I consider myself very lucky to have been to this part of Italy, not once but thrice so far. Mostly, I was lured by the white truffles in Alba and the big reds from Barolo and Barbaresco. I know for sure this won’t be my last. On this trip, I tasted Vitello Tonnato, bicerin and discovered a rooftop restaurant that serves the best carbonara pasta, and a wonderful mercato in addition to my favorite Eataly. And I was once again awed by the beautiful landscape of the snow-covered Alps that can be seen from so many corners in Torino, not to mention spectacular views from the roads that bend through the hills.
Vitello Tonnato – veal in tuna caper sauce. I’ve known this to be a Piemontese speciality but have always thought that it was odd to mix meat and fish and then eat it cold. I stand corrected. The lean tender veal, eaten with a dollop of the briny creamy sauce is a match made in heaven. I made a mental note to myself to seek out a good recipe when I get home.
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| Vitello Tonnato in a ristorante in Alba |
Bicerin – a drink made with espresso, drinking chocolate, and milk served layered in a small glass. We had it as a dessert in the Mercato Centrale in Torino, drinking it at the bar and hoping to come across as a local, even though I'm a yellow-skinned Asian! We were pleasant surprised to find the sheer number of stalls and quality of food served at the Mercato Centrale. Will come back again.
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| Biceri |
Last but not least, a beautifully decadent carbonara pasta at
Piano35 where we had our Cena di San Silvestro (New Year’s eve dinner). The standout in the menu was the carbonara pasta, with hard-to-achieve al-dente fresh pasta topped with crisp speck and an eggshell on the side filled with a creamy sauce. The final combination was rich with crispy bites and such an amazing mouth feel that I know that it would be hard to eat carbonara pasta anywhere else again. We were told by the server that this was Chef Marco Sacco’s specialty dish from this 2-michelin starred restaurant
Piccolo Lago. Now, I understand why it’s so good!
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| Carbonara pasta - speck atop with eggshell sauce |
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Carbonara pasta - heavenly mix
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| View of the Alps from Vergne, in the municipality of Barolo |
