You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!
That’s me doing Howard Davis doing Rob Brydon and/or Steve Coogan doing Michael Cane.
And that’s before we even got started on the Ronnie Corbett impressions.
Thanks for posting these notes Howard. It was a magnificent week in Le Langhe with you, Helen, Thierry and John. So many highlights and such wonderful hospitality from the lovely Piemontese people. I’m already working on next year’s trip.
Old man Bovio used to take charge of the car parking, it was funny to watch as he didn’t trust anyone else to do the job. Sort of like a hotel owner working as a valet.
Great write up Howard, I need to get back for another visit and those restaurants of Jeff’s fantastic.
Cheers Mike
We had one of our most enjoyable meals ever at Bovio. The truffle degustation was incredible. A year or so later we worried that repeating the experience would cause disappointment. It did not.
Great reading!
What is the difference between BdF from Azelia and Scavino?
Had a 1982 from Scavino and it was still young
The chef who made La Libera famous left at some point, a partnership split, which might explain your experience. He has started a new place, Repubblica in Perno, sort of between Monforte and Serralunga. I’ll be going next time I’m there.
Jeff is a great guy. Frankly, I’m surprised that Marchesi di Gresy is not a more well known producer. We loved the Gaiun when we visited last summer and were happy to snag a bottle of Merlot from him that they do not export to the US. http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/images/smilies/flirtysmile.gif
That was exactly my experience in visiting Piemonte in 2010. I’m not sure if La Libera is just a “love it or hate it” type of place, or if maybe they’re inconsistent in food and service over time, but it seems like half the people who write about it on WB love it and the other half hate it. We were definitely in the latter camp - the service in particular was inattentive and unfriendly, probably the only place we dined in Piemonte about which I would say that.
I also really liked the older, more traditional and more modest places like Antica Torre in Barbaresco. I think we tended to prefer those types of restaurants to the more modern and exotic Michelin Star type places. Which I guess is lucky for us, since they usually cost a small fraction as much.
Hopefully an off night for us and them. The restaurant was warm, I had just wrecked the rental turning around on 1 of those donkey cart 1-way streets, and they literally dumped (bottle north/south) the aged Barolo we ordered in the decanter (no surprise, it didn’t show well with all that sediment).
Chris,
I agree, in that vein I love La Coccinella and Locanda dell’Arco, both in the Alta Langa just outside the Barolo area.
The Bovio dishes look quite avant garde compared to the very traditional fare the family served up when they owned Ristorante Belvedere.
Chris, I understand what you’re saying.
We had a great lunch at Antica Torre with Aldo and Renato Vacca - delicious spinach plin and Barbaresco rabbit tajarin - after tasting at Produttori. I’m typing up my notes now …
Cheers, Howard
We, unfortunately and weirdly, got the opposite experience. I know we were the victims of circumstance but so it goes. The night we were at Bovio they had a HUGE party on the books. It was nearly the entire place. Why they didn’t just buy it out I don’t know. Our food and service were clearly a step down and the woman serving us admitted, at least I think she did as my Italian is rudimentary and her English was non-existent, that she usually was not a server. I was sick and other than the incredible '99 Aldo Conterno there was little to be excited about. It was also incredibly foggy so the normally beautiful view was absent as well. Just bad luck all around. La Libera on the other hand was great. It was sort of slow so we had great service and they kept bringing us stuff like we were important but I’m sure it was simply stuff that had to be served. Clearly Bovio has the higher ceiling and incredible wine list. We just tumbled into odd circumstances.
No point in going to Piedmont: the food is terrible, the wines awful and the people are nightmarish. We will all be going to back to make sure it does not get any better.
I
Roberto
Yes I do like the Abbona labels as well. Artistic yet not busy, and most importantly striking enough to get noticed on the shelves.
regards
Ian
p.s. Not ultra fine, but good quality traditional cuisine and friendly service at Schiavenza in Serralunga d’Alba. Prices are very fair as well. Though they have a full wine list, a strong appeal is them doing their own wines by the glass. Normally I’d be arguing that the ‘lesser’ wines are often better with the food, but I found their Barbera and base nebbiolo quite uninspiring, but their various Barolo bottlings are brilliant (IMO of course)
Sorry for diverting Howard’s great notes, but I could use some advice.
I need a recommendation for something in the town of La Morra that is open on a Thursday (Bovio is closed)
The restaurants recommended to me by the hotel - Mange or Osteria More e Macine got some sharp negative reviews last fall on TripAdvisor (one of my least favorite sources of restaurant info, but it is what it is). The is Massimiocamia, a Michelin one star, which is where I’m leaning. (The other two nights will be at Trattoria della Posta and Bovio). Any suggestions? Since we are driving from Milan that afternoon, we strongly prefer something in town.
Last November, we went to iL Faro in Rodello. This isn’t far from Alba.
Address: Via Tagliata, 12, 12050 Rodello, Italy
Phone Number: 0173617147
Location: Piedmont > Province of Cuneo > Rodello
All the main roads in the area look like back roads here in the US, so be careful driving.
We had dinner here the night before Trattoria della Posta. iL Faro isn’t fancy. It was recommended by our Air BnB host. The cost then was 30 euros for loads of food and wine. In US$ today, thats $33. Last fall $38 at the conversion rate. No tax. No tip. 30 euros each!
This is a big crowded place. Cozy and intimate it’s not. Save that for della Posta. What this has going for it is that it’s fun. We spent 4 hours there! ![[drinkers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/82916bed5ad74ac8470bc04089d9758b0c80c9fa.gif "drinkers"){kind=small}
The host brings you to your table. On it is a bottle of red. A bottle of white (sorry Billy Joel), and a bottle of champagne to start. Help yourself. Oh, and the breadsticks were heavenly. Now the food starts coming out. First some antipasto. Then, a small serving of pasta with black truffles shaved over your dish. Next was a beef carpaccio. Then, giant ravoli/crepe, filled with potato. We were offered seconds on this and everything else. The pasta was just perfect. Next was a spaghetti with more truffles. Next was a small cheese filled ravoli. Veal with polenta was next. You can imagine that we were really filing up, when up next, we just about split our gut. Lamb and veal came out.
We still had a bottle of red, white, and champagne that we were enjoying, when they brought out a Daffara and Grasso LaMurfel. It was off dry with not over the top fruit. It was a fermented white.
Just when we were ready to be carried out, we were served one of the best tiramisu I ever had. Next up was a Grappa from Piedmonte. This was the first time I enjoyed a non-petrol Grappa. There were additional wines on a wall if I was interested in helping myself. I know there was more food served, but I can’t seem to find those pictures.
Sounds interesting; but I need something in the town of La Morra. No designated drivers that night - I will hire a car for Trattoria della Posta.
Barry, I’m visiting Piemonte at least twice a year, most often staying in La Morra. I’ve had many meals at More e Macine, always enjoyed them. For me by far the best choice in town.
Head down to Annunziata and go to Osteria Veglio Barry. An outstanding restaurant.
