The daily diary of a wandering restaurateur
May 14 - Montagnana/Verona
We didn't stop here, but this little café tucked along the wall of Montagnana just seemed inviting. It is typical of what we see in small towns all over Italy.
Lunch at The Famous Zac in Verona. The street along the piazza by the arena is wall-to-wall with similar spots ... all looking pretty much the same. I pondered what made us choose this one and pass the others up. Part of it was the crowd -- busy places are more attractive than places with no people. Seems a bit like the old chicken and egg question, but there you are. I think there is also a vibe from the staff and guests. If it "feels" friendly it is more compelling.
Dinner in the castle pub. The local castello in Valbona (the little town we are staying in ... and I do mean little!) has two restaurants. The ristorante is quite upscale and rather pricey. The pub is more down home, and that seemed appropriate. They do a great job with pizza as do most places. This was called "fantasies di pizziolo" which translates to roughly "fantasy of the pizza-maker." It sounds so much better in Italian!
Marv doing some serious research on the Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce.
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