Derek K.
Yelp
Rating: 86/100 pts
One of the most enjoyable full course meals I enjoyed during my stay in Italy.
Located in a building that dates from the 1500s, the interior has a traditional, unmistakably Old World feel to it.
Like most good restaurants, much of their menu changes with the seasons. During my visit, together with a friend I shared:
Prosciutto and Buffalo Mozzarella
Gorgonzola & Asparagus Penne
Florentine Steak
Apple Strudel
On entering the restaurant, you notice a counter of fresh meats and cheeses--an instant sign that their tagliatelle (meat & cheese antipasti) will be good. And the Prosciutto and Buffalo Mozzarella was phenomenal! The prosciutto had so much flavor, getting more intense as you chew it. The mozzarella was perfectly smooth and creamy, and among the best I've had.
The penne was rich and smooth, cooked slightly al dente, with substantial chunks of chopped asparagus. You could tell the pasta was home-made, and the gorgonzola cheese was fresh.
One of Florence's culinary claims to fame is their Bistecca alla Fiorentine, or Florentine-style beef steak. It is served thick and traditionally rare at the center, flavored very lightly. The smallest cut they had was 1.5 kilos--a sizable chunk of meat for 2 people. They brought out the steak prior to cooking it for visual affirmation. We sent it along its merry way, and it came out cooked perfectly, flavored only with a few sprinkled crystals of sea salt. Each bite was amazingly succulent, the rareness and minimal preparation only possible with high caliber meat.
Ordering up a steak properly done in this manner won't be cheap, but I wanted to try it at least one of my days in Florence (as you should). Most restaurants in town offer it, at varying prices (and levels of quality). Do not expect any place offering it for under €20 to serve it at worthy quality. I'm not going to claim that Di' Cambi's is the "best steak in Florence", because this was the only time I tried it. However, I can say that the steak was amazingly good and totally worth the price which, mind you, was a mere €40 per kilo. I saw the same dish offered at other places for upward of €45-50, which made me feel like getting it here was the right choice.
We concluded the meal with an Apple Strudel. It initially was not my intention to get what is traditionally an Austrian dessert to punctuate this traditional Tuscan meal. It was written in Italian, and the name did not openly suggest it was Apple Strudel--just that it was an apple ("mele") dessert served with "calda crema". I actually wanted to get something with fresh fruit, and the hot cream fascinated me further. Nevertheless, I was happy with this choice, as the cream was amazingly smooth and the pastry and apple filling fresh. Their website claims that their best desserts are their tiramisu, chocolate cake, and a "traditional oven honey with hot cream". Based on the strength of their Apple Strudel, I'd be up for ordering any of these during my next visit.
A highly memorable meal--definitely worth crossing the river for!