Florence Restaurants

You might want to post here

under "Italy." You will have to join to post; but I think you willfind it well worth it.

Neil

"Il Cavolo Nero" ("the black squash") is just a hundred meters south of the Arno river in the most central part of Florence. The owner is a participant in a couple italian newsgroups (wine and restaurants) and a wine enthusiast. His place is well renowned, honest in price and also appears on some guides on italian restaurants.

While you're in Florence, don't miss the occasion to try a wonderful chocolate specialty from a very good maitre chocolatiere, Claudio Pistocchi (in Via degli Artisti, also central Florence): his "torta fondente" is something you probably have never tasted before. It basically looks as a ganache but there's no cream, also no milk, no eggs, no flour, just four or five different kinds of original selected cocoa (c. beans, c. mass, c. butter...) and the work of a great artisan. He's also producing some more cakes, and some different versions of the "torta fondente".

If you are going to have a walking snack, ask for a Lampredotto stand, where they sell this traditional sandwich made with a good ladle of tripe stew between two slices of bread.

Thanks for the info. I've already made plans to visit "Il Cavolo Nero. It's interesting that you are the second person to recommend this restaurant!

I actually have a reservation to Enoteca Pinchiorri. Thanks for the advice on the wine. I understand that they really "push" the wine flights which give little control over what you're going to recieve. I'd probably opt to buy off the list rather than pay an exorbitant rate for whines that they want to unload. Thanks for the tip.

My strategy is same as if I'm bringing a bottle with me---I order a white or light red per the waiter's recco and the red I want----when I was with a winemaker and not paying for the meal, I went with the chef's dinner; but if I'm paying I'm not there for the chef or restaurant. Only time this didn't work was at Toque in Montreal who seemed pissed I didn't follow any of their set options. I went to the bathroom after I paid for the meal and when I returned, the table was cleared of my coffee and after dinner drink and the waiter had my coat and had called me a cab. I spent about $75 Canadian and had one glass of Ontario wine, as there was nothing by the glass or in 375 ml that appealed to me.

I'm glad for Arturo, the chef of the rerstaurant ;)

Was the other person who recommended you the Cavolo Nero from Italy?

No, he's from Norway but he travels to Florence often on business. I'm not sure I'm ready for the trippa or lampretto sandwich from a street vendor though...:-)