I submitted reservation requests for a table for two at a couple of highly regarded establishments in the neighborhood--and never heard back from either of them--so we decided walk down from our holiday house to check out the Hotel Fioroni--and I'm glad we did.
It was a quiet night with plenty of lakeside tables for walk-in diners like us (which makes me wonder about the other places--were they filled to capacity? I doubt it--but their loss was our gain).
We were greeted by a genial gentleman (Giuseppe) who invited us to select any table. It turns out he was the waiter, the entertainment, and the proprietor.
We dithered a bit about what and how much wine to order. Giuseppe insisted we needed at least a half liter carafe--and of course he was right. After looking through the menu knew we were going to order fish dishes so we opted for the house white -- an unspectacular but serviceable Pinot Grigio style table wine.
For our antipasto we selected a green salad with marinated small fish (Possibly large anchovies? They reminded me of smelt--a small freshwater fish common where we live in northern Wisconsin.) Not everyone will like a dish like this, but as adventurous eaters we enjoy sampling something unique to the culture and cuisine of the places we visit. (In the background -- some jazzy piano by Giuseppe.)
Next up was the pasta course. I went with penne and bolognese while my wife chose spaghetti with tomato sauce. Penne has never been my favorite pasta but I'll be using it more frequently in the future. The sauce was basic but authentic. (In the background -- some jazzy piano by Giuseppe.)
For my secundi I ordered broiled trout. It was served with haricot verts and oven roasted potatoes. The fish was a tad overcooked and dry but otherwise well seasoned. The sides were decent. (In the background -- some more jazzy piano by Giuseppe.)
We had to finish with a "dolce" course so I went with tiramisu while my wife went lighter with a scoop of gelato. I've had lots of tiramisu over the years and this was as good as any I've had -- a good balance of mascarpone, espresso, cocoa, ladyfingers and creaminess. The kiwi garnish seemed odd but worked well (and I'll probably use kiwi the next time I make tiramisu).
When we finished up we sauntered over to the lounge where Giuseppe was playing the piano. We admired photos of him with various dignitaries including one of our favorite artists -- Quincy Jones. After a few more tunes we had a photo op with Giuseppe, we paid our bill, and slowly climbed up the walkway to our holiday house.
Was it the best meal we ever had while traveling? No. Was it one of our most memorable experiences while traveling? Unequivocally, "Yes!" read more