Very warm today--after walking around in the warm humid rain all day, I wanted something ice cold with actual cubes of ice, like this pretty local cafe near the Duomo has. I was so thirtsty, I got both bottled water and a glass of ice, and a glass of fresh squeezed juice with ice cubes. My family knows the family who runs this place, and I got to practice my Italian again:). This is my second local place.
After cooling off inside at the cafe, we walked over past the Duomo, down thru the walkway galleria like area under the street level towards and into the SMN train station. After checking both online, booth and ticket machines for prices and availability, we went up to the Biglietteri (above) counter to get the sleeper train to Vienna, but not to Venice as it is still flooded with atleast 5 feet of water today still. Then we went back over to the ticket machines and got tickets to Rome. Rimini, Venice, Milan are still on my list, and might do that next week...I really want to go to Venice for a day, but not with the flooding!:( Well not five feet of water to walk through everywhere. So maybe in spring on my next visit.
Then we walked over to my 3rd local place, Ciro and Sons, to have an early supper. Fantastic place! The photos do not do it justice at all. Everyone is so friendly, and I practiced my Italian more. The seating is mostly like below, but also with pretty chairs covered in thick creamy fabric. Lots of lighting of Venetian glass...
Pretty plaster wall frescos, spectacular lighting, such as this below, and many smaller versions and many smaller more simple versions...
Champagne, water, candle lighting...later some Prosecco (an Italian sparkling wine similar to champagne, this one was very light, delicious, flavourful).
A bowl of slightly spicy black olives....
Appetizer, slices of warm toasted crusty bread, with greens, and olive oil...
I got insalata misti as one of my main courses. It was delicious!
I drizzled both the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar, then the black spicy olives over it.
Main course, hand made pasta, really pretty twisted shape that doesn´t quite come out on the photo, filled with pear and gorgonzola....again delicious, as I tried a bite. Drizzled with balsamic vinegar, and in some of the sauce. I will get this for lunch tomorrow!
I got minestrone soup, as my second main course for my first main course of the insalata misti. There was warm crusty bread on the side, which I torn into pieces, and put on top of the minestrone. Very good together!
I was still very thirsty. More water.
One dessert was this: a warm chocolate souffle which was a bit like a warm chocolate fondant, with chocolate gelato, chocolate sauce, fresh whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and cocoa. I also tried a bite of this. It was very delicious, but very rich, so that for me one tiny bite was enough. I could not eat more of this, as it was too rich for even my taste,). Again, it was was extremely good.
For my dessert, I ordered homemade tiramisu, which was spiked quite well with booze. Delicious. Perfect end to a perfect meal.....Well, I had an espresso after this, but forgot to take photo. I will get this again next time too.
Delicious tiny chocolates with the bill. Espresso flavor.
