I depend on Yelp reviews to help me make a better decision. I realize there were only eight and…read moresome from a long time ago, Sadly, I found the food to be very disappointing. Perhaps it was just the kind of food and other people would like it. We had the vegetable salad, which was apparently grilled vegetables in a mayonnaise base. It reminded me of egg salad. We had the mushroom risotto, which was actually pretty good, but I had it a few nights earlier, at another restaurant where I thought it was exceptional. Finally, we had the braised beef in a Barolo wine sauce. Sorry, not good at all. We had the cheese tray, which was delightful. We had the best bottle of wine I've ever had. The service was fabulous. Our server was so kind and had everything split for us. I really wanted to like the food and maybe it was just a bad night. I thought the ambience in the front of the restaurant was more Italian authentic. The back was a little more eclectic but still nice. My favorite part was a bottle of wine that our server recommended and the complementary appetizer they gave us. The cheese selection was great. If I lived in the area, I would definitely come back and try them again because I think they just had a bad night.

Okay we have not been here since 2009, well before I was Yelping! Here is what I wrote on my blog…read moreback then: A few weeks ago we were in Barolo, Italy and enjoyed a fabulous meal at a restaurant called La Cantinetta. The food was great and the service fun and relaxed. Here are a few photos from that evening. We ordered the antipasti tasting which happened to be five courses of starters. We expected a lot of local cured meats and pickled veggies - we were very pleasantly surprised that was not the case! The first course or amuse bouche was a very thin slice of local salami and small blini sized frittata of greens - crispy on the outside yet tender and with great flavor. We didn't think to photograph the dishes until the next course arrived - a rabbit mousse with caramelized red onions and toasted brioche. OMG! Heavenly, and for those of you squeemish about rabbit just think of it as a chicken with fur. It was amazing - creamy, savory, sweet and crunchy! he next course was delicious vitello tonnato. Have always shied away from this dish thinking it was too strange a pairing. Well I was wrong. A tender, perfectly roasted slice of veal with a tuna and caper sauce. We had to have seconds, hence the dirty plate in the picture! That was followed by a famous raviolo filled with verdura (chopped mixed greens), a soft egg yolk and topped with Parmigiano Reggiano and browned butter. Amazing that such simple and pure flavors could be so response provoking. The mmm's and oh my's kept flying out of our mouths as we devoured this delicacy. To bring it to the next level they offered a crispy asparagus tart with a fonduta sauce. It's hard to describe how perfectly crisp and yet light the pastry shell was on this dish. The cheesy sauce was a perfect smooth and silky accompaniment to the crisp and tender asparagus in the tart. To amaze one even further a dish of spinach gnocci with gorgonzola sauce was beyond description. Surely we will never have gnocci this light and tender without it being at all wet as most gnocci tend to be. We had braced ourselves for knock your head off gorgonzola flavor only to find that the chef used a slight hand with such a potentially overwhelming cheese. A dish / the local classic - ravioli al plin - were tasty but woefully inadequte next to that masterpiece of spinach gnocci. Regardless of the tastier dish on the table, all the ravioli al plin were consumed! We had no room for dessert and missed what appeared to be a delicious mixed berry tart that we saw them shaping in the pan just as we were arriving. We can't wait to return to the area in the future and experience another wonderful meal here.

Gemma re-established the traditional Piedmontese menu. She draws from a regional if not national…read morecrowd who appreciate the exquisite attention to detail in every dish. Classic Italian. Only three ingredients in each dish but each ingredient is perfect. Come hungry. You will be full after the appetizers.

Gemma is the owner of this restaurant! She is the best! She personally cooks everything and…read moreeverything. Here you can try the tipical Piedmontese cuisine. Location is really nice. Roddino is in Langhe and from the balcony of the restaurant you have an amazing view on all the surrounding area. I totally recommend this place for two main reason: first the possibility to meet Gemma and second for eating her cuisine as awesome as the cooker.

I am a Director of an upscale travel agency, I have traveled extensively since the age of 12, and I…read moreconsider myself a demanding consumer. And yet I don't think I can add to the countless 5-star reviews that the extraordinary Denise and her exceptional staff have earned at this renovated castle. The renovation retained all the ambience of a 900-year-old castle while adding the amenities essential to a luxurious stay. However, it is the services that make the difference here. The daily itinerary is carefully planned by people who know the wineries, restaurants, and experiences like cooking classes intimately. And everyone is courteous, happy, and well trained, carefully attending to every detail of the property and services. Yet most mind-blowing is the dinner. For whatever reason, the restaurant doesn't get the one or likely two Michelin stars that I know it deserves. The menu is based on regional ingredients but uses Denise's expertise and creativity that I couldn't find at any of the many other tradition-bound restaurants we tried while in Barolo and its neighbors. I have read several reviews that rate a dinner at the Costello the best of their entire trip to Italy. So stop reading. Make your reservations!

We found this gem online while looking for a place to stay during a 4-day visit to Piemonte for…read morewine tasting. Located in the tiny residential village of Sinio its a little island by itself up on a breezy hilltop. Since this is a restored castle dating from the 12th century the stone walls are thick and windows are tiny to keep out medieval marauders and the rooms are all unique. We stayed in room 7 on the 1st (2nd the way we count) floor at the end of the hall featuring a large bedroom and sitting area that was a few steps below the hallway. It also had two small twin beds in a loft above so this room would be a good choice for family groups. The staff opened the wrought iron gate and greeted us at the top of the drive along with the owner. While the owner, Denise (who is American) checked us in and provided an extensive orientation while we sipped prosecco, the luggage was taken off to our room. One of the features of the property is an immaculately landscaped courtyard bespectacled with colorful blooms-an oasis of tranquility and beauty in an otherwise unremarkable village. The hotel also has an amazing restaurant open only to guests and we opted to try it our first night-oh my God! It turns out Denise is also the executive chef-perhaps her primary love-and we enjoyed a memorable 2-hour meal seated in the open-air Terrace tasting exquisite delights. We started by sharing the "into the garden pasta"-handmade ravioli artfully displayed with bits of shaved garden vegetables and herbs followed by a most delicious sole perfectly crispy on the edges and succulent with al dente vegetables and a beautiful sauce of lemon and passion fruit. Words just cannot describe how good this restaurant's food was. In fact, the dining is reason enough alone to stay here for anyone who enjoys the culinary experience of a master chef. We followed the meal with a decadent chocolate and cherry mouse cake that was the perfect finale to a beautiful evening. All in all a nice place to stay Positives: -great staff -unique, comfortable and quiet rooms with great AC -great restaurant - fantastic dinner Challenges: -tiny shower in our room (loft suite)-size of old time phone booth -breakfast NOT included and at 14€ per person per day it adds up -onerous cancellation policy (perhaps they've had an issue once people arrive to this small isolated town) -location a bit off the beaten path and very few other places to eat in tiny village-one pizzeria nearby that was nice

Excellent small restaurant ambiance, great authentic food and superior service despite being busy…read moreevery night.

Our hotel owner recommended this place to us on a Monday saying it was good, local food. They…read moreopened at 7:30 and we arrived at 7:15 on a raining evening. The door was open and we poked our heads in to ask if they had any open reservations. The owner told us to come in and stay, that they were pretty busy with reservations but he had a couple seats open and with the weather we shouldn't go back out. He wasn't wrong, by 7:40 the place was basically full. A couple of individuals wandered in and he did his best to create a communal table to serve them. When we arrived one waiter was still hand writing the menus for the day and the owner was busy readying the wine selection. They brought us a menu, the waiter spoke English and was able to describe the 10 things on the rough menu. When we asked if they had rabbit he jokingly remarked 'no, none were running around the place today'. We opted for a 1/2 bottle of barolo, a portion of tajarin ragú (spaghetti with meat sauce), Milanese and brasato (traditional stewed veal). As per norm plenty of bread was served. The entrees came with sautéed vegetables. The brasato was good, meat was soft and flavorful and sitting at this long, wooden, communal table I could completely envision eating this as a traditional dish. The tajarin was perfect for my taste. It was not sauce heavy so if you prefer a meat sauce like that this is not for you. I loved how the homemade spaghetti and the meat really stood out with a very small amount of sauce to bind the two. The Milanese was great. Pounded thin and pan fried in butter, the flavor was tremendous. Living in Italy could really make me like veal! We did not get dessert but the waiter brought us some local appertif to try. It was very sweet but with bitters, an interesting mix. People watching in this place was great. I got a lot of amusement out of it and it was just the sort of place I was looking for in Italy. A place where people gather, are loud, laugh and enjoy home cooked food without frills.

My absolute favorite restaurant in all of the Langhe. The white table clothes, the impeccable…read moreservice, the amazing wine list and the FOOD!!!! Its a perfect storm of awesomeness!!!! Our last two times here we got the table in front of the fireplace given we were here in November and December respectively, its the perfect location! We started with an amuse of prosciutto and fried bread - the perfect amount to whet your appetite. On the advice of the sommelier, we chose a 2013 Bruno Giacosa Barolo which was fabulous. The wine list features wine from the immediate area only - Monforte and Serralunga which is really a nice touch. What grows together, goes together. Our antipasti were the baked onion (a staple of piemontese cooking) and well as another staple - carne cruda with white truffle of course! My husband had a primi... a trio of pastas. gnocchi, tajarin, and plin - all, of course, with white truffles. Absolutely amazing! For secondi, my husband had the stinco, and I had the veal tagliata with porcini mushrooms. Of course we got the bonet for dessert - another quintessential Piemontese dish. The entire experience here is so amazing, you cannot skip it when here. If you are going to Langhe, make a reservation here!

Be prepared to spend 3.5 hours The onion hors d'oouves, the agnolotti pasta and the deep fried…read morelamb chops were unique and wonderful wine is regional with limited selection Gorgeous grounds pleasant service My just married granddaughter's favorite in Monforte D'ALBA

I enjoyed the food at this casual eatery. I was craving some raw food and really liked their…read moresalad. Pasta, of course, is good too.

As mentioned in the previous review, Grappolo D'Oro is a family run coffee shop, restaurant and…read morehotel in the center of Monforte d'Alba. You can't miss it, it's in the middle of the central piazza. Two brothers, they look like twins, are at the front either greeting in the restaurant upstairs in the coffee shop downstairs. Their mother is a regular fixture in the coffee shop too. The Coffee Shop- It's always busy and a great spot to catch up with locals. The coffee is pretty darned good too! Morning pastries and fresh bread is quite limited though. The Restaurant- Located on the top floor, it's a spacious and classic spot serving up a super traditional Piemontese menu. An insalata mista and grilled veal made for a light lunch. The veal, however, was quite tough and chewy, so it wasn't the best I've had in the area. I'll be returning to Monforte to get married, I'll be sure to grab my morning cappuccino there! And yes, English is spoken there for those that need it.

I'm giving this place a 5 star because the pasta was made in the house. The shrimps were extremely…read morefresh. The pasta was not too oily and / or too salty and not loaded with sauce. The pasta alla Genovese was aromatic and tasted superb! We also ordered fish of the day ( Fresh Baked seabass with potatoes , olives and pinioli) it was full of flavors, served on its own broth! This is my kind of place to go to, where the locals eat , and everything gets prepared after you order. And the big plus is we got the best server Diana!

Went here for dinner last night and loved it :-)) it's a bit tricky to find this place however,…read moreonce you get there it's a really nice local place with, menus that have English descriptions if needed and, staff that can manage ok English and willing to explain in the best way possible the menu. Their food is typical Ligurian style with local classics and lots of options for pasta, fish and meat. I wanted good seafood so, I ordered the local fish stewed in a tomato gravy with olives. This is a huge dish and takes about 30 mins to prepare and, enough for two people to share :-)) at €17 for this main, it's the best fish I have had in a long time. It's a dish made with mussels, prawns, scampi, sardines, cod and couple of other local fish I don't know the names of. Caution : if you don't like bones then don't order this dish ;-)) I even ate the prawns in their shell as it was a thin edible shell. Many people don't like this but, this type of prawn should be eaten whole without peeling :-))) For dessert I had a fabulous milk based cake with a strawberry jus. All in all a fabulous meal and the place was packed outside with no tables free for the evening. Prices are very reasonable and I would have paid almost twice that for the same food in France or Germany :-) If you want good local Genoa cooking with some decent local wines then check this place out. For service and friendliness it gets 5 stars :-))

We were in Sanremo for the day and wandered into this cute restaurant. Best decision ever. The…read moreweather was gorgeous so we sat outside. The thing with alfresco dining in Europe, is that 99% of the time you will be among smokers. When you are a non-smoker and are trying to enjoy your meal, this can be really annoying. We arrived around 15:00 and the place was empty, so we had the outside area all to ourselves. For about 15 minutes. We, of course, were blessed by a chain smoker. No lie, she had a cigarette in her left hand and her fork in her right. And she would kindly turn her head and blow her smoke in our direction. I digress. Our server was super friendly and patient with my so-so Italian. They bring out a huge bread basket & olives to start. We each ordered the 20€ lunch menu. Pasta, dessert & wine. I had the Lasagna & my husband had the Trofie with pesto. The lasagna was delicious. It was served different than what we are used to, sort of cut up, but it was easier to eat this way. My husband's pasta was very good as well. For dessert we both ordered the house made Tiramisu which was absolutely delish as well. Then after we had inhaled our desserts, the came out with a plate of candies, truffles and yummy dark chocolate drops. We pretty much rolled ourselves out of there. An all around excellent meal with great service. We look forward to visiting Sanremo again and will definitely return to Vela d'Oro.

It is our first day in Sanremo and we randomly walked by and stopped in for dinner.. and I am so…read morehappy we did. If I could give this Italian Restuarent 6 stars I would. We sat outside and we're helped right away. We started with a salad and delicious baked bread with olive oil and balsamic my favorite! I ordered the lasagna and my hubby ordered the pasta with garlic and oil. Both were incredible. Like absolutely outstanding. Best lasagna I have EVER had I almost ate the entire thing. I had to stop myself. It was incredible I'm still dreaming of it. After our meal they gave us a complementary little desert bite which too was out of this world. 5 stars and not to mention so reasonable. We might even stop here again! If your in Sanremo you have to go here!!

Antica Torre is a small intimate Italian Trattatoria restaurant located at the foot of the…read moreBarbaresco Tower in Barbaresco, Italy, one block from Gaya. The kitchen is run by the owner who serves the dishes herself along side her staff; she makes the best Angolotti del plin in the Region, as well as delicious beef tartar, vitello tonnato, and tarajin pasta in a ragu. Of course you can find all the great wines of the Piedmont Region on the wine list. You will not find many tourists here; mostly locals. This is a restaurant not to be missed. Reservations required. Highly recommended.

"Mystic Kingdoms of Wine - Antica Torre, Barbaresco"…read more I use the Mystic Kingdoms of Wine term to refer to places that combine wine production facilities with first class hotel and restaurant. Although this is not strictly the case of Antica Torre, it is located one block from the Gaja winery and is sorrounded by the Barbaresco vineyard hills. Great local wine selection, very good food an service, nice atmosphere.

The most incredible meal of my life. Flavors that cannot be described, only can be enjoyed…read more Tremendous value as well. Service was also amazing.

What do you say about a restaurant that has no menu and no options? A place where you walk in, pay…read morea fixed price, and get whatever they happen to bring to your table? Intriguing? Unique? ... AMAZING! This place apparently has had the same progression of courses since the day they opened, with no variation. Everything from the amazing pasta, to the fantastic Brasato. Every course we had was better than the last, so I guess they got a working formula and just stuck with it. The location is just as fantastic as the food. Huge floor to ceiling windows, surrounded by vineyards... a view to die for.