Firenza WalkAbout

Frankly, the whole Firenza / Florence thing throws me for a loop . . . I don't get it . . .  but Firenza is a place where you could spend a while, even tho' it's small, just for the art oozing out of every poor little Medici palace  . . . 8^D . . . 

I love this statue of Perseus Slaying Medusa . . . have seen in books . . . only some sort of Miroslav Tichy satisfaction with the imperfections mitigates my disappointment now that I finally got a photo . . . 

Gustavino, Florence

Mrs found from the Lonely Planet guide . . . Trip Advisor comments are mostly spot on . . . fabulous place with friendly knowledgeable staff . . . only thing, tho', you do not 'stumble' onto this place . . . it's just around the corner from the Galleria degli Uffizzi . . . 8^D . . . it is cozy, but not hidden, if you see how I mean . . . 

Mrs had from the daily menu Ricotta al forna Insalata e Pomodoro . . . this was some creamy good ricotta . . . 

I asked the waiter, Is Osso Buco Tuscan . . . he smiled with surprise and pleasure, ah yes, it IS tuscan, and ours is very good . . . yeh, I would go along with that . . . 

The bathrooms are in these blue-glass 'phone booths'

wine, wine, wine, everywhere, and only a carafe to drink . . . 8^(

Mrs also had the Pappardelle del Ragu di Carne . . . one of those cases where I have to remind Mrs her num-nums are disturbing the other patrons . . . 8^D

I ordered from the regular menu: Crespelle (crepese filled with ricotta & spinach) . . . it may seem precious or jejune to say it, but just lovely, lovely, lovely . . . 

we are simple folk, loving simple peasant food -- it helps if the peasant food is from Tuscany, if you see how I mean . . . 8^) . . . and we love a place with carafes available for still water and house wine . . .

el Brellin, Milan

I think, in the end, we do not recommend el Brellin . . . despite the warm positive recos found everywhere else . . . we sat on the otherside of the hedge . . . Mrs said it was @stuffy@ . . . even outside . . . I kept feeling like there were gnats, but never really saw any . . . 

we just told the waiter Chianti, and he brought this Nipozzano Riserva . . . tasted like a fine wine, not well kept . . . had a nice bouguet not borne out by the taste. . .  see the cork below . . . for a 2009, hardly wet, broke in half like kindling

We shared Zuchinni blossom fritters with Raw Ham . . . 

this was very, very nice . . . the blossoms fried delicately and the ham a heartily pleasant accompaniment

I had a veal cutlet milanesa . . . without casting any aspersions, let me note that Mrs said I should be able to differentiate a pork cutlet from a veal cutlet by the tenderness . . . nuthin' wrong with it, I'm not sayin' that, it's just that . . . 

Mrs ordered a veal loin with Milanese Risotto (with marrow and saffron) . . . she said the risotto was a little too salty, but the veal was fine . . . even with grilled parma ham pieces all over it . . . .

taking the walk -- the long way -- back to the hotel, along the canal where is el Brellin

Milan Street Scenes

Just walking around Milan. One street had amazing street art . . . 

I really hadn't heard this was a problem for Italian Men . . . or is it just a classic case of over-compensation? . . . 

Peck Italian Bar, Milan

Mrs Found Peck in the Lonely Planet . . . http://www.peck.it/it . . . On monday they don't open till 3:30 . . . there was a small crowd waiting impatiently . . . we bustled up to the second floor, eyeballing the glass cases of wonderful, interesting foods as we went by . . . the restaurant wasn't open . . . 8^0 . . . they sent us around the corner to Peck's Italian Bar . . . a sister restaurant, not to be confused with the Michelin Peck & Claaco . . . OR should it be?

It was very good.

We shared a cheese plate Antipasti . . . Quartirolo stagionato, Gorgonzola, Pecorino Sardo, Parmiagiano Regggiano . . . all excellent, but the local Stagionato was our favorite . . . so creamy . . . Gorgonzola wasn't as Gorgon as we expected . . . 8^D . . .

I had Lasagne classiche alla Bolognese for Primi Piatti, molto bene . . . dangit... I wanted to go to Bologna, but time did not permit . . . 8^)

Secondi Piatti for me was Mondeghili milanese e cicorino, uhhhh, sorta milanese meatballs with chicory greens . . . I was pretty full by then, but it all seemed very nice

Mrs elected just a PrimiPiatti, Crema di piselli con corstini . . . a sort of pea soup . . . nummy and hearty . . . 

Sahara, Prague

This was the first, quality restaurant we discovered in Prague . . . it may have been better 5 years ago, but it's still nice . . . the billowing interior, ambient jazz, and friendly staff make it a kewl place to hang or have a meal . . . but at one point, right or wrongly, we decided their wine-pours were a little small . . . 

Mrs had her standard Grilled Tuna, which is different than it used to be, but still excellent . . . 

She's So Money had Foie Gras . . . .she shared bites with us all, and it was deliriously creamy & good . . . and the mango chutney was very fine . . . .

The Prince & I both had Morroccan CousCous with Lamb Chops . . . hard to go wrong . . . 

Aromi, Again

a really nice amuse bouche', peccorino cheese wrapped by smoked eggplant . . . 

tuna carpaccio served on slices of green tomato . . . so good we were laughing . . . 

hold on to your hat: blackened scallops, they call it, meaning, scallops in tempura batter darkened by squid ink . . . .just shattering . . . 

I've always liked gewurztraminer, but this was sui generis . . . not so "spicy"as just bogglingingly floral . . . the nose on this wine is wonderful . . . 

risotto with Umbrian truffle . . . they put it on with a heavy hand, but the truffle is very nice, very subtle, earthy in a pleasant way . . . 

we shared a wild dorado with grilled vegetables . . .  the quality of the fresh seafood, the expertise of the cooking and serving at aromi is non-pareil . . .