Grom Gelateria

Grom is probably the best gelato I've ever had. All the ingredients are organic and seasonal. In true gelateria fashion, each gelato has a unique recipe rather than one base with different flavors added. I'm going to try every flavor I can before they change. For my first cup, I got crema di grom (their signature, cream and chocolate bits and broken Florentine cookies) and cioccolato extranoir (extra-dark chocolate, a sherbet but so rich you'd never guess).

This company has one shop outside Italy. Any New Yorkers are in luck!

Via del Campanile
angolo via delle Oche
Florence, Italy, 50122
Tel. 055.216158
http://www.grom.it

Noe Antico

Noe Antico, for lack of a better phrase, is the carryout counter of Osteria Antico. They’re connected through the kitchen. A true sign of any place formidable in its specialty, only one thing is served: Paninis. There are 21 kinds, with the price for each ranging from 3 Euro to 4.50. ($4.50 to $6.75.)

I got a numero quattordici, which is salame piccante, melanzane, e pecorino. (Spicy salami, eggplant, and pecorino cheese.) It was great. It’s so funny how here, the meats are so strong in flavor that they only put a light amount while stateside sandwich-makers like to load as much meat as possible into a sandwich.


I’m not saying either is better, just different. They were heavy on the cheese though, which is fine with me. The eggplant didn’t stand out at all, but it was nice to just know it was in there. It’s near my house. I’m going back and plan to eventually try all 21.

Volta di San Piero, 6 Rosso
Firenze, Italia 50122

Trattoria Tirovino, redux

So it looks like this trattoria is the first (and in the foreseeable future, only) restaurant that's getting back-to-back reviews. I've eaten other places since but nowhere noteworthy enough to write about. Regardless, yes, it is that good. And now The Girls Next Block can back me up on that opinion.

This was the first meal out that no one had any complaints about.

The owner and same waitress were there, and I think they're on to the fact that I live so very nearby, within yelling distance even. They're so friendly and even talked with the girls and me a couple of times through the evening.

But on to food, this time for a primo, Alison and I split a big bowl of ribollita, a Tuscan soup that is very rustic. It's traditionally made of leftover vegetables and leftover bread. It's very hearty and filling and perfect for winter.

For my secundo, I turned to my trusty waitress again. She asked if I liked "picante," and I assured her I did. She brought me some peposo, a peppery beef stew originating from a small town near Florence. But it was entirely beef and spices and wine. They had apparently strained or crushed all the vegetables, which was fine with me. I tasted garlic, onion, and maybe a little celery and tomato. Great for any meat lover.

All the girls liked their food too. Of course we all enjoyed the olives, bread, and Prosecco. But I saw and got to taste some very appetizing things: Ravioli with ragu, spaghetti, pork stuffed with cheese and artichokes, and a seafood plate loaded with mussels, clams, scampi, and swordfish. And they had a truly amazing tiramisu. Not even comparable to the best kind you find in the states. Incredible.

Via Ghibellina, 70 Rosso
Firenze, Italia 50122
055.2638940
http://www.tirovino.com

Trattoria Tirovino

This wonderful place is closer to my apartment than our trash can. Seriously. And I’m so glad / my wallet is so upset. Henk had told me some older students he knew recommended it. I knew I liked it when I saw on the front door, amongst credit card and rater stickers, a Vespa-sized bumper sticker that said “Life is too short for bad wine.”

When I sat down, I was immediately greeted with bread, olive oil, fresh olives, and a glass of Prosecco. (Champagne:France, Cava:Spain, Prosecco:Italy.) I am picky with olives but only because I have been forever spoiled by tasting true Mediterranean olives. These were the good kind. And they gave me the menu too. It's printed but is definitely a menu someone took great care to write entirely by hand, adding to the trattoria feeling.

I asked my waitress to suggest an antipasto (appetizer) for me. Her favorite was a savory vegetable flan covered with a creamy cheese sauce. It was great. Filling but surprisingly delicate in taste.

For my entrée, I got Trippa alla Fiorentina. I’d been hearing all about Florentine tripe and how it’s so popular here for both fine dishes and quick sandwiches. Completely correct. Don’t knock it until you try it. When properly prepared, tripe has a consistency like well-cooked squid (fork tender with a little bit of pleasant chew) and a beefy taste. This one was served in a tomato-based sauce along with a small dish of grated Parmesan to sprinkle. The saltiness and nuttiness of the Parmesan really complemented the pepper and cream in the sauce.

My only regret was that I didn’t order a lighter contorno (side dish) to balance out the entrée. But then again, I wouldn’t have finished either. Not that the dish was a huge serving, just that it was so rich.

Via Ghibellina, 70 Rosso
Firenze, Italia 50122
055.2638940
http://www.tirovino.com

Kome

Kome is a kaiten sushi restaurant, with a “barbeque” (hibachi?) room upstairs and a for-rent party room in the basement. Kaiten is currently the most popular way of eating sushi in Japan and is gaining popularity in the rest of the world. It’s a Japanese “rolling maneuver” in martial arts, but as far as sushi goes, it’s a conveyor belt that chefs put dishes on for customers to take at their leisure.

Anyway, I was completely right. Japanese food is expensive (dare I say overpriced?) in this city. But it’s still delicious of course. My friend Jess and I had a craving, so we settled on Kome, which is relatively new and price-wise a compromise between the cheaper (yet still expensive) restaurant on my street and the even more elegant (super expensive) restaurant across the river.

Lucky for us and our friends, Kome has a lunch special that is 14.90∈ for six plates of your choice. (They have eight plates of different colors corresponding to different prices.) It was still a bit pricey, considering the sushi is either two nigiri or three maki (rolls), but the six plates separately cost about 23∈. Not all the plates are sushi. There is a selection of things like plain rice, miso soup, salad, and shrimp or vegetable tempura. There is also an option for dessert, be it green tea gelato or more Western items.

Unsurprisingly, I got miso soup, and five different sushi plates that involved avocado and/or salmon. But hey, at least I got what I wanted.

Via Dei Benci 41/R
Firenze
055.2008009
http://www.komefirenze.it

Gelateria dei Neri

Gelateria dei Neri is open later than most of the other gelaterias, which is convenient for night owls like me and my friends. We've gone there a few times and every flavor I've tried so far has been quite good. (Gelato is, collectively, the best ice cream in the world. Other countries have specific ice creams that are better, but as a whole, Italy wins in my opinion.) My current favorite is the Nutella flavor. Typical I know but chocolate, hazelnuts, cold, creamy... What's not to like? The gelateria is also currently promoting a 50% off special on take-home cartons on Tuesdays and Fridays. These are made to order and I believe can be a combination of one to three flavors of your choice. I would buy it myself, but I feel like it wouldn't make it past me to my freezer.

Via Dei Neri 20/22r
Firenze, Toscana 50122 Italy
055.210.034

I Ghibellini

This place is dangerously a few blocks away from my house but luckily the prices aren’t bad. Henk, ‘Seppe, and I split a bottle of red wine while deciding what to order. Liane and we ended up ordering six pastas to share.

1. Risotto – The rice was pretty much perfect but the wine wasn’t cooked through enough so it tasted a bit too strong.
2. Lasagne – Good. Authentic. Enough said.
3. “Fat” spaghetti. Thicker than the regular kind and in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, and pancetta. What’s not to love?
4. Wild boar pasta – Sorry, I don’t remember the name. It’s like linguini but almost an inch wide. Very hearty. And boar is leaner but tastier than regular pork.
5. Spaghetti – This was Liane’s pick. The shrimp was nothing to write home about, but the clams, squid, and mussels were excellent. Same with the sauce and pasta. It also had a nice kick to it. Not quite arriabata, but much more than marinara and seafood broth.
6. Four-cheese tortellini with truffle cream sauce – By far everyone’s favorite. The tortellini were about three inches in diameter. The cheeses all melted and gushed out when you cut in, and they were generous with the truffles. One of the best pastas I’ve ever had.

Piazza S.P. Maggiore, 8/9/10
Florence, Italy 50122
(+39) 055 21.44.24