Thursday, January 19, 2012

Garantito IGP: Red Sky at Night, A Diner's Delight


This time Carlo Macchi takes the stand.

Up until last year the entrance to Rosso di Sera, in San Feliciano, was "presided over" by a Cook/Puppet much better suited to a restaurant run by Freddy Krueger than the peaceful, welcoming people who actually owned the place. Thanks be to god that that disquieting statue, the only off note in a place where you can settle in comfortably and trust the kitchen, service, and wine list has come to the same end Dear Freddy did.

We're on the shores of Lake Trasimeno, directly overlooking the fishing port of San Feliciano, just a short distance from Passignano sul Trasimeno.

Why Rosso di Sera? Not just because the hall offers beautiful views of the sun setting over the lake, and not just because the place is open only evenings (except Sunday), not just because the small internal hall used in winter is painted red and the lights of the ample summer terrace are all red, and soft enough for evenings that... come to the proper conclusion. Indeed, all this red is there for practical reasons too; if the lights were white the place would attract millions of bugs, the same bugs that you'll see flying around the lights of the port if you're sitting enjoying the view of the lake. With the nice soft red lighting we can instead sit comfortably and check peruse the menu.

Lake cooking, obviously, deftly and lightly performed. We can begin with the lake fishballs or with tench roe, and move on to (the menu does change with the seasons) spaghetti alla chitarra with smoked tench (and a variant, in which instead of spaghetti we find ravioli stuffed with the tiny beans of the Trasimeno), or the tagliatelle with perch sauce.

Given the fairly abundant portions served it won't be easy to consume the classic "antipasto-first course-main course" tryptich, though we suggest those with robust constitutions try a modern version of tegamaccio, corregone (a white fish) fillets with greens, or more simply a nice selection of cheeses. Cholesterol aficionados can finish up with an apple tart or chocolate cake.

When you order you will also be given the wine list. We suggest your glance be more than cursory, because it includes selections that are well pondered, with an emphasis on biodynamic wines. A few names, almost all sure-fire, a mix of Umbrian, Italian, and foreign that won't set your wallet back. When you're done the bill won't be more than 35 Euros per person, not including wine. An entirely acceptable charge for a "Red Right" dinner.

Rosso di sera
Via Fratelli Papini 79
San Feliciano (PG)
Tel.0758476277
Closed Tuesdays
Open Evenings, except Sundays


Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi

No comments: