Bring on the Beef!

I know you have all waiting for a blog post about all the Italian pizza and pasta we ate on our two weeks (at least that's what I'm telling myself...), and believe me, there was a lot! So, readers, wait no more. Read on and let your taste buds water. 

I could easily write numerous posts about the food we ate in Italy, but instead, I thought I would highlight some of the best meals we ate while away. But thinking more, I might have to narrow it to a few different meals in each city. Not every meal was a winner, I have to admit, and with so many restaurants to choose from, you sort of gambled each time. But with menus posted outside each restaurant, that certainly made deciding a bit easier. And our guidebooks warned us to stay away from the tourist traps, the restaurants that posted their menus in several different languages, or had a set Tourist Meal. I think we did pretty good on that front. 


But there were a couple recommendations that we received from friends before leaving, and one place in particular sticks out in Florence. The place to head was Il Latini, known for its beef, and both Matt and I were very excited to visit. We made reservations well in advance, and with only two seatings, one at 7:30, the other at 9;30, we wanted to make sure we got a table. Turned out, however, that reservations meant very little, but a little elbowing sure goes a long way. And we made sure to have a small lunch that day to show up extra hungry. 


And its a good thing we did! After being seated at a table of 6 with two other couples, the waiters arrive with food. A bread basket with oil and vinegar await us at the table, along with a large bottle of red wine, but we're careful not to fill up on that. First to arrive is a plate of prosciutto, then a plate of bruschetta with chicken liver, and, do you believe it, we ate it! Ok, we tried it. It wasn't that bad... Next, a caprese salad of fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, and lastly, a plate of sun dried tomatoes. Talk about an antipasto course! And each dish was so flavourful and wonderful, that we just couldn't stop eating. 

I should note that there is no menu at this restaurant. After the antipasto, the waiter returns and asks what kind of primi pasta you want. We had a choice between ravioli and penne bolognese, so we took one of each.

The portion sizes weren't overly large, but they sure were delicious! Some of the best ravioli bolognese I've eaten. You could really taste the fresh ingredients in the sauces and the stuffing, plus the pasta was amazing. The waiter returned, took these plates away, and shortly after returned with this gorgeous piece of steak. And when I say piece, I mean one kilogram of grilled steak, crusty on the outside, pink and juicy on the inside. 

I don't know how we managed to pack away all that meat, plus the side of roasted potatoes, but we sure did do a number. I think the waiter knew what he was doing when courses were spread out with some digesting time, time to enjoy another glass of wine and some great dinner conversation while taking in the surrounding. I'm sure we sat there for at least 2 hours, drinking glass after glass of wine and eating the food that was put in front of us. When we thought there was no more, the waiter brought out a plate of biscotti, a dessert liquor to dip them in, and a couple glasses of Moscato, a lovely and sweet dessert wine (we're now on the hunt for it back home at our local LCBO). 

You can bet that we left that restaurant happily full, pretty drunk, and very satisfied. We talked about that meal for several days after, remembering both the food and the experience. If we knew what was in store for us that night, we probably would have passed on the pasta option, but then again, we would have missed out on a wonderful part of that meal. 


Oh, and the best part? When the bill arrived, we were expecting quite a hefty price tag, but it turned out, it was a flat fee for all that food and wine. Score!