Had a nice three-hour lunch on Friday.
Suppli al telefono, half with guanciale, half vegetarian. Would have ordered all with guanciale if we’d known. Excellent though could have been hotter.
Gnocco fritto with prosciutto was great. Gorgonzola and pickled onions were gilding the lily. Extra gnocco (gnocchi?) $1 each.
I guess I neglected to photograph the eggplant sformato. Brilliant dish, lovely texture and great sauce.
Italian sommelier made great suggestions.
Squid, beans, and celery salad, very good, celery made the dish.
Exceptional Teroldego made in amphorae.
Squab bottoni with chanterelles, rich and unctuous. Lovely.
Mezze maniche with lamb sugo. Very good.
Focaccine were very good but more oil than I wanted, would prefer plain bread to go with the pastas and main.
Swordfish. I would have preferred the fiorentina or chicken but my two friends were punking out.
Neglected to photograph the cheese course. It was fine though I’d have preferred all Italian, two of three were local.
Strawberry meringata, excellent.
Chocolate and fig cremoso, ditto.
The Viola “50 Gradi all’Ombra” (“122 degrees in the shade”) late-harvest Grillo was fantastic. I’ve had his wines many times but didn’t know he made a dessert wine.
I wish my companions had had more appetite, I would have eaten more. Prices are steep but fair for the exceptional service and quality of the ingredients, clearly helps to be connected to the Michelin three-star next door. If the menu was Frenchified I’m sure they’d have one star.