It all started at Ristorante Dorando, in San Gimignano, Italy. We were only there for a brief stopover before heading off to Elba. We had spent the night before in Lucca, and were really debating on whether we wanted to spend more time in Lucca or what we really wanted to do. Somehow, we ended up in San Gimignano. We never could pronounce it and it wasn't until we asked, did we learn how.
After a full day of sightseeing and me walking up and down the same hill several times, we made reservations at Ristorante Dorando. We were the first people there when they opened for service since eating a late dinner isn't really our thing. We were lead into a bricked room that looked like it had served as some sort of vault for something in days gone by.
We started our meal with an amuse bouche. It was a a small roasted tomato with a mustard vinaigrette, ricotta cheese and a pepperoni mouse. It was very good.
After that, we ordered our appetizers. Lynn got a rabbit stuffed ravioli and I opted for a vegetable cannelloni.
I had thought that the cannelloni was going to be more pasta-style. However, it was a spring roll. It was good, but not what was expected. The sauce and the small salad was good. The pasta that Lynn ordered was better. Again, I was expecting a square ravioli, but was surprised. It was topped with Parmesan cheese triangles. The rabbit was ground and very tender. The sauce that was served with it complemented it perfectly.
We of course had a bottle of wine with our meal, and I can't continue without mentioning it.
It was a white wine that went perfectly with the meal. Again, it was a local wine. The San Gimignano whites are very well known in the area, and are better than the reds.
I opted for pork with a homemade applesauce puree for my entree. The pork was moist and tender. It was also well seasoned. I have to admit something here. I have never been one to eat pork with applesauce. In fact, overall, I am not a fan of the stuff. But this has changed my mind. The puree tasted of fresh apples and was smooth, not grainy. And of course, it went well with the pork. The pork was also served with a bean puree and fresh roasted vegetables. The bean puree was mouthwatering. I know that it was a white bean that was used along with some rosemary, but beyond that, I have no clue what was in it. It drives me nuts to this day. The beans were that good. The vegetables were good- nothing to write home about. It was simple root veggies that were well-seasoned and roasted.
Lynn had guinea fowl with a sausage and mustard grain stuffing. It was served with fresh baby spinach. She assured me that it was very good. Now, normally, at this part of our meal- after we have eaten a starter and an entree, we would either get dessert at the restaurant or go home. Keep in mind, we also have had a bottle of wine between us and a glass of champagne before the meal started. So, we get dessert. But, have I forgotten to mention that the World Gelato Champions for 2007-2010 happen to be in San Gimignano? Yes, I did forget to mention that. So, now it's a dilemma. Do we split a dessert and get a scoop of award winning gelato? Or, do we each get a dessert and then have gelato for breakfast (they open at 10am)?
We each get dessert of course. I opted for the chocolate cookies with a white chocolate mousse and a cherry sauce. Lynn gets the ginger apple pie. Both were fantastic and amazing. And both were also enough to make us full. Like the, go home and go to bed full after Thanksgiving dinner. After our dessert, we sat there, relaxed and then headed off back to our hotel.
But wait, the gelato.
Did we get some that night? Or the next morning? Well, since I started out by saying that this was the day I ate way to much, we of course got some that night. Was it world champion? Yes and no. They certainly do make a nice gelato. However, I liked the one in Florence better. But, if you can't make it to Florence, or you are just a gelato lover at heart, this gelato is up there.
So finally, after eating way to much, we made it to bed. Thankfully, they didn't leave chocolates on the pillows.
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