Sure the roads were narrow steep and curvy, but, oh, yeah, it was that beautiful. All that and a side of fries, even with storms rolling in and out and about us. Lucky Catbird and Physicist, we stopped for lunch just before the big deluge.
The woman to my Physicist's right turned out to be from Seattle and is doing research for the wine-tasting tours she hosts. She was quite amazed that we just happened to drop in to Macelleria Cecchini because, she said, Anthony Bourdain of the cable food show No Reservations had recently featured this restaurant and folks have been flocking to it since. My Physicist says we were probably the only people in there who didn't plan all morning to have lunch at Macelleria Cecchini today.
We had figured out pretty quickly that this was a steak house; what our table-mate from Seattle told us was that the butchery was downstairs (we had guessed it was the wine cellar) and Bourdain called the butcher the best in all Italy.
Catbird must give our server credit: he did not weep, nor even blink, when Catbird asked what he could serve a vegetarian. Even as he hustled to re-seat those folks who had been outside--before they got dumped on by the impending rain--he was all grace and good humor.
Besides having a great time, we discovered the dinner-bell in the shape of Texas that the chef uses as part of his schtick at evening meals, and WE HAD WONDERFUL FOOD. My Physicist actually said "this could make me reconsider eating more beef," and the vegetarian meal with crudites was enough to make one cry. Really, crudites! Who knew?
Not only were the meal and atmosphere WONDERFUL, the food was also far less expensive than the not so good (read: execrable) meals we have been served at many other far busier eateries. We seem to be on a trend toward culinary excellence and we will take it.
Except for a table for 4 just out of camera range, this is the entire dining room.
The kitchen is directly behind Catbird and the bathrooms are behind the red and blue funky doors.
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