ekc's Profile
Thanks to all Italy Board Chowhound posters
Thanks again Lisa - I was hoping you would make it to Sostanza, and glad your experience was better this time!
Puglia, Basilicata, Molise "report" May 2012 (really long with more negative than positive impressions)
Thank you Barberinibee for your honest report. Often, the "don't do what I did" reports are as helpful as the cheerleading reports. Interesting to know that you finally found an area of Italy you did not enjoy as much, although I hope I never will. :-) Go FVG!
Salerno, Naples and Capri (May 2012 restaurant report)
Thanks for the great report B!
Thanks to all Italy Board Chowhound posters
Great job Lisa - glad to hear about your time on the A/C, as I will be there in 6 weeks!
Restaurants in Piemonte (Part II from earlier)
Thanks for another great report J! Makes me want to go back!!
Restaurants in Rome, Florence, Santa Margherita Lugure, Piemonte. A trip summation.
Welcome back and thanks for the report! Glad you loved Roscioli as much as we did. Can't wait to hear about the late night in Florence! :-)
And looking forward to the Piemonte report!!
Vancouver BC Hound returning for more Portland chow
Looks good G. I always have good service at Nostrana - early on it was hit or miss, but for the past couple of years it has been good (for us and all our friends who eat there also).
Not to add to your list, but I was just at the Driftwood Room (in the Hotel deLux) for drinks and had a few offerings from their Happy Hour menu and was pleasantly surprised.
But my favorite place for drinks right now is Oven & Shaker in the Pearl, which is a sister restaurant to Nostrana. They are also open very late (well, by Portland standards!).
Polly-O ricotta cheese
No Polly-O, but the ricotta they have in the cheese case at Pastaworks/City Market is good.
Last leg of FOOD TRIP in Northern Italy
We had a very good dinner at Bovio last fall and I had probably THE best dish of that trip at La Libera. I would return to either restaurant in a heartbeat. We also had a great lunch at Villa Tiboldi outside of Canale (127 Case Sparse), sitting on the terrace with a view of the vineyards. We followed the lunch with a tour of the nearby Malvira winery ... very memorable afternoon!
Now that I am home.... [moved from Italy]
Although not ER focused (Tuscany focused), I really like Twelve. It is broken down to 12 chapters, one for each month of the year, so you can see what the Italians (more specifically Tuscans) would be cooking in any specific month.
An Italian friend of mine suggested the Talisman Italian Cookbook.
The following blog was compiled by a group who posted a review of each recipe in Marcella Hazan's cookbook - each person cooked a recipe and wrote about how it went and most included pictures. Marcella even comments on many of the posts.
www.slowtrav.com/blog/pomodori_e_vino/
Best location for endless chowing and drinking!
Sorry Leonardo, you are absolutely correct - it is west of downtown. I just automatically think North when going uphill!
Not the greatest location of eating/drinking, but luckily everything is relatively close in Portland!
Thanks to all Italy Board Chowhound posters
Glad to hear back Lisa - keep it coming!
Date night in Venice
Depending on your budget, I would have aperitivo overlooking the Grand Canal at, say, the Bauer, and then a cozy dinner at Il Ridotto.
Dal Pescatore ratings fell from being in the top 10 to 70 in the World's Best restaurant list???
Fantastic list plufmud! We had such an amazing tour at lunch at Pallenvinca, and when we left I told my husband that some day we would stay there! You will love due Platani and we had a great dinner at Cocchi. I still kick myself that I didn't try the bolito misto while we were there!
If you find my report, you will see my other recs for Parma - the pizza and aperitivo (if you are looking for something lighter one night).
Best location for endless chowing and drinking!
Actually Park Lane Suites is not downtown, but approximately 13 blocks north of downtown. But it will be a good walk uphill back to the hotel after all the eating and drinking - or a short cab ride away!
Lunch between Rome and Positano
The phone number Elizabeth listed above is: 0775 65428
May 2012: Thoughts (and help) on my choices for Rome, Florence & Venice
Our 2 favorite cicchetti stops are All’ Arco (sorry, I didn't write down the address but I am sure you can find it here somewhere) and Gia Schiavi on San Trovaso (aka Vini al Bottegon).
We also had a fantastic lunch at Naranzaria right near the Rialto market.
Our 2 favorite dinners in Venice were Il Ridotto and Antiche Carampane (which we liked so much we had dinner there again on our last trip in October). Not that you need more restaurant suggestions! :-)
Looking forward to your rooptop aperitivo at PS in Rome!!
May 2012: Thoughts (and help) on my choices for Rome, Florence & Venice
Colly - congrats on staying at the Portrait Suites - it is our fav in Rome and you will love it! We had lunch at Trattoria Otello alla Concordia, at Via della Croce, 81, which is very near the hotel. The restaurant is tucked back off the street and has a nice courtyard where you can sit outside under a pergola and enjoy a leisurely lunch. The salumi platter we started with was fantastic.
Too bad you are skipping Pizzarium - we had a fantastic time there in October.
If your hubby really wants to go to Harry's, I would limit it to lunch at the most (frankly, I would just stop in for a drink and a snack).
No cicchetti stops while in Venice??
May 2012: Thoughts (and help) on my choices for Rome, Florence & Venice
Haha - Hi Jim!! As I mentioned in the report I gave to your girlfriend, we loved our lunch at Checchino and think both of you would like the traditional nature of the menu and the restaurant. It is also a great area to wander around in. And if you guys don't stop at Roscioli and eat the burrata and semi-dried tomatoes I will never buy your wine again! :-)
Rome - Reservations needed? (Salumeria Con Cucina Roscioli, La Campana, L'Arcangelo)
"the favorite of hipsters" ... I have eaten there twice, both times in the back room, and I am most decidedly NOT a hipster. The patrons dining at nearby tables came from all walks of life. IMO the hipster generalization does not fit.
Rome - Reservations needed? (Salumeria Con Cucina Roscioli, La Campana, L'Arcangelo)
Yes for Roscioli.
Five Weeks in Rome Environs
We took a day trip out of Rome to visit Hadrian's Villa and stopped in Tivoli for lunch. We had a driver but I saw a recent post on how to visit via public transport (try Ron in Rome's website). The lunch we had in Tivoli was at Sibilla and it was fantastic. It is partially built into the ruins of an ancient temple, and if you sit in the back on the patio you can see the remains and a wonderful view over a small valley into the other side of Tivoli. There is a wood-burning oven/grill in the back so grilled items are their specialty. Everything we had was fantastic.
Gianduja in Turin
Definitely stop at Guido Gobino - we sampled and purchased several fantastic products there.
Antico Arco Buccatini all'Amatriciana recipe
Wonderful korytrav - thank you for your contribution!
Completely Unplanned ER Trip -
Two other restaurants we went to in the Parma area and loved were Trattoria ai Due Paltani on Via Budellungo in Coloreto and Trattoria di Cognento in Campagnola Emilia. I am pretty sure I posted a report about the trip (in 2010). Cognento was a charming “country” trattoria with a couple of different rooms, one of which was surrounded by windows that allowed you to look out at the grounds surrounding the restaurant. After lunch when we went back to the car, we noticed that there was quite a nice “park” (for lack of a better word) with benches and a gazebo, etc. that would be wonderful for outdoor dining in the nicer weather.
Portland Wine
You really should stop at Oregon Wines on Broadway, which serves exclusively Oregon wines by the glass and has a good selection. Starting there could also steer you in the right direction for the rest of your trip!
Menus in English? Is there an app for that?
As an illustration of Jen's comment, I love the salad known as Panzanella (Tuscany) and have ordered it several times in Italy. I also like Caponata (Sicily) (I love Roscioli's version without red peppers) and have ordered it several times in Italy.
The other day I was watching a cooking show based on the Amalfi Coast and the host was going on and on about how he loved to make and eat Caponata when he is on the Amalfi coast because the tomatoes are so wonderful - and then he went on to make what I would consider to be Panzanella - bread, tomato, onion salad!
So things can change even if you think you know the names of certain dishes. Which is why it is important (as MBF pointed out) to engage your server and ask questions about the menu and the preparation of the dishes in which you may be interested.
What makes your twice baked potatoes extra fabulous?
Penzey's is the name of a chain of spice shops. Penzey's Spices.
Downtown/Pearl restaraunts-eat at the bar?
Oven & Shaker has a nice long bar and excellent food. Ping is another good choice and you can see some of the kitchen from the bar also. I think both Oba and Paragon are good for drinks but not for food.
Lunch between Rome and Positano
Thanks Elizabeth - that's exactly what I was hoping for! :-)
