Finally back and somewhat rested after our long travels. Surprisingly, we felt like we could just keep travelling, so now we are trying to figure that out ($$$). We had some fab food experiences that I wish we could experience here at home – though we also appreciate the lovely food we have here in the Atl. We ordered our regular Zyka order within 3 hours of having landed.
I want to tell you about this great place called Woolf & Social. The highlights were the croquettes with buffalo sauce, the rice with miso and daikon and the halloumi with a super-fun pomegranate molasses – but really it was all good. Good, and exciting. We went twice in our short stay over in England. They also played some great contemporary music, the service was great and personable and the ambiance laid back and hip. If by some weird chance any of you majority Atlantan readers are in the east of England you have to hit up my fam for one, and then second, this restaurant! Check out this slideshow of their fantastic offerings (click to make big).
If you were curious, here’s some pics of some other offerings we came across when we were out and about. The breakfasts and grab and go foods for vegetarians in the UK are amazing! They also have a great tradition of a ‘Sunday roast’ which is like Thanksgiving every Sunday, there are vegetarian versions everywhere…can you imagine being able to have a vegetarian Thanksgiving every Sunday!?
In Italy we hit up as many michelin or generally well rated restaurants as possible. Our favorite places were San Martino 26 in San Gimignano, Il Vezzo and Magdi Pizza in Florence.
San Martino 26 was a somewhat high end dining experience. Do you remember that scene in Willy Wonka where Charlie licks the wall paper and says something like ‘ the shnozerries taste like schnozberries!” – that scene, Charlie’s excitement and surprise, ran through my mind as we were eating some of the dishes here. One was called l’uovo – it was whipped egg that tasted like parmesan cheese – magic. The service was great too. I only snapped a couple of crap shots but you will see their amuse bouche, the egg dish I referred to and another eggy one with shaved truffle, their delicious local wine and a lovely tiramisu cup.
Magdi Pizza was a hole in the wall that had the best pizza I’ve ever had. It’s run by Magdi who is smily and lovely, and seemingly much endeared by the community as nearly every passer-by hollared out to Magdi loving hellos. We got the vegetarian and the ‘nour’, which had burrata and truffle. They were both amazing and he even gave us a couple little nutella calzones to go with our order!
Il Vezzo has similarly inspired dishes to San Martino, slightly more down to earth – and perhaps it was overall quite flawless? If pushed to choose I would say this restaurant was the best of the trip. The service was easy and classy, and the food, that perfect balance of classic but innovative. Packed with flavour. Exciting. I wish, wish, wish this restaurant was local, I would be there all the time.
Other notable mentions :
- the best mozzerella I’ve ever had in my life at this lovely place outside of Florence in Figline called L’imperfetto, the people who run this place are amazing and they take so much care into their ingredients.
- a great lasagna at Osteria La Zucca in Venice (the service here was SO weird and snotty though, not worth the delish lasagna),
- A seriously phenomenal dish gnocci with a smoked aubergine cream at Le Logge de Vignola in Montepulciano.
- An overall gorgeous, romantic b&b high dining experience at Locanda di Pietracupa (pictured, onion pudding with ginger coriander sauce)
- More delish pizza at Mangia Pizza Firenze.
- A beautiful cooking class at Il Vicario where we made truffle omelette, bruschetta, local pastas and learned about cheese pairings. Our teacher Katia was a gem.
- The best snacking and drinking at Osteria al Squero in Venice
Here are some pics of those meals/places/awesomeness.
Tuscan discoveries:
- The best restaurants were often ran by trendy youngish people, as opposed to the old often somewhat clunky, well established restaurants. Maybe no surprises there…
- The breakfasts and the bread leaves so much to be wanted, but the coffee is deeelish.
- I don’t like al dente pasta. We could have a big debate about what al dente really means here but I’m just going to go ahead and say I am referring to pasta with a bite.
- Florence over Venice.
- Hotels are better than Air Bn’B’s – sorry, not sorry.
- Mosquitos suck everywhere and AC doesnt really work so better to go in cold seasons.
- Tuscan whites over red’s. Vernacchia and Vermentino’s are my new go-to’s.
- Drinking right next to the vineyards that you are drinking from yields little to no hangover.
- Why don’t we have enotecas here!? (enotecas are basically drinking snack bars, you buy a drink and you get a great little arrangement of snacks brought to you fo’ free)
- After a few trips over to places that specialize in olives – I can now proudly say I have been converted! Yay for olives – get in my belly!
- Truffle is way more subtle when it’s real and not processed American shite.
