Last night, we had one of the the top 10 restaurant meals of our lives. This morning, I'm reflecting on why.
This place had no "stars". It's not in any guidebooks. The setting was unlikely...the ground floor was a neighborhood bar. Definitely NOT fancy. The locals were hanging out, outdoors on the cobblestone street if they were smoking, inside if the temperatures were a bit too brisk. The dining room was upstairs. Pretty, spotless, but definitely not fancy.
There were no tuxedoed waiters or rows of silverware. No fancy China. The service was by the owner, who miraculously flew from table to table. He was fast but never felt rushed. There were no menus. He charmingly explained 6 starters and 7 mains. The only problem was deciding....each and every option sounded incredible. Wine service was equally casual, but lovely. He deposited multiple bottles on our table and instructed us to "test". We did. All great, and we made a selection. After all that, he brought a different bottle. "You'll like this more." He was right!
The food came quickly and it was amazing. Fresh, locally sourced, and absolutely delicious. No fancy presentations, no edible flowers, no frou-frou. We barely were able to finish (but we put our minds to it, and did). I have no idea about dessert...we simply couldn't.
We felt like we'd made a new friend and had dinner in his home. He cared deeply about the enjoyment of every guest. He was passionate and loved every minute of serving us. And that's why it made our top ten.
If you find yourself within 50 miles of Il Barrino, in Montisi, it's not to be missed. read more