For those who would like a change from delicious Italian food, how about a delicious curry?
On Friday 26th February Ristorante del Sonno in La Villa is having one of their famous curry nights. For just €10 you can enjoy chicken, beef or vegetarian curry with rice. The price includes a small beer or a quarter litre of wine. Call 0583 805080 or 3356197303 to make a reservation.
The translation of I Macelli is The Slaughterhouses. I am guessing that the site of this excellent restaurant was once an abattoir. The bright yellow building sits beside a little stream behind the main commercial area of Borgo a Mozzano, the village near the Ponte della Maddalena.
The restaurant is one of our favourite places to dine, with good reason. The food is very good, the setting pleasant and the service is friendly and efficient.
To get there, drive down the one way street in the centre of Borgo a Mozzano and turn left at the sign for the restaurant.
I look forward to many delicious meals at I Macelli when I return to Bagni di Lucca very soon.
Bagni di Lucca is on the edge of the Garfagnana. The area lies between the Apennine and Apuan Alps in the upper valley of the Serchio river. It is almost entirely mountainous and heavily wooded.
It is also dotted with pretty villages, which will take years to discover. I recently visited Pieve Fosciana. It is tiny, with a cluster of houses around the church of St John Battista, one of the most ancient in Garfagnana.
Come for a little walk through Pieve Fosciana…
There are lots of narrow cobble stone laneways and pretty gardens, the usual interesting doorways and building decorations.
I was impressed with this house in particular. The residents have gone to some trouble with the facade.
The main reason for my visit to Pieve Fosciana was to try restaurant Il Pozzo. I have heard it is one of the best in Garfagnana.
They have an indoor dining area and a very big terrace. I was the first there for lunch, but it soon filled up, mostly with local workers. You know a restaurant is good when the locals arrive in number.
The restaurant prides itself on using fresh, local ingredients served in a traditional way, with a slightly modern twist.
I ordered the pasta with lobster.
Followed by guinea fowl with truffles…they were both excellent.
The service was very friendly and I could see that most of the other patrons were regulars. They also do a workmans’ lunch for a set price…I will try that next time.
If you can drag yourself away from the very good restaurants in Bagni di Lucca, try Il Pozzo, I’m sure you will like it.
La Lira is a cheap and cheerful restaurant in La Villa. They do a great pizza, pasta, excellent seafood, and other delicious things.
It is a popular place for groups to meet for a fun night.
La Lira is beside the car park in La Villa…you can’t miss it.
Trattoria Borghesi was an institution in Bagni di Lucca for many years and everyone was disappointed when it closed a couple of years ago.
So when it reopened earlier this year there was much excitement. I missed the opening but recently went for lunch. Like many places in the area, a workman’s lunch for a set price is offered. For €11 you get first course, second course, side dish, water, wine and coffee.
We chose the chicken, torta salata, vegetables and pasta.
On another occasion there was soup, past with peas, ham and tomato, roast beef and eggplant…all delicious.
The food was very good and the service excellent.
The bar and restaurant have been renovated and look very clean and modern.
I’m sure Trattoria Borghesi is once again going to be very popular.
Trattoria Borghesi…85 Via Umberto I, La Villa.
I found these gorgeous yellow mushrooms growing in the forest.
I left them there.
Cappuccetto Rosso is quickly becoming one of my favourite restaurants in the area. The food is well presented and delicious and the service is very friendly and efficient.
Their recent lunch special was too good to resist.
Before the first course there was an arancino amuse bouche.
The plate of mussels was very good. Fortunately there was plenty of bread…the sauce was too delicious to leave behind.
Spaghetti vongole is one of my favourite Italian dishes. This one is a little different, it has tomato, but I liked it a lot.
Even though I was quite full I did manage to eat the third course of mixed, fried seafood.
There was no room for dessert…pity.
Cappuccetto Rosso is not far from Bagni di Lucca in Gioviano.
Now is the time for porcini mushrooms in our area. It has been very dry, not good for mushrooms, but some have been gathered in Garfagnana and have appeared at Ristorante Del Sonno in La Villa.
…just perfect for a delicious mushroom risotto.
The recent rain should have more growing in the forests…we wait patiently or impatiently as the case may be.
Local news…
Don’t miss the Pinocchio festival in La Villa this weekend…it is always a lot of fun.
Thanks to some friends we discovered a wonderful restaurant at nearby Piano Di Giovano called Cappuccetto Rosso.
The restaurant is stylish and pretty and the menu very interesting. The food is a little more expensive than most in the area, but it is excellent and well worth the extra money.
For antipasti we shared a plate of delicious prosciutto and a selection of very well chosen cheeses with tasty accompaniments.
We had already chosen dessert, so missed primi piatti, which are charmingly called Early Earth and Early Sea. Here are our scrumptious main courses. Soft lighting doesn’t always make for the best photos, a couple are a bit fuzzy.
For dolce we chose chocolate mousse with pear, and mint parfait with chocolate sauce…both excellent.
Cappuccetto Rosso means Red Riding Hood…we will be back often.
Via di Salita 4/6 (Behind Quadrifoglio)
Localita Piano di Gioviano (Borgo a Mozzano)
(39) 338 2426295
I am pleased to say that the restaurant at Circolo dei Forestieri has reopened with new owners. Regulars to Bagni di Lucca will recognise the proprietor of Trattoria Borghese, a very popular place to eat for many years.
The front of the restaurant has been opened up, I think one of the problems before was that you really couldn’t see that there was a restaurant there at all. I look forward to seeing tables outside once the weather warms up a bit.
There is a new bar inside, and it looks very fresh and bright.
The food is good and very reasonably priced.
It is great to see Circolo dei Forestieri come alive again.
Bella Bagni di Lucca 