I really enjoyed travelling around the globe for Angelo Gaja. But it was in the Langhe hills around Alba, where I spent the most beautiful evenings. I used to stay in a little house in Barbaresco, the romantic village with only 683 inhabitants. Every year I had at least 60 lunches or dinners in the ristoranti, trattorie or osterie of Italy's richest culinary region.
A classic Piedmontese menu consists of 3-6 Antipasti (cold starters like Vitello Tonnato/veal with tuna-sauce, Carne Cruda/raw hand cut beef, Salumi/cold cuts, Insalata Russa/ salad of vegetables, tuna and mayonnaise ecc.). The highlight, however is the pasta: Tajarìn, the legendary handcut Tagliolini with at least 8 egg yolks per pound of flour; or Agnolotti del plin, the finest ravioli under the sun with different fillings. At this point of a lunch or dinner you are usually full, but then comes the "secondo", the main course. They often recommend you the Brasato al Barolo/beef braised in Barolo. This can be too heavy, so I always prefer something finer like Capretto/baby goat, Faraona/guinea fowl or just a Steak medium rare of the Fassone Piemontese, the finest beef in Italy together with the Tuscany's Chianina. There is a wonderfully rich cheese culture in Piedmont, and we often finished our powerful Nebbiolo wines with a cheese plate of Robbiola, Tuma, Bra, Raschera, Taleggio ecc. My preferred desserts are Torta di Noccioli/hazelnut cake with a Zabaglione al Moscato.
Here are my personal favourite places by category (updated in fall 2008):
OLD FASHIONED IN THE BEST SENSE
Trattoria della Schiavenza (Serralunga) – Great view from the terrace, the art of simplicity
Antica Torre (Barbaresco) – excellent pasta (Tajarin, Agnolotti), rather basic winelist
Trattoria della Posta da Camulin – (Cossano Belbo) – genuine food, good value, a family place
I Bologna (Rocchetta Tanaro) – Raffaella "Barbera" Bologna's aunt makes the best ravioli
YOUNG TRATTORIAS WITH GOOD WINELISTS
Osteria dell'Arco (Alba) – delicate, genuine food, good winelist, fair prices (Slow Food)
Osteria Veglio (La Morra) – very nice ambiance, good food & wines, young team
Osteria Lalibera (Alba) – relaxed osteria, fine local food, nice winelist, very good value
Enoclub (Alba) – very good service, nice food, good winelist, in a cosy brick-cellar
TOP 10 BY CREATIVE CUISINE
Piazza Duomo (Alba) -Gualtiero Marchesi's best pupil Enrico Crippa is probably Italy's best young chef: His cuisine is creative and light, even after 10 courses, hype yet sobre interior
Il Cascinalenuovo (Isola d'Asti) – very good modern piedmontese, top winelist & service
Antinè (Barbaresco) – elegant star-rated regional cuisine, top-value, huge Barbaresco selection
All'Enoteca (Canale) – reasonably creative cuisine, very good winelist & service
Tornavento (Treiso) – inventive cuisine, super winelist and a spectacular panorama window
Borgo Antico (Barolo) – in a "postmodern" winery, elegant tables, excellent cooking
Da Renzo (Cervere) – star-rated trattoria, specialities: frogs, snails, piedmontese beef
Locanda del Pilone (Madonna di Como/Alba) – very creative chef, a nice place in the hills
Guido (Pollenzo) – a big name in Langhe cooking, in the setting of the Culinary University
Al Centro (Priocca) – classic fine cuisine, elegantly served, a bit formal, try Roero wines here
THE ONE AND ONLY MOVES
Cesare – a "must" for every Langhe visitor: start with the creative salad of the season. For main course the special is capretto/baby goat from the open fire grill. But attention: Cesare is completely crazy! From January 2009 he cooks at the Fontanafredda Estate.
BEST WINELISTS
Tornavento (Treiso) – The N°1 winelist in the area – spectacular collection
Bovio (La Morra) – Ex-Belvedere owners open beautiful new place with top-winelist
Gener Neuv (Asti) – Superb old vintages and Riedel Sommelier Grand Cru glasses
Osteria dell'Arco (Alba) – Very interesting values of less known producers
BUSINESS HOTELS ALBA
Albas accommodation is not rather romantic. But some people nevertheless prefer staying in town where they can at least find a drink after dinner. At least the newly reopened Palazzo Finati can offer some "cosyness".
Palazzo Finati (centre) – Boutique hotel next to (Fracchia & Berchialla's wineshop
I Castelli (1/2 mile from centre) – With car-park and 4 star comfort, but not really charming
Motel Alba (1,5 miles from centre)- Newly renovated, pool, parking, in the industrial zone
Hotel Savona (centre) – Best position in the centre, a bit old fashioned and noisy yet
Langhe (1 mile from centre) – Relatively quiet position, rooms rather modern
BEST HOTELS
The nicest hotels are situated in the hills around Alba. The first four have a pool, which is not a bad thing in the sometimes extremely hot season from june to september.
Relais San Maurizio (Santo Stefano Belbo) – in an ex-monastery on a hill, good restaurant
Castello di Villa (Isola d'Asti) – swiss-managed wonderful castle, perfectly renovated
Villa Beccaris (Monforte d'Alba) – wonderful position, different room categories, quiet
Villa Tiboldi (Canale) – fine little hotel on a hill in the vineyards, nice restaurant
Corte Gondina (La Morra) – a beautiful villa, cosy four-poster beds, view of the Barolo-zone
Locanda del Pilone (Alba) – a luxury agri-turismo 5 km out of Alba, star-rated restaurant
Le Case della Saracca (Monforte) – spectacular "cells" of modern design in a medieval row of houses
AGRITURISMI
Wine professionals, who love to spend more on food and wine, often prefer simpler places but they want a clean room with efficient bathrooms and good beds.
Cascina Barac (San Rocco Seno d'Elvio) – a winery with comfortable rooms in quiet position
Casa Nicolini (Trestelle/Barbaresco) – very nice, air-conditioned rooms, good food available
Cascina delle Rose (Trestelle/Barbaresco) – cosy agriturismo in the Barbaresco hills
Le Torri (Castiglione Falletto) – family-run hotel with a good traditional restaurant
Grappolo d'Oro (Monforte) – central hotel with nice, inexpensive meals (good for groups)
Villa La Meridiana (1 mile from Alba)- fine "liberty" villa in the vineyards above Alba
