Monday, September 28, 2015

Bologna




Often when I leave Naples for the north I become sad because I love the south, the food screams at you and the people are full of life.  The food in Bologna does not scream it sings, from gentle sauces to delicate pastas Bologna is a mecca for the elegant and gentile.  I can't help but find my way there every other trip or so.  My friend Kristen told me she was going in  2000 and I thought, why?  Isn't it filled with communists and an industrial city, boy was I wrong.  When Kristen, husband John anther vivacious Mom Shirley returned and shared their stories of this charming elegant city I could not wait to get there!
I've been five or six times now and each time add a few details to my journey.  I've never taken a cooking class there, nor do I care to spend a precious day of my vacation learning to roll dough, I can do that here.
My latest trip was a blast, I traveled with my friend of 45 years Susan.  Susan is n easy traveler, she will report for departure on schedule (mine) and go anywhere, do any thing-just be certain she gets fed and she is happy.  I don't travel well with many, Susan is one I do.
To make things easy, I am going to list the everything so it will be easy to find and read.  Remember, have your hotel make all of your reservations as soon as you arrive.  If this will be your first stop email the hotel and ask them to have your reservations made for you a week before you get there. 

Hotel Corona D'Oro, Via Oberdan 12, 390051-74 57 611, www.HCO.com, info@HCO.com
A very nice 4 star hotel with great access to the city in a very central location.  The staff is charming and extremely helpful.  The group that owns this hotel also owns several others in the city that are very nice, my preference is this one and Hotel Orolgio which is on the square near the Duomo and the statue of Neptune.

Trattoria Soverina
Via G Oberdon 13A
telephone 051 224 418
trattoriasoverini@hotmail.com

We had wonderful food in Bologna but we ate here twice and found the food absolutely fabulous, I think Susan would agree.  These photos are of two dishes we shared and really enjoyed, the bolognese are known for their stuffed pastas and stuffed patrons.

A.F. Tamburini
Via Caprarie 1
40124 Bologna
tamburini.com
Tamburini's is my favorite lunch cafeteria and Salumeria.
They serve an amazing assortment of lunch items including a few pastas, a few meats, many vegetables and salads, all cafeteria style. Their spectacular "deli" serves the most stunning cured meats and cheeses as well as pastas and platters.  When in Bologna I have lunch here at least twice.  There is also a fabulous wine bar that serves sliced prosciutto and cheeses with wonderful breads.  You can't go wrong at Tamburini's


Caffe' Pasticceria Zanarini
Piazza Galvani 1
This is a beautiful place to grab a cafe(espresso) or cappuccino(not after 11am unless you want to be spotted as a caffone).  Remember it's espresso not expresso (expresso is a bus)
Beautiful pastries and candies and just such a lovely place you'll wonder why anyone ever left this town for America and the likes of Starbuck's!


                                  Trattoria Anna Maria
Via Belle Arte, tel 051-26.68.94
       Is there a bad restaurant in Bologna?  If there is I have not found it!



Ca' Pelletti
Via Altabella 15D
tel. 051 26 66 29
Remember that this is noodle country so you are likely to find fresh noodles/pastas at every trattoria, typically stuffed as well.  Tortellini, Tortoni, Agnolotti, Ravioli.  It was one a beautiful cold day with light snow flurries that we found ourselves in front of 
Ca' Pelletti, we cruised by but there were too many smiling eating faces in there not to turn around and have lunch.  A very small place, tidy , colloquial but modern Ca' Pelletti was a perfect little spot with amazing food.  Our 33 euro lunch included a half bottle of wine, tortellini, Paglia fiena, eggplant parmigiana and bottled water.  It was delicious and the price was exceptional.


Buca Manzoni
Via manzoni 6G
tel. 051-271 307

Another little treat we found as we wandered around.  Filled with locals Buca Manzoni was one of only a few places opened on Sunday evening and was quite good.  Service was a bit slow but it was Sunday night and not too many people work.  The fare was very much similar to the other restaurants but his one served a nice Zuppa Inglese which is a Bolognese version of an English Triffle which combines custard, fruit and cake and is very typical of this city.  Pictured on the below is a Cotoletta all Bolognese or a veal cutlet with a béchamel sauce, another very typical dish.




I love Bologna, it is a beautiful city, the food is amazing, the people lovely and there are multiple side streets for shopping and walking through the city.  It has an Apple Store too!  It is very well known for it's stuffed pastas and cured meats.  
Consider a 30 minute train ride to nearby Modena or Emiglia Romana, both delightful walking cities.  Modena is home to Ferrari and to Michelin 3 starred Osteria Francescana by Massimo Bottura, if you are a foodie you must secure a reservation here at least a month in advance!
I'm not certain of all the sites in Bologna I have always been so busy just roaming around.  A popular tourist attraction is the Medical School Surgical Amphitheater which is very old and features hand carved wooden human bodies each one displaying different systems; muscles, skeletal etc.  Sounds erie but it is quite beautifully done and an amazing site to see.  The University of Bologna was the first University and Medical School as we know them to be in the world!

I'll post more on Bologna as I go through my journals but these few things should keep you from starving at least.  Buon viaggio!


Monday, September 7, 2015

Napoli, The Fabulous Magical City, Sites to See

I love Napoli, it is an exciting and vibrant city, full of life, the real Italy.  Recently I took a group of 35 doctors to Napoli for a two day conference and tour of Naples and The Amalfi Coast.  Before we left a few of them asked, "Why are we going to Naples?", when we returned they said, "I can't wait to return!"

Naples is a beautiful and magical city filled with warm and charming people and fantastic food!  There are also numerous museum, historical sites, galleries and religious sites.  Let's start our tour.

Capodimonte Museum, It was not until my sixth or seventh visit to Napoli that I ventured up to this beautiful museum whose collection rivals the Louvre.  The museum is not in the center but a pleasant cab ride that is well worth the trip to this barely promoted art museum that maintains the Farnese Collection which belonged to Cardinal Alessandro Farnese and later became the property of Charles of Bourbon and then Ferdinand IV, King of Naples.  There you will find important works of Titan, Botticelli, Bellini, Rafael, Caravaggio, El Greco and many others.  It is a spectacular collection of art housed it what was one of Napoli's most prominent villas.  If this museum were in America it would be so heavily marketed and most certainly buses would be running up and down the hill from the port multiple times during the day hustling tourists in and about for three times the $7.00 cost of admission.  The Capodimonte Museum is quiet and peaceful with just a spattering of visitors.  There is also a significant collection of art from Vesuvius I believe, the museum is not to be missed.

Royal Palace of Caserta, Once again a rival of the French, this 18th century palace was one of the largest buildings built in it's time.  Larger than Versailles it was spectacular in it's day.  In this century it has fallen into disrepair and it's gardens once of splendor have overgrown and can be disappointing.  If you have a car and are busting around it might be worth a visit to see it's size and imagine it's former splendor.  Interestingly, Neapolitans will argue as to whether Mozzarella from Caserta is better that that from Battipaglia/Paestum.  To me they are both amazing!

Catacombe di San Gennaro, Another not to be missed attraction, different from the Roman ones and often listed as the top tourist attraction in Naples.

Teatro San Carlo is one of the prim ire opera houses of Europe often noted to be more stunning and acoustically perfect the Milan's La Scala.  Having just been there, I would say this is true.  The Opera House is Stunning and the seating is comfortable and gorgeous.  If you're not there during Opera Season be certain to tour this magnificent work of art!

Royal Palace of Naples Quick, easy and stunning.  Another home of rBourbon Kings, free audio tour with tickets.  Have fun.

Museo Archeologico, A beautiful museum that houses multitudes of statues and architecturally significant art and edifices.  This is a pretty cool place with some very cool art that you should see, I would not have it on the top of my list but for a rainy day it is a good place to be!  If you absolutely love archeology this place is a must!

Castle Uovo and Castel Aragonese,  These are castles and they are beautiful if you like castles.  The Castel Uovo has a bevi of restaurants at it's bases that can be very good and very expensive and can be really working tourists particularly in the season.  Be careful Dining here.  I once had a 85 euro fish at La Sciallupa, it was delicious but I couldn't get the 85 euros out of my head.  Later that week I was having better ones for less than 30 euro.  The waiter at La Sciallupa was quite theatrical flopping the fish around between his fingers as if it were alive!

Naples Restaurant List


Choosing a great restaurant can make or break you evening and your vacation.  I always think that if I am going for 15 days that means I only get 15 chances to eat well.  While Naples does not have as many fast food and even worse, fast casual restaurants there are some trattorie that you would not want to try.  Below is My List prepared just for you.  There will be more to come but these form the foundation.

Trattoria Capresse is in the suburb of Vomero and a shout cab ride or lift ride to the neighborhood from Via Pignasecco, Montenegro Station I believe.  A great neighborhood seafood restaurant with a charming staff and pizzaiola (Carmine)  Have your own cab driver Francesco take you there and buy him dinner, you won't forget this amazing meal and hopefully you'll be able to finish it.

http://www.trattoriacaprese.it


Ristorante Dora is a special place with a beautiful seafood menu.  Stay away on weekends, you won't get into this tiny trattoria.  It is near Via Chiaia in the Chiaia district
 http://www.ristorantedora.it/de/index.html 


Hidden in the Quartieri Spagnoli is the trattoria Antica Capri.  A charming , tiny trattoria with an expansive nenu of Neapolitan treasues.  I suggest ordering everything on the menu.  The price is right and the food delicious!  Keep your cab driver nearby, you DO NOT want to walk here as there are some sketchy streets on the way.
http://www.anticacapri.it 

Trattoria Castle Nuova is very near the port and a great little place with classic local dishes like Spaghetti con Vongole,  La Genovese (a meat and onion sauce  served with Paccheri that is delicious and Spigola Napolitana.  Call ahead and request these special dishes, tell them I sent you and be sure too ask for my friend Roberto
http://www.trattoriacastelnuovo.com 

A great Neapolitan menu that my seem closer to home is available at this popular Neopolitan restaurant near the port.  Big soft meatballs, pasta and eggplant parmesano can be found on their menu
http://www.mattozzieuropeo.com/#_=_ 


Now you are on the Amalfi Coast so put on your radar.  Restaurants here are lying in wait for tourists just like you.  I recall the famous on US Travel shows, La Tagliatta with it's stunning views before it became a tourist mecca and lowered its quality of food and it's once authentic standards.  Ristorante  Lido Azzurro is not one of those restaurants.  Dine on the water and eater delicious food made with high quality products
http://www.ristorantelidoazzurro.it/#_=_ 



 http://www.sorbillo.it/en/
I am going to post a few more places but these can get you started.
But don't miss Pizzeria Sorbillo on Via Tribunale in the Historic part of Naples.  It is the best pizza you will ever eat.  Do your homework, check their website .  I believe they open at 5:30 so get there by 4:45 or you'll never get in.  This is the only place in Italy where Italians actually wait in line!

Coming up Next:  Via Pignasecco, the best street in Napoli