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Lunch in the Piazza 2023 Today I'm remembering a perfect little lunch, in a charming Italian piazza. The adventure part (of the dining adventure) actually came before the meal.  There's nothing better than relaxing over a simple meal, while enjoying a conversation about the fun morning your just had. Orvieto in 1969 This photo is from April 2023, but my memories of Orvieto go back to 1969. Don and I ate lunch looking across the cobblestone towards this fabulous Duomo di Orvieto. I definitely remember the amazing cathedral.  I have an old postcard of it. At age 11 I had no camera, but bought postcards everywhere we traveled. St. Patirick's Well This is actually what I remember most about the town, St. Patrick's Well! I remember traveling down one set of steps to reach the bottom and climbing up a different set, coming back up.  This was to prevent the mules that carried water up from the well, from encountering the mules going down into the well! Park of the Monsters I have such fond memories of the Well Adventure. But it actually came right after an even more exciting adventure. Our visit to Park of the Monsters. This amazing and eerie park was created hundreds of years ago. It's about 30 minutes outside of Orvieto.  I still cherish those magical memories of being a kid and crawling on top of the eerie statues. So when Don and I planned a trip to Italy for 2023, I researched to find out if it was still possible to visit! It was! We hired a driver to take us to the Monster Park and Patrick's Well and then to Orvieto, for lunch. Restaurant on the Square We found the entrance to Cafeteria Hescanas, through an old doorway across from the Cathedral. I don't remember this place at all.
A hallway greeted us, with a couple of odd tables, a bike and some ads on the wall. Outdoor Cafe We opted to be seated at a cafe table on the patio.  Our table gave us a perfect view of the gorgeous church. We sipped cappuccino and took in all the details.  I remember my parents adoring the decadent frothy drink in 1969. Cappuccino wasn't a beverage you could get easily in the States back then. I loved the smell but could never be convinced to take a sip. But how good it tasted after our morning adventures.  A quick peek at the menu and it was clear that pizza was the way to go.  The fresh dough and fresh tomatoes tasted the way I remember Italian pizza back in 1969. We ate a lot during our 6 month stay in Italy. A family of 6 on a teacher salary.  Thank goodness we all loved pizza... except for the anchovies that often appeared. Exploring Inside I did a little wandering before we headed off.  There was a room filled with wine bottles and old photographs.  A cozy space had tables with red & white tablecloths.  I wanted badly to ask the man behind the counter how long this building had been standing. How long had it been a restaurant? Generations maybe. But he was engaged in serious conversation. I headed back to our table.  Our pizza meal was simple and lovely. I'll never forget how lucky I felt to sit there knowing I had just shown Don some of my favorite places I remembered fondly from childhood. We headed across the street and toured the Cathedral. Below are a few slideshows of each! Park of the Monsters No climbing on the monsters today. But at least the park was still open to visitors. We mostly had the park to ourselves, until a school group arrived as we finished our visit. St. Patrick's Well Built 1527... 2 spiral staircases with a total of 497 steps. permitted mule drawn carts carrying water! We also had the well to ourselves! Traveling in early April pays off! Duomo di Orvieto This cathedral is one of my very favorites in Italy. The tour of the Duomo di Orvieto was the icing on the cake. Monsters, Well, Pizza and Cathedral, all in one glorious day!
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Mysterious Building In late October Don and I enjoyed a Persian dining adventure, with our good friends. We were in San Diego, far from the Middle East.  It was 5:00 when we arrived in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego. This curious and windowless building, already had a line at the door. Ready to Go! We weren't worried about the line. Cliff and Rhona had made reservations exactly a month before. Pretty much the only way to get a table at this new and popular place!  Rhona and I posed in the dramatic entrance, with glowing red lamps. We were ready for the evening, but in no hurry. There was a lot to take in, on the outside. In We Go The mysterious doors opened every minute or so. A host greeted the next in line. (all had reservations) It felt a little like a speakeasy.  Once inside, our eyes had to adjust to the dark, space. 4,800 thousand square feet. Across the arched bridge, I spotted a bar with glowing green rabbits! I think they were rabbits.
I snapped photos quickly, knowing there would soon be crowds filling the space. To the left of the bar, I spotted some cozy booth seating.  I snapped another photo, even though the lighting was so dim it was impossible to capture. Trees and Sky We followed the hostess through the dazzling main dining room. The round table caught my eye... beside a glowing tree and beneath a ceiling of tiny white stars!  Arsalun Tafazoli is the name behind this spectacular, almost movie set interior. Although born in the U.S., Tafazoli's parents were from Iran. Growing up, he frequently visited the Middle East and grew to love the ancient beauty and regional foods, from Morocco to Iran. The spectacular atmosphere of Leila, was inspired by the night markets of Marrakesh. Room in Back We followed our hostess into a small room with 4 tables. There were arched windows looking into the main dining room.  Each table was lit by an oil lamp. An amazing mix of fabrics and textures and designs, surrounded each sitting area. Nearby Fountain We didn't have any glowing trees or bridges in our room.  But we slid into our booth, right beside this sweet tile fountain. It truly felt like we'd take a trip to a place that I've only seen in photos. Fabric Fort Rhona took this photo of Don and me, getting ready to enjoy the evening.
 We were absolutely surrounded by woven designs. It was cozy and romantic and playful all at once. It felt like a circus one moment and a childhood fort made of sheets & blankets, the next. I'm pretty sure that is not what Tafazoli had in mind with this design. But I loved it! Upstairs I only sat for a moment before I had to be "let out" of my corner. A trip to the Ladies Room was my excuse.  There actually was no Ladies Room, or Mens Room. This was the common area where all guests could wash their hands, or slip into one of the "water closets", behind a few beautifully carved doors.
Worthy of 2 photos!! This might have been the most lovely toilet I've ever seen! I wanted to peek in the other doors to see if the designs varied. But I was a little timid, in case someone failed to lock their door. Up & Down My trip to the restroom was sort of an excuse, to peek around quickly, before the crowds.  I just had to go up that pretty stairway, surrounded by rock walls and lamp-holding lions! The festive bar was even cozier than downstairs bar.  And the view from the second level, was worth the trip!  So many curves! So many glowing lanterns!  My attempts at showing the starry sky and the rocky wall, were quite lame. Better to just look with your eyes sometimes. Down I took a quick photo before dashing back to the table. Then I decided not to dash at all. There was no railing and my glasses were on the table. Man, this is dark. They are not catering to oldsters here. I squinted like an old granny and chuckled as I imagined myself... a slow (Carol Burnette-style) tumble, landing by the lions.  I'm being dramatic. I don't ever worry about stairs. But I did use my old rock-climbing skills and feel for a crevice or 2 as I walked (not dashed) all the way down. Kitchen No drama on the stairs, but I did see some flame excitement when I turned towards the open kitchen island, near the bottom of the stairs.  There was a lot going on with wood logs and flickering flames and massive skewers. A happy and busy staff was attending. Bread! The smells of fresh breads alerted me as well! Naan, pita, Khobz, Za'atar!  I believe the circular opening, was part of the custom made, clay tabun oven I'd read about. Similar to the tandoor ovens used for cooking Indian naan. Menu Honestly, I wasn't gone long. Our menus had just arrived. The design on the cover had just as many intricate designs as we had on and around our table.  We were encouraged by our server, to enjoy sharing many dishes. Salatim Platter We began with an amazing platter of breads and spreads and "dips". I'm sure dip is not the term to use. But we did lots of dipping.  Hummus, muhammara, cucumber yogurt, green tahini, shallot yogurt, pickles, olives, all served with 3 kinds of bread. The flavors were amazing.   Cocktails Don and I haven't been to Iran or any of the Arab countries, that inspired the foods in the menu. But we've had quite a few Sazeracs, in New Orleans. Don was pretty curious to try Leila's Saz'arak.  This was quite an interesting version of the famous New Orleans cocktail! Bourbon arak, apricot, flaernum, peychaud's bitters!  Don was given some special instructions about how to go about this. I was was too busy with my own drink and foods, to see how he tackled this! Ready to Enjoy Cliff and Rhona lived in Azerbaijan, for a number of years. They've dined in Middle East. They've served us Turkish feasts. I knew if they were impressed, it would be a good thing.  They were! They seemed just as eager about taking in the atmosphere and enjoying all the flavors, as Don and me! Cheers to dining adventures with these 2!  And I must mention my drink, as well! Azizam! Rum, arak, cardamom, banana, coconut, pineapple, lime!  I was giddy over the wild list of tropical ingredients in my drink. I'd say it went well with my goodies from the platter! Main Dishes The photo below, shows that we possibly ordered too much for the size of our table!  Luckily the oval plate did not land in my lap. The flaming lamp did not fall over either!
The food arrived swiftly with a number of servers. 3 kinds of kabob, (chicken, beef veggie) were skillfully de-skewered onto large plates. I wish my camera skills had been faster. That scene was very fun!  The aromas wafting up from that table, were just amazing. So many flavors and spices. Saffron, turmeric, tahini, onion. The roasted tomatoes and sumac onions, were just perfect along with the tender meats!  The fire roasted cauliflower (above) was actually one of my favorites! Sun dried tomato, preserved lemon, cumin, dukkah... Just mouthwatering! Heading Off By the time the last plate was carried away, we were delightfully stuffed.  The restaurant was crowded and loud by the time we headed outside. The restaurant on 30th Street, looked fun with the dramatic lighting.  We had a short walk to our car, which was probably good. We needed to move a little, after that extraordinary feast!
What a memorable dinner, with the best of friends. So hope to return! Best and Best In April 2021, Don and I dined at what I think is the best restaurant, in the seaside village of Vernazza.  It's hard to decide, but I also believe Vernazza may be the best of the 5 villages, in Italy's Cinque Terre district. BEST restaurant in BEST village! Lovely Vernazza Silly me. I'm not exactly qualified to decide the BEST of anything. Don and I were in Vernazza just 2 nights. We only stayed in 2 of the 5 villages.  But Vernazza is indeed storybook charming. Piazza Marconi, the harbor, Gothic Santa Margherita Church and the colorful, untouched 11-12th century buildings... plus hills & vineyards! Gorgeous even on a rainy day! Pink & Green We only sampled a few restaurants. Gianni Franzi (pink builidng) was next door to another inviting restaurant, in a pale green building.  The walkway between the two, led us on an exhausting maze-like adventure up to our hotel, La Mala. We passed both restaurants numerous times a day. Dining in the Piazza The 2 restaurants next to the steps, offered outside dining on Piazza Marconi, overlooking the harbor. But the restaurant in the green building, was the only one with intriguing wooden stools.
The diners who gathered later, also intrigued me. Lots of enthused voices, speaking Italian. Gianni Franzi on Piazza Marconi My mind was already made up about where we would dine the first night. For years, my friend Lorrie has raved about Gianni Franzi. Not just the food, but Gianni himself! I could already picture the outside tables, where Gianni often greets guests. Seating was actually outside the yellow building. Just steps from the pink restaurant.  But it was drizzling when our train arrived. Piazza Marconi was filled with fishing boats, instead of cafe tables.  The rain stopped by 4:30, but tables looked as moist as the hanging laundry.  However, the table umbrellas soon opened. Should we book a table in, or out? Reservations It was chilly after the rain, so we decided to book an inside table. I hiked down to the restaurant to make the reservations in person.  The restaurant was closed, but luckily I could speak with someone in the bar. A young man greeted me and very efficiently had me put my name on a card, to reserve a table for the first seating of the night. Cave-like! We arrived at 7 and stepped into the dining room. It looked like it was carved from rock. There were already diners seated, even though the restaurant opened at 7. We were greeted by Paulo who would be our server. We followed him towards a table where he picked up a card and asked, "Is this you?"  It wasn't me, so he hunted some more. When Paulo found the card with my name, he smiled and quickly exchanged cards with another table. I couldn't make out exactly what he said, but something about a better table! No complaints! Menu Time Paulo handed us menus. Don wanted to know about the logo right away.  Paulo had the same colorful images on his shirt. A fish with an arrow pointing to a mouth. An eye with an arrow pointing to a symbol for water. He seemed amused that we were pausing to decipher the code. We can eat some fish, with views of the sea! Absorbing the Atmosphere A moment later, Paulo brought us some bread to enjoy while we studied the menu.  My eyes kept wandering from the menu, to the walls, to the nearby tables.  There was very little wall space, that wasn't made of stone. That seemed to make the artwork twice as dramatic, displayed on the few white wall spaces. Unknown History The room was filled in a matter of minutes. I wanted to climb over tables and onto chairs, to study the wood beams above the stone arches. How old was this building?  I never learned the building's age, but I did read that there's been a restaurant within these walls, since before WWII. Before the war, the trattoria was owned by an interesting character who drank a lot and didn't care for tourists. It was then called Trattoria della Stella. Cheers Don and I started with drinks. Don went for the Italian cocktail, Negroni.
Cinque Terre is more known for white wine, but I like red. I chose a Chianti named for the Italian explorer, Verrazzano. I actually know nothing about him, but I do remember watching the Verrazzano Bridge being built in NY, when I was 6. Cheers to that! Fried Anchovies I used to hate anchovies, but Lorrie told me the fried anchovies were amazing. The last time I had anchovies in Italy, was on my 11th birthday. I remember begging the waiter to keep the anchovies off my pizza. It didn't help. I had to pick them off. But that was over a half century ago and my tastebuds have changed.  We were a little worried when Paulo said they didn't have fried anchovies on the menu. But then he smiled. "You just have to ask for it." Best Waiter The anchovies were just as crispy and fresh as Lorrie said. The lemon added just the right zing. Paulo was happy that we loved the appetizer. But he teased that he preferred it without lemon!  All the waiters seemed friendly and upbeat, but I'm pretty sure we got the best server. The waiters wore the same shirt as Paulo. Matching shirts and lots of playful banter, made me feel like all the diners were being served by a happy soccer team. Ligurian Pasta This cozy trattoria has specialized in typical Ligurian dishes since Francesco Ferrari (nicknamed Franzi) bought Trattoria della Stella, (from the guy who disliked tourists) sometime after WWll.  My traditional Torfie al pesto, was absolutely mouthwatering. The home-made pasta was equally delicious. Don was just as enthused with his spaghetti al sugo. I was so giddy I did the unthinkable and touristy thing and texted Lorrie. She texted me a video of Gianni greeting her at the table last September with a big hug. I showed it to Paulo. He was properly amused and suddenly disappeared. Gianni! Evidently Gianni had just walked in the door, a moment before. Paulo sent him over to meet us. He reached out to shake both our hands and suddenly we were gushing about our wonderful dinner.  Gianni seemed sincerely delighted to meet us. And he was also happy to pose. His warmth and chatty conversing, made us feel like we were VIPs! Don and I laughed later to think there might have been some communication issues, that led to the sudden enthusiasm. When I shared the video of Lorrie greeting Gianni, did they think she was a celebrity? I'd say, Lorrie and her husband could pass for celebrities! If a language barrier led to our special treatment, I need to learn to perfect this! Heading Off It was such a treat to meet the Gianni, who has owned this charming place since the 1960s. It was extra fun to have a waiter who seemed to enjoy serving us. When Paulo brought the bill, he smiled and mentioned that the fried anchovies were on the house. The meal memory suddenly got even better!  We headed into the bar area, to pay the bill. The bar space seemed louder and more crowded. I added to my mental list. I think we lucked out with the best table in the dining room... served by the best waiter... in the best restaurant in Vernazza... in the best village in Cinque Terre! Post Dinner When we headed outside, it was chilly. I spotted a couple of (possibly shivering) diners. I was glad we'd opted to dine inside.  We'd missed the sunset that night. But it had been cloudy anyway. Now it was dark and it didn't matter.  We walked out past the harbor and looked back at the picture perfect, glowing village. The next day the weather was sunnier and warmer. By evening, the Piazza was free of boats and the Gianni Franzi's dining area was full.  Next time, we'll come a few weeks later in April and make sure to enjoy a meal (and sunset) on the Piazza! Good-bye Vernazza The last day we hiked high above Vernazza, before taking off on the train. We absorbed a totally different view of the magical town.  Since our dinner 2 nights before, I'd had time to search the internet and learn that Gianni has owned the trattoria since the 1960s. He was just 14 when he began working as a bus boy for Franzi. I concluded that would have been the 1950s, since I saw birthday post on Facebook. Looks like Gianni must be 87 now. I'm so grateful that we got to meet this gracious, hardworking man.
It boggles my mind in this ever-changing world, that this village looks so much like it did when Gianni was teen, carrying dishes inside the trattoria! I wish I could snap my fingers and speak fluent Italian and hear his stories! |
The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
November 2024
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