First off, Im proud to say I must be absorbing the city, cuz several times now strangers have said, scusi, Italiano?
Up and out at 815am for breakfast, this time at Bar Burreria Mercanzia with a view of the Piazza della Mercanzia. Today I’m meeting Winema one of the USK Bologna admins. Lovely person and accomplished Sketcher, we checked out Santo Stefano, Arca di San Domenico, then she dropped me at Mercato di Mezzo on her way back to the train station. She knows Stephanie (“the goddess”) well and met up with her in Toulouse!
Mortadella sandwich on fried puffy bread (look up name). Delicious but mortadella is very rich. Winema asked me what my favorite food in Italy is and I responded with 15 min of food memories. Pick a favorite?? Alora! And Mezzo was a great location to catch up on Insta and blog. I probably spend 1.5-2 hr per day recording my trip. I really blog for me. I just don’t want to lose any memories.
While sketching this Ducati, I observed no 90 degree angles and no straight lines. This machine is truly sculpted and it looks good from all angles and all zoom levels. And where else can you put that wing but in the front??
Well…too much art to finish and there was a table at Bar Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Maggiore, which came highly recommended, so instead I spent the afternoon amusing my neighbors by painting at the table. It does look like the most touristy bar ever and it’s full of frustrated tourists trying to get the attention of the single waiter. But I observed that he knows who needs help and will eventually get around to you. Meanwhile, enjoy the rhythm of Italian life and observe the theater of the Piazza stage!
Today was a special day for me so where else to celebrate than at the best restaurant in town and personally recommended to me by the hotel – Donatello.
This is what I call the anticipation shot. Wine is here, just waiting for the first course. They told the next table they only have Sangiovese by the glass. I was resigned to buying the half bottle of Lambrusco (only 9e) but he said of course, Lambrusco by the glass.
Finally, a chance to try the classic Tortellini in Brodo, in broth, but a rich and chickeny broth, and the addition of Parmesan so critical that both waiters made sure I got some immediately. Deceptively simple, but insanely delicious, this is the Hainanese Chicken Rice of Italian cuisine. The tortellini are to be made so small that 5 will fit in a spoon. Voila.
I usually don’t order primi AND secondi as there are too many delights for appertivo and dolce, and I also can’t eat like I used to. But how can I pass up carpaccio, here? It’s light, right? Overflowing with greens and about twice as much parmesan than strictly necessary, and with fresh squeezed lemon…and with the Lambrusco… Very, very harmonious pairing. I read somewhere that Italians believe that the local foods eaten together will naturally be the most delicious combination. I can only agree.
The waiter brought the dessert menu but as soon as it hit the table I just tapped it and said, Tiramasu please. I now officially take back everything I said about the Tiramasu at R. Zoello in Settecani. THIS is the best. The cream is rich but not unctuous (like a bad eclair). I ate an embarrassingly large amount of this.
About US$63 and no tip needed but I gave him 10e, I just couldn’t help myself. The service was so attentive and professional. In LA for this quality, this would have been at least double the price.
My prescription for myself for 2027 – more travel.
Just read an article about how summer 2027 is gonna be brutal due to this epic El Nino…
