We're starting off this wine and food column by talking about a street that's dear to us since the windows of Koinè have always looked out onto via Ghibellina. The S.Croce district in general and this street in particular are becoming an area of interest as regards “fine cuisine”.
There are traditional restaurants of various types that started up many years ago: the Pizzeria il Gatto e la volpe, on the corner with via dei Giraldi, just opposite the Bargello, frequented mainly by young Americans, open till late and with its own interesting variety of pizza; the Trattoria Alimentari, opposite the Assessorato alla Cultura (Cultural Office), a real example of the old Florence, a wine shop with its own spit and wood fire offering crostini (toasted bread with various toppings), ribollita( twice-boiled soup) and spit-roast meat, as well as excellent rolls with cold meats and Tuscan cheeses; the Ristorante da Dino, in totally refurbished premises, continues to re-interpret the classics of Tuscan cooking, offering high-quality specialities.
Nor is there any lack of ethnic food on offer, a Chinese rotisserie and sushi venue practically face each other at the corner with Borgo Allegri; and they're no fakes, staff and recipes exclusively Chinese and Japanese respectively.
Other more recent premises, right opposite Teatro Verdi are the Ristorante and Enoteca Rubirosa and the Trattoria del Teatro, as well as the rooftop Ristorante Bue, perhaps all a little too concentrated on the pre and post-theatre crowds.
But then come two pleasant surprises which inspired us to write this article: Il Bistrò Bacca Rossa http://www.baccarossa.it and the Ristorante Ora d’Aria http://www.oradariaristorante.com .
The first opened a couple of years ago, attracting the attention of passers-by with a window opening onto the street which gives straight on to the busy kitchen. The restaurant itself is shaped rather like a tunnel wedged between the little houses of the district. The refined and peaceful air inside is striking. The interior decorator, as well as having excellent taste, must have had friends in the nearby flea market in Piazza dei Ciompi, where vintage furnishings and furniture are sold. To add character, regular exhibitions of good paintings and various art are hosted inside the restaurant. Tablecloths, glasses and cutlery are in line with the excellent impression already made. As we frequently do, we went to the restaurant in the middle of the week, without booking. A warm welcome by a young waiter, even though a little high, who proved to have some excellent suggestions on choosing the wines. The tables were pleasantly far apart and in any case only another two were occupied. Fortunately there was sufficient light and the menu was written in large enough script for even a fifty-year-old who stubbornly refused to bring his glasses with him, to read. The subject of conversation and enjoyment was fish. From the description of the dishes one immediately sensed that the chef was particularly attentive to the choice of the main ingredient, fresh and in season. We tried on two different occasions: Carpaccio di branzino marinato sotto sale con insalata di arance, finocchi e spinaci novelli (Thinly sliced raw sea-bass marinated in salt with orange, fennel and baby spinach salad, Filetti di triglia in guazzetto di fagioli dell’occhio (Fillets of mullet stewed in black-eye bean sauce), Astice in insalata calda di cous cous con melanzane e pistacchi (Lobster in hot cous cous salad with aubergines and pistachios) Tortelli di branzino su pesto leggero di zucchine(Seabass square ravioli served on light, courgette pesto sauce), Linguine con ragù di astice e pomodorini (Flat spaghetti with lobster and cherry tomato sauce), Cuore di filetto di tonno in crosta di mandorle con Flan di melanzane (Heart of tuna fillet in almond pastry with aubergine flan), Filetto di rombo selvaggio in crosta di verza con puré di finocchi (Fillet of wild turbot in cabbage pastry with fennel purée). All the dishes were surprising in the quality of the ingredients and the simple preparation which enabled them to retain their original flavour. If one had to find a fault, it would be in the mullet fillets which disappeared before the obtrusiveness of the black-eye beans. As said earlier, we were happy to have followed the waiter's advice, he enthusiastically suggested a remarkable Collio white wine, produced using organic-dynamic methods. His enthusiasm however was limited to the choice of wines, gradually lessening as the dinner went on to definitively disappear itself when leaving us with the dessert menu which we decided not to order as by then too late. The impression was however, of top-level dishes, with the smallest detail well thought out so as to make it enjoyable for the client in a relaxing atmosphere.
We'll tell you about the other restaurant Ora d’aria next time. But for now we'd like to ask you a few questions: what do you think of the restaurant industry in
