Experience Tuscany

While touring the southern part of Tuscany a couple of days ago I was invited to join a group of friends that were going to Montepulciano for a day trip. I could not join them until dinner, when they decided to go to eat at “La Briciola” restaurant in the historic center of the town.
I must say that finding it was not easy, as the restaurant is located in a side alley, hidden after a curve and an arch. I managed to find it and entered in the recently renovated room. It has a nice feel, although tables could be a little wider as my legs and those of the mate facing me were always kicking each other. Fortunately she didn’t have boots!
The menu was pretty furbished, so I ordered the Pici pasta with tomato sauce, the fiorentina steak and half bottle of nobile di Montepulciano. Others got pizzas, ribollita soup and side dishes like spinach and al-fiasco beans and aged cheese. I must say that I was waiting more satisfaction.
When the firt courses arrived the Ribollita did not seem as such. I had a taste and it was pleasant but it was not Ribollita by any means, however I did not say this to my friend as I would have spoilt the dish for him. The pizzas where good, although too light on cheese, and my steak was tender and juicy, although definitely small for the price. The wine was nice after having left it breathe some oxygen. The al-fiasco beans were definitely not great, but the spinach dish was good. The pici pasta was well cooked but too heavy on garlic and way too salty. The bread was pretty good, typically Tuscan. The aged cheese arrived served with honey on a small wood chopping block. The honey was in a breakfast single-serving, plastic little cup, and the cheese appeared disorderly sparse on the wood chopping block. The cheese choice was average. Just two kinds of cheese and the quantity was definitely not worth 13 euros.
We wanted to go ahead and get desserts, but then we decided not to as there was an ice cream place nearby that would close at 11 PM, so everybody opted for that. So I would not know how the desserts are at “La Briciola” but I guess just average like everything else.
All in all the place is quite above average price-wise, but the quality does not match the appearance and prices. It is not bad, but for the same price I’d want to go some place better.

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