around the table in bologna, italy

today, i'm gonna talk about the table in bologna, italy.

my husband i traveled around italy for 9 nights (11days) early in may, 2010.
this was the 2nd trip there for us (the first was exactly a year ago).
this year, i want to introduce some favorite table scenes in italy here.




we (my husband and i) stayed in bologna for just one night.
we didn't have any restaurant information there, but we like finding our favorite during strolling about the town.
you know, usually restaurants in italy close their stores after lunch and reopen them about 6:30~7:30 at night.
so peeking into glasses and silverware on tables in unlit restaurants through the window during siestas is one of my favorite activities in italy :)
and by doing that, i also search for the best place for the day's dinner.

and, this is the restaurant we found there.
i liked their menu.
they have only 4~6 kinds of selection for each courses.
i like that way.
listing only their confident dishes is an essential point for being a good restaurant, i believe.




for our antipasto (appetizer) , we ordered a dish of tuna carpaccio with radish and orange.
we ordered only one dish for each courses, but the chef kindly dished up on separate dishes for my husband and me.
this was so good because we didn't have to devastate this beautiful dish work before eating :))
and of course, it tasted so good as well.




for the primo (first course), we shared a dish of pasta with squid.
we'd not exactly had the idea what kind of taste it would have, but we ordered this without any hesitation.
because, as i firstly said, they don't have so many selection for each courses, and this was probably the only one we could eat from them.
we don't meat, do you remember?

and, it was totally delicious without any doubt!
the chef also dished up for each person as well.

so, the bread here was very desirable one.
it was just that of tuscany; no salt in bread.
most dishes in italy are salty, and so as pasta dishes.
i ate this delicious but a bit salty past dish with this tuscany bread and it worked very well.

my husband was so pleased with this pasta dish and said that it had kind of same flavor as a japanese fried noodle with squid ( ika-yakisoba)!!




for our secondo (main course), we took a dish of octpus stewed with tomatoes, and grilled vegetables for the side.

so, i didn't expect that i could eat this much of seafood in bologna.
i thought that bologna is the central city for meet eaters, and i would hardly be able to find other dishes than meat ones.
but it was not!!
it's kind of impressive, and i appreciated my instinct to find a pleasing restaurant :))

well, we enjoyed this dish, too.
before ending all courses, we ordered half litter red house wine twice, and drank all up!
we finished all courses and a litter of red wine.
we did a good job.
they were all so good.
molto bene, in italian. :))





here's our rule.
when we are so much satisfied with the food in restaurant, we order a dessert and espresso and celebrate the day's beautiful dinner.
we have to decide to forget all calorie thing ;)
so, we ordered a dolce (dessert) they recommended to us and espresso.
i don't exactly remember what this desert was, but it was probably made from ricotta cheese and eggs and cocoa.
it was so good with bitter espresso.

everything here was more than fine.
i hope you try this pretty restaurant in bologna if you have a chance.
i usually don't follow people's recommendation for restaurants, and i dare not do that either.
but this time, i dare to recommend my favorite restaurant to you :))



-restaurant information-
Trattoria Oberdan
Via Oberdan, 43/a-40126 Bologna
051 272309
333 8642524 (cell)








all pictures here were taken with nikon-f on kodak portra 400nc.