Il Piastrino

Riccardo and Claudia have made their love of the land and their dedication to quality of life their raisons d’être. To the point where they retired to a spot in the middle of the mountains, far from urban civilization, to open a restaurant that, the truth be told, is quite difficult to get to. With their effort, professional capacity and very reasonable prices they attract a clientele who, bite after bite, continue to exclaim the excellence of the cuisine and the charm of the establishment, which is located in an ancient and traditional building.
Riccardo Agostini, before taking up the reins of this business project, had had a great deal of success at Il Povero Diavolo, in Torriana, and before that had worked for ten years with legendary chef Gianfranco Vissani, for whom he held the highest responsibilities. As a result, his knowledge and experience are more than vouchsafed. He is now showing the world that he knows what he wants and has the courage to go after it. His proposals, eminently Italian but in consonance with the surroundings–slightly rustic–boast the criteria and personality of the chef, not to mention sensitivity and a refined succulence not exempt from imagination and beauty, expressed with progressive notions.
The raw artichoke salad with beef sweetbreads and aromatic herbs is a dish that combines freshness with intensity, lightness with succulence, offering a great deal of satisfaction in between. The Guinea hen croquette with broad bean cream, rosemary and balsamic vinegar reaffirms the character of the house and its qualities. Such richness! The beef tartare, presented like dough coated with powdered pistachios and served with a puff pastry stuffed with melted parmesan is another formula that speaks directly to the palate, conquering it with effective simplicity. The cannelloni with kid and ricotta, together but not mixed inside the pasta, preserving the immaculate nature of each element, is served swimming in an onion soup with raw beer–a majestic construction with a magic touch. And something else that is a standard of the house: it fills the mouth with flavor without saturation. The carnaroli risotto with fried artichokes, sausage cream and tomato is another stroll through Italian idiosyncrasy, confirming the savoir-faire of the chef and his tendency towards rational flavors–not a grain of rice was left untouched. The squab was stunning, raised free-range in the region, athletic, offered char-grilled, which increases its substance as well as infusing it with aromas, the breasts were stuffed with garlic and poppy seeds, served with mashed potatoes thickened with extra virgin olive oil and a final, dazzling addition: slices of white truffle. The desserts put a fine finish to the rest of the feast. It suffices to mention the crispy connolo of tiramisu with vanilla lentil soup–the umpteenth mixture of tradition and innovation, in perfect balance.