Bread: Amazing homemade bread and breadsticks (which had a wonderful, slight sweetness). The olive oil was also fantastic! This was just shy of some of the best bread course I’ve ever had!
Amuse-Bouche: First was a crunchy semolina ball with a tuna salad filling. I’m not a fan of tuna/fish salad, but this was very good. The mushroom and black truffle tartlet was similarly good, but could have used a tiny bit of acidity. The puffed cracker with local ham was perfect, with a touch of seasoning and the perfect amount of saltiness and acidity!
Pasta Stuffed with Boar Ragù: A spectacular dish! The pasta was perfectly al dente, and the boar ragù was phenomenal! Rich and meaty without tasting too gamey. The two sauces were perfect and tied everything together super well.
Marrow, Tuna, and Caviar: This was another awesome dish! I thought it would be way too rich at first, but it wasn’t at all. Somehow, they perfectly blended those three components to create a wondrous umami-bomb of a dish! A little squeeze of lemon would have been nice IMO.
Tiramisu: Quite simply, one of the best tiramisus I’ve ever had!
“Green Dessert”: This dessert was a great mixture of pistachio flavors and preparations. There was a wasabi meringue, which was great, but didn’t taste of wasabi at all. This dessert could have used some crunch, but overall it was super good.
Gelato: An amazing bourbon-vanilla gelato with excellent crunchy chocolate toppings and a licorice sauce. The joint best ice cream/gelato of my life!
Mignardises: Delicious profiteroles with a hazelnut filling, a crunchy bite (the waiter had an accent and I didn’t exactly catch what it was) with local balsamic vinegar, and a liquor bonbon. A fantastic end to the meal!
Going to this restaurant happened by complete chance. Our original reservation was for lunch at Arnaldo, the longest Michelin-starred restaurant in Italy, but we missed it due to issues at the rental car place prior to our drive there. We ended up going to Osteria del Viandante that night for dinner, which is literally across the street from Arnaldo.
I’m simply shocked this restaurant doesn’t have two stars. Quite frankly, I’ve been to several 3* restaurants where I’ve left less satisfied than here. Everything about this place from its location inside a 13th-century military fort, to the look of the dining room, to the service, food, and wine was beyond spectacular.
Their wine list is one of the best in Italy and probably the world too, with 100,000+ different bottles, and the wine sommelier was absolutely spectacular and quite the Italian gentleman, to say the least—impeccably dressed, suave, funny, and super knowledgeable! If you’re in Reggio Emilia, Osteria del Viandante is absolutely a must-visit for me!
by PopeBonyface
Dining and Cooking