Juliet T.
Yelp
My dinner at l'Osteria del Treno was life-changing. It is true that the restaurant was hosting an event for Slow Food, the international organization of which it is a member, yet given that the chefs preparing the meal are regular employees, the food was likely representative of that served during normal business hours.
As you pass through the door of the restaurant, you enter a foyer lined with dark wooden cabinets and black-and-white tiled floors that together make diners sentimental for another era. The dining room just beyond the entrance hall boasts a high ceiling, culminating in a (potentially fake) fresco in the center - a reminder that you are in Italy. The lighting is just dim enough that you do not feel as if you are straining your eyes to see your plate.
Despite the fact that most Italians are hesitant to fuss with their tried and true recipes, the meal contained a few, subtle reinventions of classic preparations. The dinner began with a selection of four salumi, each of which was different and flavorful, and was augmented by the plate of slightly picked vegetables with which it was served. As a primi, we enjoyed obviously fresh tortelli, which is similar in size and composition to ravioli, with Vezzena cheese and apples. The following dish consisted of duck prepared in a way that I had never seen before: served on top of white polenta of optimal creaminess, the duck breast was encrusted in juniper. The meat, itself, was juicy and cut-with-a-fork tender, and continued to shine through the fragrant juniper. Although the addition of several whole peppercorns overwhelmed some bites, the dish was phenomenal. Consistent with its Slow Food roots, the Osteria subsequently served a plate of local cheeses, one of which was the only cheese in the world that was not produced with salt. Again, each possessed a distinct flavor profile, and was easily consumed without other accoutrements like bread - except perhaps the sweet and tart, jam-like mostarda that accompanied the dish. Finally, as if the four preceding courses were insufficient, a pistachio and peperoncino gelato was set in front of us in dainty, wine glasses. Half of the table had seconds.
Of course, a white and red wine were served to keep pace with the meal. The first, a white, almost tasted of sage and had a smoky aftertaste. The only way in which we could describe the second, a red, was that it tasted like fire in a glass. Not only would they be delicious individually and separate from the meal, they mixed with and showcased all the flavors within the meal. Successful wine pairing is the acid test of a good restaurant, and l'Osteria del Treno suceeded.