiano Dho and Mauro Nasi pay particular attention to the rustic culinary traditions of the area. Both chefs are active in promoting heirloom products from the Monregalese that are in danger of extinction. You enter the restaurant through the bar area where you are likely to find a table of locals playing cards. The atmosphere inside is warm and welcoming but with a touch of kitsch. Knotty-pine paneled walls display traditional ceramics, family photos, various awards and mementos which include a plaque marking the water level from the area’s last flood.

Dinner starts at 8:00 pm and the menu changes constantly according to what is in season. Margherita Dho works the dining room and will read you the handwritten menu of the day from her notepad. Typically there are six antipasti, two primi, two secondi, a cheese course and three dolci. As is the custom in most trattorie, diners may choose any or all of the courses as they are served family-style. There is a good wine list which rightfully focuses on Piemontese wines. The Dho family also produces and sells their own excellent Dolcetto and Accardina wines which serve as the house wines.

Menù

Salumi misti di maiale, cinghiale e asino
Insalata di gallina
Trota in carpione.
Frittata di erbette,
Torta di patate,
Flan di verdure con bagna caoda,

Gnocchi rossi al burro e salvia
Tagliatelle con ragù di trota o ragù di carne

Capretto al forno
Cinghiale al civet

Crostata di castagne
Bunet
Zabaione con le paste di meliga

On my most recent visit to Corsaglia I tried three out of the six antipasti on the menu that evening. The first was a plate of three types of home-made salami: cinghiale (boar), asino (donkey) and maiale (pork). The salame d’asino is a traditional product of the Monregalese that has practically disappeared, but for the Ristorante Corsaglia, where it is a staple on their menu. Serving the three varieties together works to highlight the unique taste and texture of each type of meat. Next to arrive at the table was the trota in carpione, fresh trout that had been breaded, fried and then marinated in a mixture of vinegar, sugar and spices. The preparation was originally used as a way to preserve meats in the days before refrigeration. Corsaglia’s updated version is a delicate take on sweet and sour that worked perfectly with the fish. The last antipasto was Flan di verdure, a rich spinach flan that was sauced with a delicate version of the classic, garlicky bagna caôda.

I had a difficult time choosing between the two primi so I opted for a half portion of each. The gnocchi rossi were made from a variety of potato that thrives in the high altitudes of the valley. Although the name suggests red, the color of the dish is more purple than red. Butter and sage was the right sauce since it didn’t overpower the flavor of the gnocchi. The ragù di trota was made with Fario, an indigenous trout whose provenance just happens to be the stream right outside the restaurant. Talk about freshness. The delicate flavor of the fish worked well with the tomato and herbs in the pasta sauce.

When it came to the meat course, I knew immediately that I wanted to try the cinghiale al civet. Al civet refers to a traditional method of cooking game meats like boar, venison and hare. The cinghiale was first marinated in red wine, herbs and onion and then braised for hours. The result was a deeply flavorful and tender meat that was accompanied by perfectly roasted potatoes and carrots. Others at my table tried the capretto al forno and they vouched for its tenderness.

Having passed on the cheese course, we went right to dessert. The chefs typically make three different dolci, but in order to make choosing easier, they offer a tris that lets you sample all three. The first was bunet, the classic chocolate flan of the Langhe and the Monregalese. Corsaglia’s version was especially rich and creamy. The crostata di castagne was a slice of sweet pastry topped with a thick, chocolate and chestnut filling. The third dessert, and in my opinion, the one that stood out the most, was the zabaione. Made al minuto, the silky custard arrived still warm and with a heavy perfume of Moscato wine. How do a few egg yolks, sugar and wine turn into such complex flavors? Accompanying the zabione were the classic corn-meal cookies of the Monregalese, paste di meliga, which were crunchy, buttery and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

A meal such as this would cost between 20 and 25 Euros per person, excluding beverages. Reservations are a must. Please keep in mind that little or no English is spoken. For those who speak no Italian, a pocket dictionary or translator might be helpful with menu questions. Ristorante Corsaglia offers slow travelers a truly authentic dining experience in a magical corner of Piemonte.

Ristorante Corsaglia
V. Corsaglia - Fr. Corsaglia, 41/B
12080 Montaldo di Mondovì (CN)
Lunch Sat & Sun
Closed Tuesdays
(+39) 0174 349109

1) Don't tip in Italy.

2) Don't feel guilty.

It is that simple. If there is a charge for coperto or an added gratuity, it will already be on the bill.

David, Mondovi' is definitely worth visiting. The historic center (called Mondovi' Piazza) is undergoing a renaissance which was aided by last year's Andrea Pozzo exhibit and the recent opening of the Museo della Ceramica. There is also an exciting dining vibe going on with restaurants like Ezzolino and Il Baluardo, which was just awarded a Michelin star. - Giuanin

In the hills of the Monregalese, the lovely countryside surrounding the town of Mondovì, foraging for porcini mushrooms is a local obsession. These earthy delicacies appear only when the woods and weather conditions acquiesce. Fresh porcini are so prized in these parts that serious enthusiasts never divulge their favorite hunting grounds. To a true Fungaiolo there is nothing quite like the thrill of finding a porcino peeking out from underneath a chestnut leaf.

The last time I dined at Trattoria da Franca I felt like I had stumbled upon someone’s secret stash of mushrooms and I was in porcini heaven. Four out of twelve courses featured freshly picked porcini. Everything on the menu at Da Franca is either home-grown, freshly foraged or sourced from a local producer di fiducia. The recipes go back generations and are typical of the Monregalese and the Langhe. The owner, a wonderful woman named Franca, does all the cooking and runs the trattoria with the help of her extended family. The locale itself is comfortably furnished and simply decorated with family antiques and photographs. When you enter the dining room you are met with a spectacular vista of the Casotto Valley and the Langhe Monregalesi.

Franca’s menu is typically composed of 12 courses and is served family style. This evening there were three antipasti made with porcini mushrooms: carne cruda con funghi porcini, frittata di porcini and cestino di funghi. The carne cruda was slices of raw Piemontese beef dressed with olive oil, salt and shaved porcini mushroom. Franca’s frittata di porcini was thin, tender and loaded with pieces of fresh mushroom. The third antipasto, cestino di funghi, consisted of a crispy square of pastry filled with sliced porcini mushrooms prepared al verde, sauteed with parsley and garlic.

Among Franca’s non-mushroom antipasti, the fiori di zucchine fritti and quiche di peperoni tasted sinfully delicious. Naturally, the zucchine blossoms came from Franca’s organic garden and she served them to us still hot from the pan. Her quiche combined roasted red peppers with a garlicky bagna caôda-like filling. Delicioso. I have to admit that I have already tried several times at home to reproduce Franca’s quiche di peperoni. Of course, I haven’t been able to duplicate it exactly but I am getting closer with each attempt.

The two primi on the menu were risotto ai porcini and ravioli con ragù and for the sake of research I felt compelled to try both primi. The risotto was served piping hot, perfectly cooked and had an incredibly intense flavor of porcini mushroom. Franca’s delicate ravioli were filled with Raschera cheese and herbs and served with a delicate meat sauce.

Then came two meat courses: arrosto di vitello and cinghiale al civet. The veal roast was moist and tender and was accompanied by oven roasted potatoes. The wild boar was prepared al civet which is a classic Piemontese method of slow braising in red wine, herbs and spices. The braising liquid imparts a wonderful aromatic flavor to the wild boar.

Formaggi this evening were Raschera d’Alpeggio, Testun, Toma and Castelmagno all classic cheeses of Cuneo Province. I sacrificed and passed directly to the dessert. The choices were bunet, panna cotta and torta di castagna, three classic Piemontese desserts. In order to make the decision easier, Franca served three small portions of each sweet. My favorite was the bunet, a dense chocolaty flan with amaretti. The panna cotta was served with wild blackberries and was so delicate it was quivering on the plate. Torta di castagna is ubiqutious in the Langhe but Franca’s moister, sweeter version of the chestnut cake is outstanding.

Da Franca offers outstanding traditional Piemontese cooking in a charming setting away from the crowds and tourists. The entire menu costs €25 or less per person, depending on how many courses you choose. The wine list offers a good selection of local reds and whites, all at very affordable prices. Very little English is spoken but Franca and family will help explain the menu and make you feel at home.

Da Franca
Via Vecchia Roatta, 2,
12080 Torre Mondovì
Tel. (+39) 0174329024
Closed Tuesdays