The presentation of the Tuscan dishes offered at Osteria Permalico, located on a steep hilly street…read morein Siena, was truly a step above, and the dark, romantic atmosphere and friendly service made this an even more memorable dining experience! My favorite dish by far was the ricotta gnocchi with hazelnut pesto, topped with a dried tomato paste. The gnocchi dumplings were unlike any other gnocchi I've had before--they were cut into a rectangular (rather than round) shape, and the pieces of dough were so soft, pillowy, and tender. But the best part was definitely the creamy, earthy hazelnut pesto, which was balanced out by the acidity of the dried tomato paste on top! Next, we had the Tonno del Chianti, which means "tuna of Chianti," but the dish was actually made of pulled pork in a marinade of sage oil and rosemary, and served at room temperature. Interestingly, the slightly chewy, fatty strips of pork looked a lot like pieces of canned tuna--hence the name of the dish! Finally, we had the beef meatballs served with an oregano-flavored mayonnaise. The deep-fried meatballs had a crispy texture and meaty flavor, and paired nicely with the unctuous, herbaceous mayo that was artistically smeared onto the plate. Overall, this was a fantastic restaurant with fine dining-level presentation, but I simply could not believe the amazingly low prices for all the different dishes!
