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L'Enoteca Pinchiorri
Best in Tuscany
L'Enoteca Pinchiorri is the best--and grandest--restaurant in Tuscany. The food is outstanding; the wine list is one of the best in the world; the service is professional and superbly efficient; and the ambience is sophisticated and elegant.
No other restaurant on earth has the selection of Italian wines that owners Giorgio Pinchiorri and his wife, Annie Feolde, have amassed in their underground cellar. In all, they have about 120,000 bottles below the restaurant and another 20,000 stored elsewhere. The wine list--or shall I say "lists" because there's an Italian list and a foreign list--offers more than 4,700 selections. Combine this with a small army of sommeliers and an abundance of Riedel glassware, and you have an amazing wine experience.
The only drawback is the price: Figure on spending at least $200 per person, minimum, even when drinking a bottle of fairly ordinary wine. A great bottle of super Tuscan red or Brunello di Montalcino will add another $200 or $300 to the bill. For instance, a 1993 Brunello that sells for $30 in a wine shop in Florence costs $150 in the restaurant.
Ironically, the non-Tuscan and French wines are better deals. For example, I selected a bottle of 1996 Fontana Galardi Terra di Lavoro, a super red from the South of Italy near Naples, for about $60. A bottle of Domaine Raveneau Chablis Valmur 1996 was about the same price. Both are extremely rare bottles and sell for more at retail in the United States, if you can find them.
Pinchiorri also does dozens of interesting wines by the glass--usually in groups of three or four. The selection of different Tuscan wines may include a Castello di Farnetella Sauvignon 1997, Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Lamaione 1996, Poli-ziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vigna Asinone 1993 and a Petreto Pourriture Noble 1998 (about $90 per person). Another approach is the "homage" to the Rothschild family, with a choice of four wines from either Mouton or Lafite, including vintages such as 1995, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1986 and 1983 (about $500 per person). Just to name a few of these omaggi: J.-F. Coche-Dury, Ramonet, Jayer-Gilles, E. Guigal, Castello dei Rampolla, Antinori, Biondi-Santi and Gaja.
The menu at L'Enoteca is large and somewhat daunting. Nearly everyone takes one of two set menus--either the traditional Tuscan one or the "Grand Menu Degustazione." These usually consist of no less than six or seven courses, from small appetizers to large main courses as well as cheese and dessert. Set menus are usually less expensive than ordering la carte--$100 for the Tuscan and $120 for the other.
The Tuscan menu is a culinary tour of the region. It may begin with a rustic Livornian favorite of tomato-fish soup with shellfish croutons and continue with a funky Sienese main course of small ricotta-and-spinach pasta dumplings with cock combs, chicken livers and pork ears. This is hardly haute cuisine and rather a waste considering the size and expertise of the kitchen.
The degustation menu is much more sofisticato. For example, the chickpea soup with pasta (a Tuscan staple) was greatly enhanced by the addition of grilled prawns and pecorino cheese crisps. It was vibrant in flavor and heartwarming in character. A main course of juicy lamb chops with a mixed-nut crust, accompanied by lentils and crepes made with chestnut flour, ricotta cheese and truffles, was delicious.
Regardless of which menu you choose, save some room for the cheese tray. I have never seen anything like it in Italy. Not only is there an amazing array of local cheeses, from creamy, youthful pecorino to well-aged selections, there are also great cheeses from the north of Italy and from France.
Desserts are always good here, but not particularly inspiring. A coffee and a small glass of grappa hit the spot. In all, Pinchiorri offers more than 100 different grappas, not to mention an army of Cognacs, Armagnacs and other after-dinner drinks.
L'ENOTECA PINCHIORRI
Via Ghibellina 87, 50122 Florence
Telephone (011) 39-055-242-7777
Fax (011) 39-055-244983
Open Tuesday to Saturday
Cost Very expensive
Credit Cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Grand Award since 1984
Food 91 Wine 99 Service 96 Ambience 94
Weighted average 95
Review From Wine Spectator Magazine; Link to article: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,2651,00.html |
Cibrčo
The heart of florence
Visitors from America love Cibrčo, the well-known restaurant in Florence in the San Ambrogio market. Maybe it's the buzz of the atmosphere or the quick, friendly service or the delicious, hearty food. Every evening, Americans occupy many of the tables in this restaurant.
However, this doesn't mean that locals don't come to Cibrčo. On a recent evening, the 80-seat restaurant was packed with Italians. Rising Italian banter, the clinking of glasses and the smacking of cutlery on porcelain plates drowned out most English-speaking voices. This isn't an elegant and refined dining experience, but it is one of the best places to eat in Tuscany. It's like eating in a top New York steak house or Parisian brasserie.
The wine list used to be the pitfall of this restaurant, but owner Fabio Picchi has made some improvements. Today, it offers about 300 selections, with a heavy emphasis on Tuscany. Many of the big names are there, from Solaia to Fattoria Le Pupille Toscana Saffredi, though nearly all are recent vintages such as 1996 and 1997. The selection of top Chianti Classicos is very good and well-priced--try a bottle of the superb Fontodi 1997 for $19 or the La Massa 1997 for $20.
Cibrčo works with a set menu. Most people usually order four courses ($45 per person)--including an array of small portions of different antipasti, a first course, main course and dessert. The antipasti include anything from strips of tripe sauted in olive oil and served with diced shallots to tiny pieces of aged pecorino cheese and chopped walnuts tossed in olive oil with parsley and thyme. A black, creamy cuttlefish soup is intensely flavored, with a lovely tartness. The restaurant is famous for its refusal to serve pasta, but you'll never miss it.
Main courses are mostly meats, from simply grilled spicy sausages served in a coarse white bean sauce to moist roasted pigeon. A braised veal tail with a meat stock is rich and earthy yet not overly rustic. The few fish dishes are equally tasty, such as a simple tepid salad of boiled squid with olive oil and fresh herbs. Picchi has a talent for taking some of the rough edges off what is traditional Tuscan peasant food by giving it a modern touch.
Save room for desserts if you like what amounts to children's pudding for adults. The cheesecake made with ricotta and marmalade is wonderfully creamy with an orangy tang. Coffee arrives seconds after the dessert, along with the bill. You don't feel rushed, exactly. It's just that everything seems to function like clockwork at Cibrčo--a rarity in Italy.
CIBRČO
Via A. Del Verrocchio, 8 r, 50100 Florence
Telephone (011) 39-055-2341100
Fax (011) 39-055-244966
Open Tuesday to Saturday
Cost Moderate
Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club
Food 90 Wine 86 Service 93 Ambience 93
Weighted average 90
Article from Wine Spectator Read more at http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,2656,00.html
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