San Domenica

After much debate and deliberation (just kidding), we decided to head for Bologna and Ravenna for a few days.  On the way, we stopped off in Imola.  Why Imola you may ask?  Why, to eat of course.  But what's in Imola that makes it so special?  Isn't it just 30 minutes away from Bologna?  Were you so hungry that you just HAD to eat?  To answer your questions- true Imola is only 30 minutes away from Bologna, I was hungry but not starving and in Imola is...

...San Domenica.  This is said to be the best restaurant in Italy.  And I believe them.  They also leave out that it is probably one of the most expensive, but I digress.

We started with an amuse bouche (to amuse the mouth- thanks Papa Brunelli) which was berlotti bean soup with a fried shrimp ball on the top.  One of my new goals in life?  To make berlotti bean soup.  With a fried shrimp ball on top.  The shrimp was essentially shrimp scampi fried in croutons.  If I had known this was coming, I may not have ordered one of my dishes, but then I would have been deprived.  We can't have that can we?

It was smooth, creamy and full of flavor without being overwhelming.  And the shrimp scampi?  Light, crunchy, perfectly fried and to die for.  The whole dish was perfectly seasoned.  After this came the uovo in raviolo.  It was a large raviolo filled with ricotta, spinach and an egg.  It was in a brown butter sauce with truffles.  When you cut into the raviolo, the egg yolk came out.  The whole profile was salty, sweet, rich, flavorful, earthy and oh so good.  The picture does not do it justice.

The main course came and Lynn and I both chose the veal checks.  I haven't had veal checks since David made them for our final in Art Culinare. David did a very good job then, but I haven't had them since and I had never had them before.  These were amazing.  Flavorful and tender.  So good.  The beef cheeks were served with a polenta mixed with cheese.  The polenta was then fried up and was crispy on the bottom.  It was fantastic.

Finally, for dessert, I chose the "chocolate flan," which is really chocolate molten cake.  It was served with a chocolate and hazelnut sorbet and some caramelized bananas.  This pushed me over the edge with the food.  I was so full and so happy with the food that we had.  It was amazing.  We also had some little treats from the kitchen before that.

Would I go back?  Hell yes.  Was it worth the side trip from Bologna?  Yes.  It was perfect (and pricey).