Very simply, if this restaurant was in France, it would probably have a Michelin star. The taste was rich and elegant, but quite bold and accompanied the Veal Tail nicely. It was explained to me that the wine was a carefully aged Barolo Riserva from the Pira cru, otherwise known as La Rocca. My favorite wine of the night was an 18-year-old Roagna Barolo from 1998, La Rocca e la Pira Riserva. Throughout the meal, we tried some of the best wines from the region, including nearby Barolo and Alba. The waiter did an amazing job explaining the history of each cheese and the differences in each. Of course, when I could not fit another thing in my stomach, they bring out a wooden cart with cheese that comes from the Giordano family who produces cheese in nearby Palanfre at 1400 meters elevation. If it wasn’t for the amazingly fresh bread and butter that I couldn’t get enough of, I could have eaten this at least twice.Īlthough I was thoroughly full, this meal was so good that I enjoyed trying the Veal Tail with mountain potatoes and butter made by locally. I’ve had vitello tonnato many times in this region, and this rendition was one of the best.įor my main course (I forget how many we had), I had risotto with a 48 month aged Parmigiano and more importantly an elegant, but obscene amount of white truffle shavings on top. The thinly sliced veal was presented with hazelnut, Bottarga (dried tuna eggs), and Grue. The experience and taste of this dish is incredible and it smells like a small campfire at your table.Īfter the trout, we tried the “Unusual” vitello tonnato, which is the restaurant’s take on the dish found frequently in this region. I’m told the trout was caught locally in the mountains earlier today and it was smoked directly in front of us- yes, directly at the table. I am lucky enough to be at the restaurant at the end of the fall and the beginning of winter, which means my plate will be graced with amazing white truffles from Alba, chestnuts mixed into the menu from Cuneo, and Helix pomatia alpine, which is escargot from just down the road in Borgo San Dalmazzo (also home to Italian ski racer Marta Bassino).įor our starter, the table had wild trout sashimi, which is smoked at the table and includes the grilled skin with apple and acid butter. As the seasons change, so do the ingredients and menu, so there is always something new to taste and discover. Their cuisine is based on hundreds of years of Piedmontese cooking traditions utilizing the highest quality fresh ingredients, most of it from the mountains and region surrounding the restaurant. To pay homage to the famous illustrator, locals decided to revive the scenes of the children’s novel on the walls of the town.įound in the heart of the village, not far from the murals, the Macario Family operates the Nazionale Hotel and Restaurant. The first edition of Collodi’s Pinocchio was illustrated by Attilio Mussino, known as “ Pinocchio’s uncle” who happened to spend much of his life in Vernante- hence the reference to Pinocchio. Most people know of Pinocchio because of the 1940 film produced by Walt Disney, but it originated as a children’s novel in the late 1800s by Italian writer Carlo Collodi. Near the border between Italy and France in the Maritime Alps, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, forests, and streams, you can find Vernante, a small village of just 1300 people, known to many as “the village of Pinocchio,” but I would argue that it should be famous for one of the best restaurants in Italy, Ristorante Il Nazionale.
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