The Time I went to Bologna for Lunch

Juicy bistecca alla fiorentina at the Trattoria del Gallo near Bologna.

Over a month ago, when my dad came to visit, we did something totally irrational and went to Bologna for the mere purpose of having lunch. We woke up that day in Ljubljana, drove across the Slovenian-Italian border to the towns of Gorizia and Udine, where we kind of drove around and got a general feel for the cities. At this point, we had already seen Venice, Trieste, Verona, Slovenia, and others so we felt like seeing something new. Plus, my father wanted to have a last good Italian meal before heading back to the United States the next day. I mentioned that Bologna is regarded as the culinary capital of Italy, and was not too far of a drive away (about two hours from where we were at that time). We decided that it could not be a bad experience, and he felt like he had seen quite a bit already, so it was not like he would feel guilty about spending time in the car.

As we started heading south, I told my dad, "About 10 kilometers before we arrive into downtown Bologna, lets get off the main highway and try to find a trattoria or an osteria that does not look too touristy." And we did just that.

When we sat down, the typical Italian waiter comes up to the table and asked us if we wanted to order or if he could recommend the meal for us. As any good connoisseur should do, we let the expert decide what we were going to be eating for lunch that afternoon. The only choice he gave us was bianco o rosso?, asking what kind of wine we wanted. We went with the red.

The waiter then meandered his way across the dining room, stopping to talk with a portly old man that was apparently a frequent visitor. He then emerged from the kitchen bringing us our wine, as well as some bread to start off with.

A few minutes later, after we had noticed a few certificates hanging on the wall that labeled this particular restaurant as a favorite for the Rome Police Department, the primo piatto arrived. It was a tri-pasta plate consisting of fusili alla bolognese (spiral pasta with meaty ragù), tagliatelle al pesto (strips of pasta with pesto sauce), and ravioli alla carbonara (cheese ravioli with an egg and pancetta sauce). Apart from being among the best plates of pasta I've ever eaten, the combination was something quite unexpected, proving the waiter's expertise. 


Once we had finished this plate (as if it were not enough food already), the waiter came out with a large plate of contorno (side dishes) containing mainly vegetables such as parmigiana di melanzane (eggplant parmesan) and many other scrumptious delicacies. This on its own could probably constitute a full meal at just about any other restaurant. 

This colorful plate of vegetables contained everything from zucchini and potatoes to eggplants and asparagus. 

Before we had even finished our veggies, the jovial waiter came out of the kitchen once again, this time with a large black cast-iron skillet which had an aroma that filled the room with pure bliss.


VEGETARIANS BEWARE: If you are opposed to the human consumption of other animals, the following material is explicit in nature and may be found offensive or repulsive. 


If the picture at the top of this article is not enough to make your mouth water, I have lost a good amount of respect for your gastronomical choices. This bistecca alla fiorentina  (Florentine steak) was so perfectly succulent and so flawlessly marinated in olive oil and rosemary that I have raised my standards to a point which only truly talented chefs are able to attain.


The meat was so good, that it did not matter anymore how satisfied our stomachs were from the amounts of food we had already consumed, we kept on savoring this delicacy until the black cast-iron skillet that was on our table had nothing in it other than a few puddles of simmering oil and a few scattered rosemary needles still scenting the air.


Once again, our happy waiter came by and asked how everything was (which everybody knew was just a formality, since nobody in their right mind or palate could ever say no in this superb establishment. We were tempted to say no, though, when he offered us dessert. But then again, what was there to lose? 


So we got our tiramisu, and boy, we needed somebody to pick us up thanks to how good it was.

Delicate mascarpone and flavorful cocoa made this tiramisu one of a kind. 

In the end, not only was the food perfect, but so was the service and the overall atmosphere. The waiter even gave us a free bottle of wine to take home after we had finished. As it turns out, our impromptu trip to Bologna was well worth it.