The restaurant is part of the 4-star hotel Vittoria, an excellent base in Faenza in itself. There…read moreis an indoor space under a stunning dome, but when the weather permits seating is outside. The informal space belies the formality of the service and the dedication of the chef, which are way above the usual levels for small hotels.
I had two dinners and a lunch there, one dinner being the "chef's surprise menu", a languorous experience for both eyes and tastebuds, accompanied by some excellent wines. I could only fault the macaroons filled with goat's cheese, for being too sweet. Otherwise, the tastes were refined and sometimes surprising in their combinations. A shrimp "sashimi" in tomato water stood out, as did all fish mains.
All this was not cheap in absolute terms, but way less expensive than it would have been in Northern Europe, and the lack of pretense made the elaborate dishes an adventure rather than a parade.