IL BATTIBECCO

Meraviglioso

quando oltre al buon cibo e una cantina spettacolare, trovi un host, che ti faccia sentire a casa... Adriano

Fantastic evening. Came on a quiet Thursday night in spring with family (3 kids 5-11). Gorgeous art. Welcome Prosecco for adults and blood orange juice for kids.

Dithered by the wine display, debated the year of the bottles with the proprieter. Was rewarded when he decided to tell me his favorite wine, the 2018 Cignale, "better than the Tignanello" and only 62E. Was powderful, intense, outstanding. Google shows its very hard to get it the US and $85 for a supposedly inferior 2017 vintage from the few importers that have it.

Dinner proceeded with a salumi platter for youngest, pasta pomodoro and ragu for older kids. The salumi was on another level. The white lard/guanciale was dressed with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper and was transcendent.

Adults antipasti was a seafood and grilled radicchio with burnt onion and creme. Incredible balance in the very strong flavors. But then the crispy artichoke... so much concentrated flavor in the dips/spreads. Burrata for fat and then a choice of anchovy in olive oil or an intensely concentrated tapenade. Spent 25 minutes working through it savoring the flavors. Meanwhile the Cignale refreshed the palette.

Secondi was a seafood platter and osso bucco. Both excellent. Already killed the bottle so asked for a good red by the glass. Proprietor decided to open his second favorite bottle and pour by the glass at 8E each. Not the usual 6 Italian pours to a bottle but solid quarter bottle each. Lighter style but still very round and balanced.

Four desserts. All good but standout was, once again, at the top of the menu, vanilla spumoni with berries encased in chocolate. Some comped dessert wine and then a warmed glass of cognac.

Taxi was hard to get so the chef drove us home. Bill was 265E. Added a cash tip because the value was truly excellent. Would be happy to pay $500 in Los Angeles, if you could even get this quality. Best meal and dining experience we have had in Italy (there is competition) and I can't recall a better overall Italian meal I've had in life. 6 stars out of 5.

Il cibo era ottimo, il servizio molto gentile, i camerieri molto gentili e simpatici.
Spero di tornarci.

Ospitalità unica … la Toscana più simpatica , grazie davvero