I'll be visiting Tuscany for a few weeks next month and will end my
stay with a few days in Florence. We're staying at the Savoy in the
Duomo. Any suggestions for restaurants within walking distance?
Thanks in advance.

"Bi!!" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I'll be visiting Tuscany for a few weeks next month and will end my
> stay with a few days in Florence. We're staying at the Savoy in the
> Duomo. Any suggestions for restaurants within walking distance?
> Thanks in advance.


You might want to post here http://slowtalk.com/eve/ under "Italy." You will
have to join to post; but I think you willfind it well worth it.

Neil

Bi!! wrote:

> I'll be visiting Tuscany for a few weeks next month and will end my
> stay with a few days in Florence. We're staying at the Savoy in the
> Duomo. Any suggestions for restaurants within walking distance?

"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.
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

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!

Enoteca Pinchiorri---Very expensive---great wine list but they "push" very
young wines if they think you are a dumb American---I wanted a 58 Antinori
Marchese bottling they said needed to be decanted a day---I asked them to
use a large decanter. Next visit, we got a cellar tour and they still
pushed a dolcetto on me---I think we had a 74 Barbaresco along with the
Dolcetto---food is excellent about the level of San Domenico, Da Guido and
other top restaurants in Italy. Also ate at Da Noi a bistro.
"Bi!!" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> 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!
>

Joe "Beppe"Rosenberg wrote:
> Enoteca Pinchiorri---Very expensive---great wine list but they "push" very
> young wines if they think you are a dumb American---I wanted a 58 Antinori
> Marchese bottling they said needed to be decanted a day---I asked them to
> use a large decanter. Next visit, we got a cellar tour and they still
> pushed a dolcetto on me---I think we had a 74 Barbaresco along with the
> Dolcetto---food is excellent about the level of San Domenico, Da Guido and
> other top restaurants in Italy. Also ate at Da Noi a bistro.
> "Bi!!" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > 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 ****ed 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.

The food was very good but I've had more time to eat in a busy Applebee's
than Le Toque gave me.
"Bi!!" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Joe "Beppe"Rosenberg wrote:
> > Enoteca Pinchiorri---Very expensive---great wine list but they "push"
very
> > young wines if they think you are a dumb American---I wanted a 58
Antinori
> > Marchese bottling they said needed to be decanted a day---I asked them
to
> > use a large decanter. Next visit, we got a cellar tour and they still
> > pushed a dolcetto on me---I think we had a 74 Barbaresco along with the
> > Dolcetto---food is excellent about the level of San Domenico, Da Guido
and
> > other top restaurants in Italy. Also ate at Da Noi a bistro.
> > "Bi!!" > wrote in message
> > oups.com...
> > > 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.
>

In 2003, we ate at La Carabaccia. It was up the street from our
hotel, well within walking distance.

Decent food, Sweet onion soup a specialty.

1990 San Giorgio, , €50

1990 Campogiovanni Reserva €50.

The wine was stored across the street.



On 10 May 2006 09:01:29 -0700, "Bi!!" > wrote:

>I'll be visiting Tuscany for a few weeks next month and will end my
>stay with a few days in Florence. We're staying at the Savoy in the
>Duomo. Any suggestions for restaurants within walking distance?
>Thanks in advance.

Bi!! wrote:

> 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'm glad for Arturo, the chef of the rerstaurant

Was the other person who recommended you the Cavolo Nero from Italy?
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

Vilco wrote:
> Bi!! wrote:
>
> > 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'm glad for Arturo, the chef of the rerstaurant
>
> Was the other person who recommended you the Cavolo Nero from Italy?
> --
> Vilco
> Think pink, drink rose'

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...:-)