Ready, set, MANGIA!

For those of you wanting some mangia bene to go with the posts about pedala forte, here it is: Osteria Palazzo dei Mercanti in Viterbo. We discovered this place last year during our time living here. Luigi (shown here with colleague Sandro) is from nearby Caprarola and has run the dining room in locations all over the world while also being an award-winning sommelier. In addition to their ristorante, they run this osteria offering more simple fare. Simple does NOT mean easy or lacking flavor, the food here is outstanding! World-class food for just 20 euros as I enjoyed on a recent evening. A classic caprese was perfectly prepared and presented, followed by a wonderfully grilled beefsteak. Luigi provided a very tasty Valpolicella, a wine that is often nothing special when imported to the USA. I finished with a crostata of ricotta, pine nuts and chocolate chips and an excellent espresso. Grazie, Luigi!