48 Hours in Varenna, Italy Visited 9/7-9/9/2018 3.5-4 Forks

Osteria Quarto Pass  Via XX Settembre 20, 23829 Varenna, Italy                                            3.5 Forks

If you've never been to Lake Como before, I can't high recommend it enough.  It is one of the most beautiful places I've been to in the world.  In terms of sheer natural beauty, there is nothing more spectacular than a view of the gorgeous lake on a clear sunny day where you can see across to the other cute towns.  Simply stunning.   I recommend staying away from the madness of Bellagio (way too many tourists and was my least favorite part of the region) and stay somewhere slightly less crowded like Varenna.  It was perfect there - a few shops and restaurants but overall super quiet.  The best part is that the train station is located in town, so it's easy to get back to Milan from here.

The only downside to Lake Como is that I would say the food scene is not as great as it is in other parts of Italy.  Let's face it, you're coming here for the scenery and not the food.  That being said, the food is decent, just not spectacular.  We went to this local joint our first night in Varenna as it was recommended by our Airbnb host.  It's a quaint neighborhood restaurant with a few local specials.  Every restaurant in town boasts about their "lake fish" entrees - I believe it's literally fish they pluck from the lake.   I'll be honest and as someone who loves fish, lake fish isn't the tastiest. 

I started off with a basic beef tartare - it's was pretty good except there weren't any capers or raw egg with it.  It was very plain and simple but good enough.  Next I got the mixed grill of lake fish - it was a variety of different grilled fish fillets prepared a few different ways.  None of it was really mind blowing.  Kinney got the fish pasta and it is actually wasn't very good - I have never really been a huge fan of mixing fish and pasta but this one just had that extra fishy taste to it.  Others at the table got the special ravioli with ricotta cheese, which I was told was pretty good.  So while I would usually tell people to get the local delicacies, I'd maybe steer people away from the lake fish and stick with the pastas in Lake Como.  As with everything in Lake Como, prices are a bit higher than in other cities because of the high influx of tourists.  Total bill: $344 for 6 people with tax, tip and wine

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Hotel Restaurant Azalea   Via Portici S. Pietro, 1, 22019 Tremezzo CO, Italy                         3.5 Forks

The best thing about Lake Como is the ability to hop around the lake and visit a bunch of gorgeous villas.  I now know why so many people get married here and why George Clooney has a house here.  We decided to take a boat ride to the town of Tremezzo to visit one of the villas and then stopped by this place for a leisurely late lunch. 

There aren't a ton of places to eat in this area so when we spotted an outdoor restaurant with a lake view we were sold.  It's attached to a mid-scale hotel, so we weren't expecting great food.  It was just nice to sit outside and enjoy the scenery.  I was feeling like I needed something healthy so I got the shrimp salad but then for an entree all they really had were pastas and pizzas, so I went for the 4 cheese pizza.  I actually hadn't gotten pizza on this entire trip so I felt like it was ok to finally get it.  The shrimp salad felt like it was defrosted frozen shrimp and it came with strawberries and balsamic vinegar which was kind of a weird combination but it strangely worked for me.  The pizza was actually really tasty - nice thin crust and it was super super cheesy.   Yumm! Everyone else also got some kind of pizza and Will got the rabbit which he said was really good. 

The service was a bit off - although there was only 1 guy there so I did feel bad.  Several people came after us and even sat down with menus but then he told them that there was no more food? or that the kitchen was closed?  Either way, we got there in the knick of time.  Again, similar to our meal the night before, the food wasn't some culinary wonder but it did hit the spot after a long day wandering around the lake.  Total bill:  $186 for 6 people with tax, tip and wine

Photo Credit:  Discovercomo.com 

Hosteria del Platano  Via Statale 29, 23829 Fiumelatte, Italy                                                      4 Forks

This was the most surprising restaurant of the trip.  It was our last meal of the trip (sob!) and I'm not really sure how we even found this place but it was a bit of a hike outside of Varenna.  While it was beautiful to watch the sunset while we walked along the road, it was along the highway and it wasn't really the safest of walks but if you're in a group, it's not too bad.

The restaurant is in this random place off the road, not near anything.  We walked in and it felt kind of weird - there weren't a ton of people there and it didn't have this cute cozy feeling that we had in a lot of other places and at first glance the menu was less than inspiring.  But this is where looks can be deceiving because the food was excellent.   The clientele is definitely much more local and there wasn't a single American tourist in sight which is always a good sign (although there might have beens some European ones around). 

We started with a vegetable puff pastry, sort of like a spanakopita, that was a nice palate starter.  We then had the fried zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta which was sadly kind of meh - it didn't have a ton of flavor to it.  Luckily the main entrees made up for the lack luster appetizers.  Despite proclaiming I was sick of pasta, I split the deer ragu pasta and it was fantastic.   The pasta was perfectly al dente and the deer was not gamey tasting at all.  For my other main, I got a beef fillet and it was perfectly pink and tasted fantastic as well.  In the end, you can never go wrong with a pasta and meat dish, even if they aren't the most creative of dishes.  The dessert here was also shockingly delicious.  We got a refreshing mango and blueberry gelato - two very unusual flavors but really good at the same time.   The cream brulee was also a nice end of the meal - a good glazed top and creamy sweet inside. 

The service was painfully slow but it was just 2 women managing the entire restaurant and they were incredibly nice and sweet to us, so it was hard to be mad at them.   While it wasn't a fancy blinged out way to end the trip, it was all about being with friends in a cozy environment that made it a great night and fitting way to end our trip.  Total bill: $342 for 6 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit: TripAdvisor

Day Trip to Modena Visited 9/5/2018 3-4.5 Forks

Hosteria Giusti  Via Farini 75, 41100 Modena, Italy                                                                 4.5 Forks

I will fully admit that I was a total sucker for all the foodie scenes in Master of None (second season).  And yes, I made a special trip to come to Hosteria Giusti based on that first episode where Aziz goes and eats at this adorable and magical place that only has 4 tables and is behind a salumeria.  If there was any place I wanted to go to more than any place on this trip, this was it.  And it did not disappoint in the least bit. 

The place is exactly how it's presented in the show - gorgeous exterior store front, cute but tiny deli and then you walk through the meats and cheeses to a small room with 4 tables where you will dine on the most amazing food.  I was shocked that the place wasn't sold out - maybe because it was random weekday in September?  In any case, the waitress was super super sweet and walked us through the menu.  There are about 4 appetizers, 4 pastas, 4 entrees and 4 desserts to choose from.  Everyone online raved about the fried dumpling with cold cuts (12 euros) and when we said that Aarti was a vegetarian the waitress kindly said they could make a cheese version instead.  Why not?   Will and I split the pork cheek pasta (18 euros), duck pasta (18 euros) and suckling pig in room temperature with onions and aged balsamic vinegar entree (26 euros).  It's a little pricey compared to a lot of the meals we were having but I guess all this press as allowed them to really charge a premium. 

I know the fried dumplings with cold cuts sounds weird but believe me when I say it's amazing.  The dough is like a fluffy pocket and it's pulled right from the fryer because it's super hot and then they layer on delicious and fatty sliced charcuterie.  They really do a disservice when they call it cold cuts because most people would envision these gross slices of deli meat but these were mouth watering, elegant local delicacies.  The cheese was also outstanding because the cheese was practically melting on top when we got it.  As for the pastas, they were also fantastic.  The pork cheek one came in a red sauce with thick chewy pasta called strozzapreti.  The sauce was spot on but the dish could have used some more meat to it.  The duck pasta was my favorite- perfectly cooked served on a bed of al dente thin sheets of macaroni.  It's definitely not your Kraft macaroni.  

The one slight disappointment was the sucking pig.  Yes, I know it said it was at room temperature on the menu but it still seemed a bit cold. But the onion sauce was incredible and made up for the cold pig.  

While I didn't give this place 5 forks, it was definitely a highlight of the trip and well worth the extra planning.  Modena is a cute, small town that is super close to Bologna (1 hr by train) and is definitely off the beaten path.  So much so that it was a bit boring in that there aren't really any sights to see and we kind of ended up walking around aimlessly.  Note, this place is only open for lunch, so definitely make a reservation early!  Total bill: $156 for 3 people with tax and tip

Franceschetta 58 Via Vignolese 58, 41124 Modena, Italy                                                            3 Forks

Ugh, this review breaks my heart because it had potential to be a real winner.  Obviously, when I knew we were going to Modena, I tried to get a reservation at Osteria Francescana, the #1 restaurant in the world.  But sadly, even after waking up at 4am to try to get seats, we couldn't snag any reservations.  So we did what most people do when they can't get in and got a reservation at it's sister restaurant Franceschetta 58 instead.  Financially, it's probably for the best since Osteria Francescana is like 400 euros a person.  As much as I love food, it's really hard to justify spending that kind of money in one sitting.   

Franceschetta 58 is in a really random part of Modena, almost in the suburbs.  We walked there and it was fine but it's definitely a trek.  Upon walking in, you realize that EVERYONE there is a tourist (not surprising).  It felt like I was eating in America.  Also a bit displeasing was that the decor was super modern and not very Italian feeling - again, I felt like I was eating at some fancy bistro in NYC.  But the good news is that prices are much more reasonable - nothing was more than 16 euros. I got the famous burger (9 euros) and the grouper as an entree (16 euros).  

The burger is a slider served in a cardboard box and it's actually really tasty.  In fact it was the best thing I had from the menu.  It was moist and had a tangy green and brown BBQ like sauce to it.   I believe the regular order comes with 2 burgers but you can get just 1.  As for my entree, my grouper came with a yellow tomato puree, eggplant, olive juice and sage.  The fish was tender and the skin nice and crispy.  It was a fine dish but nothing super memorable.  Unfortunately, everyone else felt like their food was meh.  The pasta Aarti had was super hard and was surprisingly the one place where we didn't enjoy the pasta. 

But where this place really suffered as the service.  It was slow AF.  I read about how slow it was online and I got nervous when I realized that our reservation was at 8:30 and the last train back to Bologna was at midnight.  You'd think a 3 1/2 hr window was enough time but it really wasn't.  In fact, we got so nervous about the time that we finally gave up and had them call us a car to drive us back to Bologna because there was no way we would have made it back to the train station in time.  Plus by the time 11pm rolled around, we were just tired and weren't enjoying ourselves anymore.  

I'm still glad we went, even though I wouldn't recommend it as a place to go out of your way to.  Maybe it's better for lunch when you won't feel so rushed to get back to the train station or at the very least book an early dinner reservation so that you're not on pins and needles like we were.   Total bill for 5:  $225 with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

48 Hours in Bologna Visited 9/4-9/6/2018 4-5 Forks

Salumeria Simoni   Via Pescherie Vecchie 3B, 40124 Bologna, Italy                                       4.5 Forks

Bologna is one of my most favorite cities in Italy - it's slightly off the beaten path from all the touristy places but is hands down the culinary capital of the country in my book.  The food there is second to none and way more affordable.  I was here in 2016 and fell in love with the city and was excited to be back even if it was just for a short stint. 

As soon as we got off the train, we made a beeline for this salumeria.  It's right in the center of town along with a bunch of other salumeria.  I was really bummed last time I was here to not have gone to one, so I made it my priority to check one out this time. 

If you like cheese, meat and Lambrusco, you will be in heaven.  We got the Board Royale (18 euros) and also a bunch of other side meats and cheeses along with a bunch of freshly baked focaccia bread.  As you can see from the picture, the food did not disappoint.  The meats were sliced thinly and cured to perfection.  The cheese were a combination of sharp hard cheeses and some stinky blue served with jam.  I could eat this all day long.  Plus the waiter was super sweet and really nice - it made for a really enjoyable lunch. 

The only downside of a place that only serves charcuterie and cheese boards is that you have to eat a lot of it to get full (which we did) and sometimes it is also nice to have some greens (they do have a small salad but it's really not enough).  This is a great place for lunch or an afternoon snack but probably not for dinner.   Another plus to this place is that it's shockingly affordable for the amount of food we ate.  Total bill: $66 for 5 people and tax and tip

Cremeria Funivia  Piazza Cavour 1D, 40124 Bologna, Italy                                                        5 Forks

I can't even begin to explain how amazing this place is.  Hands down the best gelato of the whole trip.  I usually wouldn't review a gelato place but (A) it's Italy, so I feel like it's my duty to report on amazing gelato places and (B) this place is beyond anything I've had before.  Even our adorable Airbnb host, who barely spoke any English, she pulled out a map and circled this place immediately and said it was a must visit.  We managed to squeeze it in twice in 2 days and would have gone a 3rd time if we could have. 

There is always a line but it moves fast.  It's a mix of locals and tourists jamming up the place but everyone has these really big smiles on their faces when they are there.   All the flavors are super natural but still creative.  The first time I went I got a granita, which is basically like a slushie or Italian ice.  I got the grapefruit and lemon ice and it was amazing.  Super refreshing and very tart - I can see how this is the perfect snack on a hot summer day.  

The next time we went, I stuck with gelato and got the yogurt flavor mixed with the dark chocolate flavor.  OMG, mind blowing.  The consistency was nice and thick, like a soft serve and the yogurt was super tart but cut perfectly with the chocolate.  The chocolate tasted exactly like chocolate pudding.  I was craving this so badly the next day but we didn't have time for it.  I swear, there is crack in it or something that is super addictive as I couldn't get it out of my mind all day.  If you are in Bologna this place is an absolute must visit.  

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Da Cesari  Via dè Carbonesi 8, 40123 Bologna, Italy                                                                  4 Forks

Most of the team was exhausted and full from lunch and a gelato run but Aarti and I decided to live it up and still go out to dinner.  I mean, it's almost a sin to be in Italy and not be eating 3 full meals a day.  We checked out this place near our Airbnb and it was adorable.  Super traditional place with really sweet waiters. 

We started with a green salad, which at 5 euros we felt was a bit overpriced for what it was.  But the pasta experience made up for it.  The famous dish in Bologna besides bolognese is the tortellini in brodo.  I hadn't had it last time I was in Bologna, so I felt like it was my duty to get it here.  If you're not starving, it's the perfect pasta dish for you.  The beef broth was light but flavorful and the small pieces of tortellini were stuffed to perfection.  Perfect bites of pasta with ham, mortadella, parm and nutmeg encased in a soft pasta shell.  Aarti got the pumpkin ravioli which was a sweet and buttery delight.  The menu had so many other amazing sounding dishes but we just couldn't bring ourselves to eat anymore.  While the food, wine and service were great, it was a tad bit more expensive than most of the places we went to in Italy (but still super cheap compared to NYC prices).  Total bill $66 for 2 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Da Nello  Via Monte Grappa 2, 40100 Bologna, Italy                                                                  4 Forks

We spent most of this day on this epic Italian food tour, complete with a parmesan cheese factory tour, parma ham factor tour and balsamic vinegar tour and topped with a 3 hour lunch on a Tuscan hill top.  So we clearly weren't starving for dinner.  But again, when in Italy, you have to take advantage.  Nat had gone here the night before with a friend and had such a good meal that she wanted to go again. 

Since I had eaten my body weight in cheese, meat and pasta for lunch, I kept it very light and got the barley soup and the roast beef carpaccio.  I know it sounds like kind of a lame and a weird combination but it was all really very good.  I felt like I had to get off the pasta bandwagon for a bit but the soup was very hearty and carb-y but in a different way.  The carpaccio was lovely - thinly sliced and served simply with a squeeze of lemon and salt/pepper.  Nat got the porcini risotto which was excellent.  The mushrooms were meaty and earthy in flavor. 

The service was a bit gruff but in the end they were nice enough.  It felt like a pretty local place as it was filled mostly with Italians and you could tell that the waitstaff didn't love speaking in English, but I can't really blame them for that.  Total bill:  $136 for 3 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Day Trip to Siena, Italy Visited 9/3/2018 4 Forks

Osteria Le Logge  Via del Porrione 33, 53100 Siena, Italy

Two words:  Justin Timberlake.   We took a spontaneous day trip to Siena (2 hours by bus from Florence) and decided to grab lunch when we arrived.  It was almost 2pm so we were frantically googling lunch places that were still open and I had read about this place on some food blog that sounded good, so we made a mad sprint to the restaurant....and who the hell is in front of us also trying to get a table for lunch but JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE with his equally beautiful wife, Jessica Biel.  We (meaning Nat, Aarti and I) were completely fan girling out while Will and Kinney could have cared less. 

They originally were going to sit outside but I guess their bodyguard didn't feel too comfortable about it and  they were quickly ushered indoors.  We decided to still sit outside but I had to make a few "bathroom breaks" to see what we going on inside.  I've had several celebrity sightings in my life, but this was a pretty epic one and in such a random place. 

It was pretty hard to concentrate on our food but I'll try to do my best to remember.  Will and I split a pasta that was topped with pancetta and onions which was pretty tasty and then for my main course I got the beef cheek with mashed potato.  The cheek was nicely cooked and very soft and tender on the palate.  It was a little heavy for an afternoon meal but still a solid dish.  Nat and Kinney got a light pesto pasta topped with lobster, Aarti got a sweet pumpkin tortellini in a light broth and Will got the rabbit.   Everyone was mostly pleased with their food but again, we were super distracted by everything that was going on.  Eventually a paparazzi guy showed up and started taking pictures and a few of us ended up in the background and foreground of some shots.  We're famous!

The waiters were super nice and seemed like they didn't really know what was going on (I wasn't sure if it was an act or if they really didn't know who JT was).  It was a lovely overall experience and if it's good enough for JT and Jessica, how could it not be good enough for us?  A quick shout out about Siena as well - it's a lovely and beautiful town and definitely worth a visit if you're spending extra days in Florence.  Total bill: $258 for 5 people with tax and tip

72 Hours in Florence, Italy Part 2, Visited 9/1 - 9/3/2018 2.5 - 4.5 Forks

All'Antico Vinaio  Via dei Neri 74R, 50122 Florence, Italy                                                         3 Forks

I'm so confused - this place gets super high reviews and the lines are ridiculously long so you would think it would be an amazing sandwich.  But honestly it was just ok.  The place is so famous that there are two of the exact same places across the street from each other to accommodate all the tourists - and yes, everyone in line is a tourist.  They're known for their giant sandwiches filled with local meats and cheeses and they all sound amazing.  There is a menu outside in Italian and English - there are only 5 sandwiches to choose from so it's pretty easy to figure out what you want quickly.  The great thing about the sandwich is that it's only 5 euros each which is a steal of the amount of food you're getting. 

The bad news is that I didn't think it warrants waiting in line like a dodo.  I got the Summer sandwich which is a traditional prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato and basil in between two huge pieces of focaccia bread the size of my head.  I will say that the tomatoes and basil were amazing - the best part of the sandwich.  The tomatoes were super ripe and juicy and the basil was incredibly fresh.  It makes you realize why Italians use so much of these delicious ingredients in their food.   Unfortunately, the prosciutto was super super salty and there was way too much bread.  I tried my best but in the end I ended up feeding the local birds a lot of my lunch.  It was worth the try and for 5 euros, I'd say it's definitely a good deal but I would just wait until there aren't a lot of people in line (not sure if that is ever the case?).

Casa Toscana  Via Giovanni Da Verrazzano 3R, 50122 Florence, Italy                                    4.5 Forks

This place is truly a hidden gem.  It was recommended by our Airbnb host and it did not disappoint.  Even though we made a reservation the place was completely empty, which I would normally think is a bad sign but it wasn't at all here.

The menu is described as true Tuscan food, so it's really simple and natural food.  Everything sounded amazing and we ordered a ton of food - so much so that our tiny Italian waitress literally said to us "You're ordering way too much food!"  No wonder everyone in Europe thinks Americans are fat.  But whatever, we were on vacation.  Everyone got a fresh salad to start, then we all split the rigatoni with sausage, spicy penne, beef stew pasta (because you just can't get enough pasta in Italy), vegetable risotto, meatballs in a fantastic red sauce, fava beans (which Tuscany is famous for), spinach (because we need something green) and last but not least the famous Bistecca Fiorentina (it's essentially a giant T-bone steak).   I felt like it wouldn't be right to be in Florence and not have the famous steak as least once. 

Everything was wonderful and the steak was perfectly cooked with giant salt crystals sprinkled on top of it.  The pastas were all wonderful and cooked perfectly al dente.  We washed everything down with a deeply flavorful Chianti - truly heaven.  Since there wasn't anyone else at the restaurant (except for this random couple who we couldn't figure out if they were on a date or having an affair with each other), we were able to hang out leisurely and really enjoy the whole dinner experience.  This place was even some of the folks' favorite restaurant of the trip...It wasn't my favorite but it was definitely highly ranked.   It's crazy to think that we had all of this incredible food for $31/pp.  Unheard of and if this place existed in NYC, I would definitely be a regular there. 

Forno Brunori  Borgo Pinti 16 R, 50121 Florence, Italy                                                           4.5 Forks

OBSESSION.  This place is truly one of a kind - it feels like one of those really authentic local bakeries that are slowly disappearing from the city.   While it's not really a bakery bakery where they sell cakes and pastries, instead they sell something much better.  It's these small heavenly mini breads topped with all kinds of savory toppings.  I'm not sure if the locals eat these for breakfast or a snack but we decided since we were on vacation we would eat mini pizzas for breakfast.  Ha!  

The toppings range from porcini mushrooms (my favorite), broccoli, tomato sauce and fresh mozz, red peppers, and sausage.  I can't remember but there was one topping that was not a fan favorite but overall, they were all incredible.  They're each $.60 so you can order one of everything and still not even break $5.  The bread is perfectly soft and the right amount of salty.   We got lucky and happened to have gone one morning when the adorable owner was taking a bunch out of the oven so they were super fresh. 

Definitely go there early because we were so addicted that we went the next day and they only had a few choices left.  As I mentioned the woman behind the counter is so sweet and while her English isn't perfect, she really tries hard to help you.  It's places like this that remind me why it's important to support local small businesses and to keep cities full of original stores and restaurants because it's truly what makes a city unique.  

Ristorante Natalino  Borgo Albizi 17R, 50122 Florence, Italy                                                  2.5 Forks

This was our one epic meal fail of our entire trip.   We had just came back from a day trip to Siena (I'll post about that later) and were exhausted.  It was late and we hadn't done any research nor in the mood to really look up places to eat.  So we picked what was honestly what just open for dinner at 10pm and within walking distance.  It's funny because usually there is a stereotype that Europeans eat really late and in many countries they do but in Florence it wasn't really the case.  A lot of places were closing for dinner by 10pm. 

As I started doing a bit of research for this review,  I was shocked at how many good reviews there were on this place on Yelp.  It reaffirms my belief that everything on there needs to be taken with a huge grain of salt because there is no way in hell I would give this place 4.5 starts.  I'll cut it some slack by saying that it was late and I'm sure the waitstaff was not thrilled to see us walk in.  But whatever, it's still their job to provide great service and food.

The food was panned by everyone in the group.  My spinach "salad" was literally a bunch of spinach that they dumped out of a box or bag into a bowl.  That's it.  No dressing, no squeeze of lemon, no other veggies, just a pile of naked spinach.  My actual meal of the meat lasagna was fine - nothing to write home about but not as bad as some of the group's other dishes.  Kinney's chicken was super dry and boring and Aarti was not a fan of the eggplant parm or the gnocchi.

I know that not every meal in Italy was going to be a winner so I can't be too bummed out but it did prove me wrong in the sense that I alway said that there are no bad meals in Italy.  Total bill:  $135 for 5 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

72 Hours in Florence, Italy Part 1, Visited 9/1 - 9/3/2018 3 - 4.5 Forks

Trattoria San Pierino Via dell'Oriuolo 18R, 50124 Florence, Italy                                            3.5 Forks

Yes, Florence is super touristy but if you have never been to Italy before it is a must visit.  It's beautiful, full of art and culture and has great shopping.  It's not really known for it's amazing food but there are definitely great places to be had if you do some research or ask around.  We arrived in Florence by train and took a twisty cab ride to our lovely Airbnb, which had a nice outdoor terrace and was located within walking distance to everything but away from the madness of everything. 

After we dropped our stuff off, we were starving and our nice host recommend a restaurant near the Duomo that she said was owned by her friend.  It's indeed super close to the city center but it still felt local.  We were all still reeling from our pasta/veal/risotto overload from the night before, so we all started with a starter salad and I went even more healthy and got the octopus "salad".  Aarti got a ravioli, Will got the pasta with clams and prawns and Kinney got the pasta with tomato and anchovies (Sorry, Nat, I didn't write down what you got!).  The starter salad was perfect - served with fresh bib lettuce, juicy tomatoes, fennel and carrots.  I like that they gave it to us naked but with simple bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for us to use.  That's how a salad should be - I'm not a fan of restaurant salads that are pre-dressed because they're usually overly dressed.  I thought my octopus salad was going to be like what I had in Croatia which was sliced with olive oil but this was super chopped up pieces mixed with potatoes and drenched in garlic and oil.  It wasn't bad, in fact is was relatively light despite how I described it but it just wasn't what I thought.  It was still delicious and relatively healthy. 

I love how in Italy no one rushes you and everyone just sits around drinking endless amounts of wine.  We did just that and it was a great kick off to Florence.  It wasn't my favorite meal but it wasn't a bad one either.   Total bill: $145 USD for 5 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Vini e Vecchi Sapori  Via dei Magazzini 3R 50122 Florence, Italy                                          4.5 Forks

This was one place in Florence that I really really wanted to try and made a reservation way in advance.  I'd recommend you do the same as when we got there, there was a sign that said "Complete" and the place was super packed to the gills.  Even though we had a reservation, we still had to wait a good 30 mins for our table (which they were super apologetic and nice about).  But it was worth the wait.

The restaurant is rustic, cozy and a combination of locals and tourists.  The waiters are super nice and I took a quick peek in the kitchen and there is a legit Italian grandma making pasta in the back.  The menu is hand written on a piece of paper outside the restaurant but they also have copies for you at the table.  We started with an arugula salad with crazy good salty local shaved parm (I mean we are near Parma) on it and a sliced zucchini salad with lemon and olive oil.  So simple but so delicious at the same time that we ordered a 2nd one.  Nat and I both got the duck ragu tagliatelle which was perfection.  The ribbons of pasta were perfectly al dente and the ragu was salty but not overly done.  Aarti got a thick tube pasta with zucchini flowers and a light cream sauce, Will got the lamb chop while Kinney got the beef fillet.  Everyone had nothing but fantastic things to say about their food.

Of course, we couldn't leave without dessert, so we got a tiramisu (which was heavy on the ricotta and had raspberries and strawberries in it) and a mille-feuille with gelato inside.  Both were sweet and not too heavy and a perfect way to end our meal.  As usual, we had some fantastic red wine, this time a reserva Chianti.  This place was a definite winner in my book and was one of our top meals on our trip.  Total bill: $226 USD for 5 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

24 Hours in Milan, Italy Visited 8/31-9/1/2018 3 - 4 Forks

La Locanda del Gatto Rosso  Via Foscolo 3, 20121 Milan, Italy                                                 3 Forks

Ahh, Italy.  How I love thee.  It's truly one of the world's most fantastic places.  While I try to visit a new country every year, I've been to Italy at least 5 times now and it never gets old.  One of the best things about it is the food - you would be super hard press to have a bad meal there.   Now that Emirates flies direct to Milan and they often have great deals (our tickets only cost $500 RT with tax), it's even easier and cheaper to get there. 

To celebrate our birthdays this year, a bunch of us decided to go indulge in a 10 day Northern Italy vacation.  We flew to Milan an then went to Florence, Bologna, and Lake Como with a few side trips along the way.  I've been to Milan, Florence and Bologna before but most of my friends haven't, but it was more about spending time with good friends than seeing a new city for me. 

Since we flew into Milan, we figured we'd stay one night there to get adjusted.  As with my previous entries, Milan as a city itself is a bit meh.  It's a big city that doesn't have the charm of a typical Italian city.   If you're short on time, just spend the night, go see the Duomo and get the heck out of dodge. 

The main sight is the Duomo and there is a super high end shopping gallery right next to it with a few restaurants.  We were exhausted and picked the first place we saw.  If you have time, don't eat in the Galleria because it's full of tourists.  We ended at this place since it was really the only place that had room for 5 people at the time.  The menu is pretty standard Italian food - we split the caprese for the table and I got the fettuccine ragu as a main.  The caprese was meh - it was kind of dry and the tomatoes could have been redder and juicier.  As for my pasta, since it was a ragu, I expected it to be a red sauce type dish but instead it had no real sauce to speak of with only bits of pork.  The pasta itself was good and I enjoyed the porcini mushrooms on there.  Everyone else had a similar mediocre feeling about their food but none the less, it wasn't a terrible meal, it just didn't feel super authentic.  Total bill:  185 euros for 5 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Antica Trattoria della Pesca  Via Pasubio 10 20154 Milan Italy                                                  4 Forks

After walking around the city for a little bit, we headed back to our Airbnb and collapsed from jet lag.  So much so that we missed our 8pm dinner reservation.  Opps.  So we had to pivot and Aarti found this other place (I think it was recommended by our hosts) where apparently Ho Chi Min once lived?  Weird. 

Unlike our lunch place, this restaurant seemed much more local and authentic.  It's a bit of a walk and in an area that's not in a touristy spot but when we pulled up, so did another group of Americans (although they were with an Italian guide so it didn't feel like a place that was a crazy tourist spot).  The inside was very rustic and and cozy - it just felt like a place where you would go with friends and enjoy a long leisurely meal.  We were put in this random room in the back that seemed weird but it was totally fine.  We all split a plate of prosciutto to start, Nat got the rigatoni, I got the veal cutlet, Aarti got the risotto and Kinney/Will got the cabbage wrapped veal with saffron rice.  The prosciutto was amazing - thinly sliced and full of salty goodness.  My veal cutlet was lightly breaded and served simply with a squeeze of lemon.  It was great - not too oily or fried and despite it looking like a huge serving, it was thin enough that it wasn't too much food.  Aarti's risotto was a veggie based and was way to salty which was the big bummer of the night.  The shining star was Nat's rigatoni - it was very similar to the crazy delicious version at Carbone but without the spice.  We were all super jealous of her order and probably would have all gotten it if that wouldn't have been weird.  Another huge star of the show was this amazing reserve wine that we got.   None of us are real wine snobs but one of Aarti's co-workers told her that if we ever see wine on the menu that's "reserva" get it.  They weren't wrong - this was an fantastic smooth red that we all loved. 

Overall, it was a super satisfying way to start our Italian adventures with so much more to come.  Total bill:  $281 USD for 5 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Milan Day 8 Visited 5/5/2016 4.5 Forks

Pave  Via Felice Casati 27, 20124 Milan, Italy

Normally, I wouldn't review a cafe or bakery but I had do review Pave but I am OBSESSED with this place.  I didn't really have time for a full sit down lunch before I left for the airport, so instead I quickly googled nearby bakeries in Milan where I could have a quick bite to eat - this was listed in the most recent 36 hours Milan in the NY Times and some Cool Hunting Guide and luckily it was only a 10 min walk from my hotel, so off I went. 

It's on a very unassuming random street in Milan not too far from the train station.  But when you walk in, it's like hipster heaven.  I felt like I was back home in Williamsburg.  The design aesthetic is minimal but it's got this artisanal hip feel.  Everyone who worked there and ate there looked like they could have lived in my neighborhood.  I know hipsters have a terrible rap and yes, they are super annoying but somehow by living in the hipster capital of the world for the past 6 years, I've come to have a soft spot for them.  

But the good news is that not only is this place beautiful to hang out in, the pastries there are fantastic as well.  We got a hibiscus panna cotta type dessert, a Saint Honorè pastry and a classic ham and cheese croissant along with 2 cappuccinos.  Everything was spot on and not too sugary but still had a sweetness to them .  You could tell they were all freshly made in their kitchen.  The ham and cheese croissant was my favorite - a great pairing of saltiness from the ham with the buttery sweetness of the croissant.  It was perfectly moist and flakey - it was so good that I wanted to get another one for the road but they had run out, so instead I got a plain and almond croissant to go for the train ride to the airport.  Unfortunately I didn't get to eat them in the airport and ended up bringing it all the way back to Brooklyn but they were still as delicious (albeit a bit squished) as when I first took a bite out of my original meal over 10 hours ago. 

While I didn't spend enough time in Milan to really get a good feel about the city, I would totally come back to this place anytime I'm even remotely spending time in Milan.  By the way, if any of the owners are reading this:  this place would totally kill it in a place like Brooklyn or other parts of the US.  If you ever open up shop States side, I will be the first one in line to check it out.  Total bill:  $21 euros

Cinque Terre and Milan Day 7 Visited 5/4/2016 4 Forks

Lunch Box Via Roma 34, Vernazza, Italy

Batti Friggitoria  Via Visconti 3, Vernazza, Italy

With only 1/2 a day in Vernazza, there isn't really much to do except wander around, get some snacks and sit by the water.  When we were in Manarola, we had seen a guy with a cone of fried calamari and had wanted it but didn't know where he got it.  Luckily, as we were walking around Vernazza we saw Batti Friggitoria which is basically a fast food fried seafood stall.  We got a large cone full of fried calamari and anchovies for 8 euro and 2 small fried crab balls.  With a squeeze of lemon, they are the perfect snack bites for walking around town.  The batter is very light and even though everything was fried I didn't feel really icky afterwards.  There's also this great bruschetta bar right next door to the fried seafood place (I can't seem to find the name online) but they have a fantastic line-up of all sorts of bruschetta - I got a ham and mozzarella and a shrimp/pesto/arugula one.  The bread was fairly soft in the middle so it didn't cut the roof of my mouth like most hard crusty breads but it was strong enough to hold all the toppings.   Another great snack and even better to split a bunch of different kinds when you're with someone else.  

Lastly, we made a pit stop at The Lunch Box to get a sandwich to go for our 4 hour train journey to Milan.  While we weren't hungry then, we were sure that we would want something to eat on the train.  The sandwich here was a delicious roast beef on a circular wheat bread - the sandwich lasted pretty long that even when we finally broke it out 4 hours later, it was still good.  The Lunch Box has a great selection of juices and sandwiches that's perfect for take out, picnics or snacking.  Given the limited good food options in town, I'd recommend piecing together a snack crawl like this for lunch vs. sitting down and having another mediocre pizza or pasta at one of the sit down places. 

Photo Credit:  Yelp  

Obica 

Via Santa Radegonda 1, 

20121 Milan, 

Italy

Last and final stop on this Italian tour was Milan.  Everyone had told me that compared to the other cities in Italy, it's not really worth spending a lot of time in Milan.  I can't say I disagree as it's a huge cosmopolitan city that doesn't have the same old world charm as its peers.  But If you can stay more than 24 hours, it's probably a fun place to explore.  I didn't have that luxury, so basically I hit up the most photographed place in Milan (Duomo) and called it a day.  

At this point in the trip, I was so tired of planning and picking places to eat that we just decided to wing it.  Next to the Duomo there is a large shopping mall that had a sign that said restaurants and food court with a rooftop view, so we decided to check it out.   It's on the top floor and when you walk out, you get a phenomenal view of the Duomo - that's worth the trek in itself.  There are several restaurants to choose from and I settled on Obica simply because it was called a mozzarella bar (only when I got back to NYC did I realize that this is a chain and there's on in NYC too).  We started split the meat and cheese plate (22.50 euro), cacio e pepe (14 euros) and a mixed salad (8.50 euro).  As you can see from the prices, we are definitely in large city.  The meat and cheese plate was a nice spread - main difference between the one here from the ones in Bologna was that this one had fresh mozzarella instead of parm.  As for the cacio e peppe, it was quite tasty.  I'm usually on the fence about this kind of pasta but this was a nice dish of thick, chewy pasta with the right amount of olive oil and cheese on it.  Again, it was a nice change from the other seafood based pastas I had earlier in the trip. The portion was huge and more than enough for 2 people to share - a very hearty and filling dish.  

The mixed salad was a surprise hit.  I think since I hadn't been eating a lot of veggies on this trip, it was really nice to eat raw, fresh vegetables.  Again, having the local olive oil and balsamic vinegar made a huge difference and wold probably make any salad yummy.   Despite this place being a chain and being in a pretty touristy location, I really enjoyed my one meal in Milan.  If anything, the view of the Dumo more than makes it worth your visit.  I am curious to see how the one in NYC compares to this one.  Total bill:  $55.50 euros for 2 people with wine