The original Michelin Red Guide, French Edition

Last week I explained how the Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants in Italy…and I also explained that many of our favorite Italy restaurants aren’t even in the Michelin guide at all.

But today, I want to show you what you can expect when you dine at a starred restaurant in Italy. And, since I am writing this article, what I personally expect for my own dining experience ,so that my peculiar, I mean particular, expectations are met…or even exceeded.

So, here is what the Burketts expect as they dine with Italian stars!

First is Dressing Up

We like to dress up a bit when dining at a nice restaurant in Italy…and we don’t want to feel out of place because we did so. Three stars? Take the opportunity to get spiffed up.

And, speaking of dressing up, here is a photo of the two dapper gentlemen who started the Michelin guide, as well as the Michelin tire company…André and Édouard Michelin.

The View

If the evening is to be special, then a meal with a view would be nice. These are views from starred restaurants that we’ve visited.

Bread!

That’s right, bread! I tend to judge an Italian dining establishment by their bread. It needs to be nice and crusty. Grisini, or breadsticks, need to be house-made, not wrapped in a waxy, paper envelope. Here are examples of 3-star breads.

Presentation

This involves more than plating…it is how the food might be presented before plating, like this nice branzino presented by Elizabette at La Terrazza Danieli, just before it was fileted and deboned for serving. By the way, it is really a lot better looking after plating…and it tastes like no other seafood you’ve had.

Smiling Faces

I believe that you can judge a person by the way one treats the waitstaff at a restaurant. And, it’s much easier to relate to a smiling face, isn’t it?

A Bit of Music?

How about live music…and, with a smiling face, too…double your pleasure! And, it’s not often we’ve found such an amenity.

Table Settings

Of course a nice table is appreciated. And what a surprise it was to find an embroidered charger at our table at Ravello’s Il Flauto di Pan.

The Food

This is pretty much why we came, right? I know, the other things are nice, but the food is the star of the starred show.

Endings

Dessert has a special place in our dining experience. There are desserts in the ‘Food’ grouping above, but this one from La Caravella dal 1959 in Amalfi gets special attention. We thought this soufflé too large for two people when presented, but two was just too perfect not to finish. Being a soufflé, it was really lite…seriously…please don’t judge…you had to be there to appreciate it.

What’s All That Stuff on the Plate?

In my opinion, some restaurants on the Michelin-starred list try a bit too hard to embellish the plates with little dots of this-and-that (we call them ‘plops’), and special plates that are not necessary to one’s dining enjoyment. You will note a bit of simplicity in the photos of ‘Food’ above. Nice and clean.

However, here are a few Michelin-starred plates that we’ve been offered along the way where we think things were a bit messy and they were trying a bit too hard to impress, but didn’t. Give me the plating at a Cracker Barrel restaurant and I would have been happier.

A Parting Shot

But what about a Michelin-starred restaurant in the morning? Here is my selection from a typical buffet breakfast at Poggio Rosso at the fabulous Borgo San Felice. We took our breakfast with a mimosa out to the terrace and dreamed of coming back!

Breakfast at San Felice - is it too heavy with the bread…I don’t think so

So, there you see a few of the things that Ellen and I feel make up a scrumptious evening…or breakfast. But you know what? These meals are missing one thing…and that’s you.

We love to travel with friends, building memories along the way that we can reminisce about for years to come. I sincerely hope that you can join us in the future at a restaurant of Italy…or anywhere in the world, actually.

Ciao for now,

Steve

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Eat Here: Il Flauto di Pan

In a followup to last week's article on the beautiful Villa Cimbrone, I present their fabulous restaurant, Il Flauto di Pan.

“Wow! I’m very excited about Villa Cimbrone gracing the walls of a new development in San Antonio, Texas. Be sure to read the late-breaking addition to this article at the very bottom. ”

“I have never lied to you, and I won’t start now — so when I say ‘we ate every bite’, trust me on that”

We have a general feeling in our family about the quality of a restaurant versus its height above its surroundings...you know, the meals in space-needle-like settings, tops of very tall buildings, etc...often it is the quality of the view that takes precedence over the quality of the food...not always, but often enough that we steer clear without a recommendation.

Here is a restaurant that sits high above the Amalfi Coast, which has both a quality view and quality food.

The remarkable gardens of the Villa Cimbrone extend to the entrance of Il Flauto di Pan, as you can see here with a wall of petite white flowers.

As you are seated, you will find a lovely welcome at your place setting, as shown in the first photo at the top of this article, complete with embroidery hoop. So striking, don't you think?

As we sat, we were treated to both a view of the Amalfi Coat and bread sticks -- two of our favorite things!

In addition, there were two varieties of butter from which to choose.

Il Flauto di Pan is a Michelin-starred restaurant. Having a star is of great significance, and it is extremely hard to get.

If you have watched 'Chopped' on the Food Network, you know that they judge the food on taste, presentation, and originality.

These, of course, are important to the Michelin folks, too. But beyond the food itself are the aesthetics of the restaurant and the ways in which the diner is pampered. Touches like the orchids on your table are taken into account.

As Italian wine lovers, we seldom have cocktails whilst in Italy...well maybe a Negroni or Campari & soda on occasion -- but the suggestion of a Bloody Mary made with fresh-squeezed tomato juice sounded too good to pass up...so we didn't. And man-o-man was it ever good!

We had course after course, some of which I'll show you here. I won't try to tell you exactly what each dish is, because frankly, I can't remember.

I think you can get the gist of a Michelin-starred restaurant from the photos...lots of garnish, debris, drops and plops on decorative substrates with well-placed and tasty sauces. Not only is it pretty to look at, but it is most excellent in taste!

Of course, right now you are asking, "But what about desserts?" My response would have to be, and is, "Yes, they have admirable desserts -- which we did indeed admire, right before we ate them." I have never lied to you, and I won't start now -- so when I say "we ate every bite", trust me on that. And, as unusual, we also enjoyed a dessert wine.

I have to say that we had a wonderful afternoon and evening at the far reaches of Ravello at Villa Cimbrone -- at the villa, the gardens, and the extraordinary restaurant. As I finish, we toast you and say 'thank you' to all of you who loyally read the articles of Italy, Our Italy.

Villa Cimbrone in San Antonio!

You can now find Villa Cimbrone in San Antonio, Texas...at least photos of the villa.

I'm pleased to announce that 210 Development Group, one of the premier property developers in San Antonio and beyond, has ordered eight of my photos of Villa Cimbrone as the wall art for a model in their recently completed Aviator project. This housing project is on the site of the old Brooks Field of World War II fame, now called Brooks City Base.

Here, you can see photos of the installation. My thanks to Alyson Callison, Director of Design for for 210DG, for putting her confidence in my work, and for creating the beautiful model that surrounds my photos.

I suspect you will recognize these photos from last weeks article, titled A Visit to Villa Cimbrone.