Osteria Turlonia is located on a busy street at the edge of Fiume Veneto, Italy, a short distance from the Azzano Decimo exit on the A28 autostrada. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Many fine restaurants in Italy consistently produce a particular dish that customers might order again and again, but there are other places where that’s not really an option.
Osteria Turlonia, located on the edge of Fiume Veneto about a half hour’s drive from Aviano Air Base, is one of those.
The husband-and-wife team of Federico and Isabella Mariutti are part of the slow-food movement, which developed as a counter to fast food.
Slow-food establishments exemplify the core principles of local sourcing, sustainable production and an emphasis on quality over quantity.
Since many local ingredients are at their best during only certain seasons of the year, menus at such eateries change. Some switch the lineup as quickly as every week. At Turlonia, the menu is reworked twice each season, so about every two months.
The two-page menu presents a handful of choices between appetizers, first courses, second courses and sides. Although most menus are entirely in Italian, some include English translations.
Osteria Turlonia in Fiume Veneto, Italy, has an indoor seating area spread out over several small dining rooms. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
During my recent visit with my family, the restaurant offered traditional regional dishes such as frico — which is fried cheese made with a variety of other ingredients such as potatoes, onions or various meats or vegetables, depending on the recipe — and baccala, or preserved cod. We tried both of them.
This appetizer featuring cured trout, toasted bread, fennel, greens and pomegranate seeds was one of a handful of options at Osteria Turlonia in Fiume Veneto, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
In addition, we ordered an appetizer featuring a pumpkin and cheese torte and a first course of ravioli stuffed with pumpkin.
Our fettuccine with duck sauce and mushrooms was excellent, although that particular dish seems to be universally good across Italy.
Fettuccini with duck sauce and mushrooms was one of a handful of first-course options during a recent visit to Osteria Turlonia in Fiume Veneto, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
This dish featuring pumpkin, walnuts and cheese cooked in a skillet was a second-course option at Osteria Turlonia in Fiume Veneto, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
One second-course dish that struck us as unusual was an iron skillet featuring pumpkin, cheese and walnuts. We decided to give it a go as well.
It was similar in concept to dishes we had tried in Germany oriented around meat and potatoes, but this one was definitely geared toward vegetarians. We appreciated the contrasts in textures and flavors between the soft chunks of pumpkin, the melted cheese and the crunch of the nuts.
This risotto featuring trout was one of several recent first-course options at Osteria Turlonia in Fiume Veneto, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Ravioli stuffed with pumpkin as served at Osteria Turlonia in Fiume Veneto, Italy. The restaurant is owned by a husband-and-wife team and serves dishes that embody the slow-food movement. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
This torte made from pumpkin and a cheese produced in Aviano was one of several appetizer options during a recent visit to Osteria Turlonia in Fiume Veneto, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Slow food doesn’t necessarily mean that it takes longer for the food to be delivered. That certainly wasn’t the case during our visit, as all the courses of our meal arrived without long waits. All told, we spent about two hours at Turlonia.
Also, portion sizes are such that a hungry person could order a selection from each course and reasonably expect to finish all of them.
The restaurant has room for about 50 patrons spread over several dining areas. We were there for lunch and many tables were not occupied. Even so, reservations are recommended.
Parking is limited to about a dozen spaces, only one of which was available when we showed up.
Our visit has us anticipating a return trip in the winter and again in the spring and summer as well. Maybe it’s possible to come up with a favorite season, since the menu variability makes it unlikely we’ll have a repeat opportunity for a favorite dish.
Osteria Turlonia in Fiume Veneto, Italy, is a restaurant that’s part of the slow-food movement popular in countries such as Italy and France. The movement emphasizes the use of high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Osteria Turlonia has a seating capacity of about 50 in an interior space spread out over several small dining rooms. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Osteria Turlonia
Address: Corso Italia 5, Fiume Veneto, Italy
Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; dinner, 6-10:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Mondays.
Cost: appetizers 9-12 euros, first courses 9-12 euros, second courses 10-26 euros, sides 4-5 euros.
Information: Phone: 0434-561586; Email: osteriaturlonia@gmail.com, https://osteriaturlonia.it/
Dining and Cooking