Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, ALL Accor Diamond, IHG Platinum Elite, Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Avis PC, Hertz PC
Posts: 10,700
Sitting in FRA waiting to board my flight back to the U.S...my thoughts:
-Antico Vinaio - absolutely worth it, but the lines were long at every time we walked by except when we went (which was around 3:45 on Saturday afternoon). Prosciutto, pecorino, and black truffle sauce...to die for.
-Enoteca Pinchiorri - already shared my thoughts here...very good, a bit overpriced, but excellent execution on the dishes all around.
-Mercato Centrale - lots of interesting choices; the truffle pasta was excellent though. Would try the other place preparing pasta fresh behind it next time as the place to start.
-Trattoria da Benvenuto - came here on Sunday night after scouring the options for this day. Pretty homey, English-language menus available, if not waiters with much English knowledge. Cheap wine (full bottles in the 25-30 euro range). Prosciutto with buffalo mozzarella was quite good, as was the pasta (wife's seafood spaghetti was phenomenal). Did a Florentine steak on the smaller side - quite good, although I don't think it's necessarily the be-all, end-all for steaks.
-Trattoria Gozzi - showed up as soon as they opened for lunch. Wife's pasta with guinea fowl was delicious. I did the lampredotto - good flavor but texture was definitely more challenging. I liked the fried meatballs (which are basically croquettes).
-Del Fogioli - made a reservation for 7:30pm (when it opened) but didn't need to - we were first ones in. No English menu but we managed alright...really liked my penne with some kind of ragu. The roast beef was excellent - thin slices lightly marinated in olive oil and served au jus. Bruschetta was really fresh.
General comments - all pasta I had was cooked perfectly...the U.S. could learn something about this. Gelato everywhere was fantastic as well. I also developed a habit...milk gianduja bars with whole hazelnuts are dangerously delicious and addictive!