Bologna & Modena, Italy: Gluttonous Travels (Part 3) - When the Italians step up & start feasting

Night falls in Bologna, as does the rain. Fortunately (mainly for my frizz prone hair which turns poodle at the first sight of a raindrop), we have the protection of the beautiful, meandering archways of Bologna. They lead us directly to the Fontana di Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune), where we meet up with our dates for the evening, the region's finest gourmands, Alessio and Raffaella.

Alessio hails from Bologna, and now lives in nearby Modena with his fabulous fiancee, Raffaella, who previously called Roma homa. Not only are they amazing hosts, providing a fun, fact filled insiders' walking tour of night time Bologna, but these guys really like to eat. No complaints from us.

No night out starts in Bologna without an apertivo or two. After some refreshing Aperol spritz and chatter at a bustling bar, paired up with Bologna's answer to England's salty crisps and greasy peanuts - some complementary chopped tomatoes in olive oil, chopped eggplant and bread (so simple, so good) - we are well oiled for the main event.

Trattoria Gianni - Dinner:

We follow our trusty guides through Bologna's labyrinth of alleyways until, tucked away in a darkened strip, we come upon Trattoria Gianni (via Clavature, 18). Clattering with locals, this rustic little hideaway is the perfect place to sample some of the region's local specialities.

We start with an antipasti platter which comes laden with local delights including Parma ham (Parma being a neighbouring city, north east of Bologna towards Milan), cheeses and a delicious spuma di mortadella - which is a mortadella mousse. Oh my. It's gorgeous. A new find which is quickly stashed away in the mental "little black book" of future food essentials.

Raffaella chooses the bollito misto (boiled meats) for her main course (which look more succulent to those TPG sampled at Ristorante Diana earlier in the day), while the rest of us decide to share 4 plates of pasta between 3 (of course).

They're all gratifyingly good and cooked to perfectly firm al dente.

Naturally, we can't come to Bologna without sampling some of the local bolognese. The tagliatelle ragu is a fine, silky form of tagliatelle with the perfect smattering of ragu - it clings to the porous pasta ribbons nicely, without smothering them. Tagliatelle is the traditional form of pasta to serve with this type of ragu. Spaghetti bolognese is unheard of here (spaghetti originated down south in Naples), and the thick tomatoey bolognese sauces known in many places outside Italy bear little resemblance to the drier mix of ground beef, pork and onions (and other bits and pieces) which is traditional to Bologna, the birth place of bolognese.

The tagliolini with prosciutto is gorgeous. Tagliolini is another traditional form of pasta hailing from this region, and is thinner and more cylindrical compared to the flatter tagliatelle.

The macaroni with prosciutto, butter and zucchini, and the farafelle with lamb ragu, are both scrumptious. We devour the lot with ease. There's no place for Atkins devotees here.

Dolce, dolce, dolce. TPG's favourite time has arrived. While Alessio confines himself to an espresso, Raffaella opens TPG's eyes to what is a whole new world of a creamy, custard-like marscapone with chocolate sauce. TPG polishes off his lovely creme caramel then happily tucks into Raffaella's dessert. Not sure if he'll be invited to dinner again. I opt for what I can only describe in my best Italian as a "black and white cake", which was moist and tasty with a pleasing amount of chocolate sauce.

We devour a couple of bottles of spicy Sangiovese before finally staggering out into the night to finish off with some cocktails. There's no 11pm "lights out" in Bologna.

Le Stanze - cocktail hour:

Our trusty gourmands escort us to Le Stanze (via Borgo di San Pietro, 1), a gothic bar in a converted 16th century chapel. It's stunning. The chapel is decorated with its original ceiling high frescoes which contrast with the modern cocktail bar and rooms of comfy Italian style furniture. A terrific place to make a night of it over some well made mixes.

We manage to keep some sort of lid on it, and arrange to meet up again tomorrow for lunch and a tour of Modena (home of the famous balsamic, as well as our wonderful hosts).

Ristorante I Savoia, Modena - Sunday Lunch:

Once we knew we were embarking on a Sunday lunch with 12 Italians at their local Italian seafood restaurant on the outskirts of Modena, it became clear we should cancel our dinner plans for Meloncello and let nature take its course.

After a tour past the Maserati and Lamborghini factories across the flat, grassy plains between Bologna and Modena, and a tour of the barrels of aromatic balsamic ageing in Alessio's parent's house, Alessio and Raffaella bring the car to a surprising halt outside what appears to be an abandoned pink building. Never has a facade been such an ingenious disguise of the gastronomic delights which lay awaiting inside.

Ristorante I Savoia (Via Ravarino Carpi, 104. Ph: 059 909 855) is beloved by the locals of Modena, and its focus on seafood is somewhat original for this inland region. The first sign of the intoxicating happiness that was to be ours over the next few hours was the delivery of 2 shiny magnums of Italian sparkling wine to our table. These would be the first of many - it's Sunday, who's counting? The Italians know how to have a good time.

In short, I lost count of the number of courses which comprised our Sunday lunch. Platter after bountiful platter of raw seafood came our way - scallops, prawns, sea bass, squid, scampi. All wonderfully fresh and simple, adorned at most by a generous splattering of local olive oil and pepper.

A succession of plates brimming with tasty giant cooked prawns, fried squid, and scallops with zucchini followed.

And then we were on to the obligatory pasta dishes - a rough cut papardelle with clams and funghi (an unusual combination, but it worked) and large pieces of penne with prawns and sundried tomatoes.

But there's more - indeed, we have barely begun. Two enormous plates of baked sea bass splashed with olive oil were succulent and mouthwatering - a high point in simplicity and deliciousness. These were accompanied by smaller plates heaving with a mixture of lightly battered fried octopus and prawns.

But this is Italy and we would be doing ourselves a disservice if we stopped there. My dessert of chocolate pudding, oozing with rich dark chocolate molten spilling from the core, was set in a pool of luscious marscapone. Fabulous. TPG's torrone was also lovely.

We finished off with an digestion aiding grappa and macchiatos all round. Alessio and Raffaella had meet us at midday - we stopped eating at around 5pm. Such a memorable, marathon of a meal. This, my friends, is the life.

We finished off our travels with a relaxing stroll around the beautiful city of Modena - a mini-Bologna, again with the archways and colourful, majestic buildings lining the cobbled promenades.

We stopped for a coffee on the main Piazza, before taking a 20 minute train trip back to collapse in our hotel room, with food exhaustion.

And there you have it. Bologna is a highly recommended weekend escape. With so many places to explore in Italy, I don't often plan to return to cities the moment I get back - but for Bologna, I'll make an exception. We've barely nibbled the tip of the culinary iceberg.

As always, such trips are always a thousand times more amazing with some local knowledge and, in Alessio and Raffaella, we had the best of the best at hand. We're already scheming about how to repay our generous Italian friends when they next come to London - there's going to have to be some serious eating involved. Bellissimo.

You can click here for Part 1 (Espresso and bombolone at Zanarini) and Part 2 (Food Shops & Lunch at Ristorante Diana) of my Bologna travels.

Bologna, Italy: Gluttonous Travels (Part 2) - Food Shops & Ristorante Diana: A Bounty of Hams, Cheeses, Tortellini in Brodo & Boiled Meat Trolleys

So, we finished up at our newly beloved Zanarini. The Peanut Gallery somehow managed to restrain me from sampling my 2nd bombolone before 10am, and guided me onwards into the bustling streets of Bologna. There's that furtive sense of it being market morning in a food obsessed town.

After some serious fashion/shopping deliberations in a selection of the local boutiques - Will studded black handbag and matching ballet slippers transcribe back in London? (for the record, no). Just how many black, wrap around cardies is too many? And how will TPG try to justify buying another pair of Seinfeld-esque white trainers? - we find our way to the pulsing heart of Bologna's hive of amazing food shops.

Tamburini (Via Caprarie 1, Bologna - pictured above) seems to be the most famous of them all. We stumble upon it, mouths agape in awe, even before we see the signage indicating its the place we've been looking for. Fresh, handmade pastas - gnocchi, tortellini, ravioli, papardelle - are beautifully displayed in the window (and are made fresh every day), large hams hang seductively from the ceilings, and an army of cheeses stand firmly at attention or ooze alluringly at the counter in turn. There's olive oils and balsamic vinegar (Modena is only half an hour away) and a deli serving up colourful bites to eat in or take away. The delectable smell of cured meats, cheese and sauces mingle and dance through the doorway, drawing us in off the street to browse, pick and scheme about how to get all this stuff home.

Tamburini is said to be a great place to try the local Parmigiano-Reggiano. The displays are beautiful, and there's a deli at the back where you can sit in to sample a quick bite on your travels. You could also try it for an apertivo at night.

(Simoni)

(Simoni)

But there are dozens of places like this (mainly around the cluster of streets surrounding Tamburini). One after the next beckons us in to admire and fawn. One of the coolest would have to be Simoni (pictured above) where locals line up to barter enthusiastically for their daily take of salamis and cheeses. Aside from the glorious delicatessans, this area is a great little hub to watch as the locals barter at stalls for the fruits, vegetables, fish and meats. Other big name gastronomes like Paolo Atti & Figli (via Caprarie, 7 - pictured below) with their beautifully presented pastas, cakes, panettone and breads, are also nearby.

(Above & below: Paolo Atti & Figli)

(Locals stocking up on fresh fish)

Next door to Simoni is a totally old school horse butcher, doing a quieter trade. But we love its style.

All this window shopping soon gets our appetites going, and we amble our way to secure our place among the well dressed Italians (and American tourists) at an institution of Bologna's dining scene, Ristorante Diana.

Ristorante Diana

Ristorante Diana is one of the better known restaurants in Bologna. Positioned pertly on the grand Via Dell Indipendenza, a main thoroughfare to the city's hub at the Piazza Maggiore, it is classic, elegant and - as you would expect - more formal than a lunch time trattoria. A fair bit of hairspray has gone to work on the clientele here, women and men alike.

Although there's a family of tourists sitting near us, this is a proper restaurant frequented by local Italians - and although it's not overly expensive, perhaps because of the slight formality, they seem to be those who are either monied up or celebrating special occasions. The plain wooden floor boards, white walls and attractive bright orange curtains lead one to suspect this place is not about to tizzy itself up for the tourists - it's there to serve up unadulterated local classics to a crowd who will understand them. I'm more than willing to give it a burl - especially as it's only a few doors up from our hotel.

Incidentally, on my return to London, I read an interview with Mario Batali (chef at one of my favourite Italian restaurants in New York, Babbo earlier reviewed here) who cites Bologna as his favourite city in Italy (he visits 2 or 3 times a year) and Diana as his favourite restaurant there. If we had known they do a lasagne there "that will bring you to tears", we might just have had to add on an extra course. Next time...

In any case, our own choices do not disappoint.

Because we're in Bologna (and when in Rome...) I go for the classic tortellini in brodo - tasty little parcel of veal served up in a light, moreish broth, and topped with a smattering of Parmagiana cheese. Despite the fact the pasta was a little underdone (I love al dente, but there was just a shade too much firmness here), this was one of my favourite and most memorable dishes of the trip. Simple but deliciously comforting.

TPG started with the baked tortellini funghi, stuffed with ricotta and spinach. There also seemed to be a fair bit of creamy cheese involved. This one looked better than it tasted - it lacked the flavour of my plainer looking dish and was nothing above an average plate of well cooked pasta.

I then moved on to the tortino di patate al tartufo (a potato gratin layered and spliced with rich, aromatic black truffles). Yuh. Small but fiesty, this one packed some punch. I adored it. The truffles were rich and plentiful, and were set off beautifully in the simply cooked potato dish. Despite its small size, it was deeply satisfying, and at 22 Euros I would say this a fair price for the abundance of truffley goodness involved.

TPG opted for the bolisto misto (boiled meats) - I had a hunch he would as soon as I saw the trolley working the room. A rather burly Italian man - who looks like he's had his fair share of the misto in his time - draws the cart to our table, pulls up a handle and a bounty of meats which have been sitting in broth are revealed. It's loaded with things like tongue, zampone (stuffed trotter), cotechino (pork sausage), guinea ham, chicken and beef. TPG points his way to a generous selection and adds blobs of pickle to his plate.  This choice seems popular with the locals and, apart from a couple of mystery meats, TPG is generally happy with it - and occasionally tries to help himself to my truffley potato bake which I guard fiercely.

We wash it all down with a bottle of Dolcetto D'Alba from nearby Piedmont. And we consequently find ourselves rather drunk by 3pm on our first day in Bologna.

We semi sober up over a vanilla gelato with chocolate sauce which we choose solely because everyone else in the room is choosing it so it must be good. It is. Delicious.

There are 2 reasons we might not go back to Diana next time. First, because there are so many great places to eat here, which are probably less likely to be found on the tourist trail. A place would need to be truly outstanding to warrant a second visit on our next trip. Second, the service - grumpy and stiff, and quite happy to ignore us at times in favour of the local, repeat business, these guys were at complete odds with the rest of the friendly, laid back population. But we were so drunk on wine and a hearty lunch, we did not feel inclined to take it too much to heart.

Our meal came to around 50 Euro per head including wine and service.

We made our booking once we arrived in Bologna and wandered past Diana which was near our hotel, however it was earlier discovered by Helen of World Foodie Guide who reviews it here.

We rolled home to our hotel room to lie flat out for a while in preparation for a much anticipated evening of apertivo and celebratory feasting with our local friends, Alessio and Raffaella. They would take us off the (hardly) beaten track and into their world of delectable Bolognese delights. Yes, you've guessed it - I'm (rather annoyingly) keeping the best 'til last.....

Ristorante Diana, Via Dell Indipendenza, 24, Bologna (Closed Mondays)


You click here for Part 1 of my Bologna investigations, including Espresso and a bombolone breakfast at Zanarini, and Part 3 Meeting up with the locals at Trattoria Gianni, followed by an endless course seafood lunch in Modena.

Bologna, Italy: Gluttonous Travels (Part 1) - Bombolone glory at Zanarini

Let's be honest. We took a cheeky weekender to Bologna because we wanted some pasta Bolognese. Of course. What I wasn't expecting was such a beautiful medieval city, booming with food lover's gold and a "gotta love it" laid back attitude to life.

Bologna is an unexpectedly enchanting terracotta maze of beautiful archways (perfect for keeping the hairdo in tact on those rainy days), 12th century brick towers (with quite a lean - who needs Pisa?) and Europe's oldest university (resulting in an appealing mix of old school Nonnas and care free, trendy youngsters like ourselves... sort of... yeah, not really). It has a massive central piazza (Piazza Maggiore, the hub of the city centre) and boasts a bounty of ornate fountains and churches aplenty (if you're so inclined). There's plenty to keep the camera clicking. According to the Wallpaper City Guide, Italians voted it Italy's best place to live in 2004.

But let's cut to the chase. We were there for the food.

If you're partial to a bowl of pasta, Bologna will not disappoint.

We arrived late on a Friday night (following a generous 2 inch bag of peanuts on our BA flight) and after checking in to the central I Portici Hotel (via Indipendenza, 69), we wandered around to soak up the sites before reclining with an Aperol Spritz at a funky bar near the university.

Our real business would begin in the morning. Espresso and breakfast. Our first true bite of Bologna would be crucial.

Espresso/breakfast: Caffe Pasticceria Zanarini (Piazza Galvani 1, Bologna)

Having read Helen's fantastic blog posts on Bologna (at World Foodie Guide), there was no option as to where we would be heading for our first Bolognese espresso and breakfast. TPG, saliva dripping from his sweet tooth, had already clapped eyes on Helen's photo of a brioche vuota (a big sugar topped brioche bun filled with custard) she had enjoyed at Caffe Pasticceria Zanarini (Piazza Galvani 1, Bologna). If nothing else was to be achieved all weekend, TPG would be getting himself one of those vuota. We passed countless other perfectly lovely looking cafes on our way - TPG marched on chin first, barely giving them a sideways glance.

We muscled our way up to the bustling cake and pastry counter and grunted and pointed our way to a bombolone for me (a custard filled Italian doughnut) and the much anticipated brioche vuota for TPG. We then payed in advance for our espressos and brioche with the smiliest counter man in all of Italy before edging in for a few centimetres of space among the locals at the espresso bar. If nothing else, this place is fabulous for immersing oneself in the local way of life with businessmen and shoppers alike. And its perfect for picking up some interesting snippets as one rubs shoulders with the local city slickers. If one can speak Italian. Which one, in this case, can't.

Our espressos were perfect, and the bombolone/brioche... Well let's just say we had 2 days in Bologna and we went back on both days. Absolutely delicious. Our entire breakfast among the chatter and clatter came to around 5 Euro. And such a lovely touch to be served up a small, freebie glass of sparkling water with your coffee at the bar. Why can't someone do this in London?

There's also plenty of sandwiches and other drool worthy tempters to keep you going at all times of day. Zanarini was one mighty fine start to our sampling of Bolognese delights. And it kept TPG eerily quiet for a blissful 10 minutes or so.

Caffe Pasticceria Zanarini, Piazza Galvani 1, Bologna

One of Bologna's many wondrous food stores - take a big suitcase

So now it's late, and Masterchef's on. So stayed tuned for our wander of the amazing foodie shops of Bologna's cobbled alleyways, a hearty lunch at the classic Ristorante Diana, and then things step up about 10 notches as we meet up with our Italian friends, and foodie guide bellissimos, Alessio and Raffaella, as they take us on a 4 course pasta dinner at a tucked away locale, and an all day, marathon lunch of countless pasta and seafood courses which ends at... 5pm. Gold.

Our amazing home grown, local Italian foodie guides!

Click here for Part 2: Bologna's Food Shops and Lunch at Ristorante Diana - a bounty of hams, cheeses, fresh pastas, tortellini in brodo and boiled meat trolleys and Part 3: Meeting up with the locals at Trattoria Gianni, followed by an endless course seafood lunch in Modena