Savona: Vino e Farinata

Savona, Italy

 

 

The main arcade street in Savona 

 

 

Arriving in Savona, Italy we walked along the arcade, visited beautiful churches, admired the towers, strolled narrow streets which took us to other little streets, went to my favorite shop, bought French Husband a coat, then stumbled upon Vino e Farinata and with that took Savona to an entire new level: We met Claudio.

 

 

 

The arcade is tiled with a colorful intricate mural.

 

 

Narrow streets with everyday banners waving in the sunlight.

 

 

 

Inside one of the many beautiful churches in Savona.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Painted ceiling in one of the churches.

 

 

 Sculpted gilded and painted wood choir loft.

 

 

 

 

Savona's colorful facades.

 

 

 

In a bank's window there was the most extraordinary antique pottery. I have never thought to rob a bank, but the pottery in the windows gave me reason to contemplate the thought, especially this piece.

 

 

 

 

Vino e Farinata caught my eye: The sign, the unusual looking pizza coming out of the wood burning stove, the long line of non tourists, the feeling that this was the place to be for lunch, that Sophie Loren might have made a movie here. The tables were way in the back and the line waiting was daunting

 

 

 

We met Claudio standing in line. He is Italian not tall, nor dark but handsome and someone who could melt the coldest heart.

He told us in Italian, "This is the place to be, I come here a few times a week, I haven't seen you before. How did you find it?"

Claudio soon realised we did not speak Italian, except for food words and "Baci Qui". Which Claudio laughed, "That is good enough."

He spoke French, saving grace.

 

 

 

We were two for lunch, and Claudio was by himself. I invited him to join us and he did not decline. He was in love with Alice, who doesn't speak Italian, nor French... but that did not matter one single little bit. Charmer and Charm they were in their matching outfits.

 

 

 

Claudio had "the usual" he ate very little of it. The waiter took us into the kitchen and by the wood burner stove, told us to pick what we wanted. The best part of travelling is meeting people and sharing a meal, and if I am fortunate enough to be invited into the kitchen, well then bury me, cause life does not get any better than that. This is magnify beyond the limits of truth to illustrate a point of great joy.

 

 

 

 

The cook.

The real deal.

Pure delightful beauty: Apron, big stove, full swing of the pasta pots.

 

 

 

 

 

A stack of dishes as the prize.

A stack that size can only mean five golden stars.

 

 

 

 

 

One of the courses we had was stuffed sardines that were baked in the wood burner stove.

 

 

 

Roasted potatoes

Stuffed sardine

A garlic cod frittata

 Vino e Farinata

and dessert.

 

 

 

Our waiter who took us into the kitchen.

 

 

Claudio's dessert.

 

 

Alice's viewpoint, lovely photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alice's photo of the semifreddo we shared.

 

 

Desserts,

Claudio's creme caramel and our semifreddo.

 

 

 

 

Wood delivered to the restaurant, since cars cannot drive down this narrow street, hand cut from the forest.

The wood was stacked against the entrance wall, where the line once stood to have their turn to the feast.

 

 

Just too good to be true.

I love this kind of stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

Claudio took the placemat, and we wrote our addresses on it, he cracked up: "I won't lose this."

 

 

 

 

Folding friendship.

He put it in his pocket.

 

 

 

 

Forever Italy with love.

I hope our paths with Claudio cross again.

Savona isn't that faraway...

three hours. 

 

 

Three hours away... from my home.

 

 

" Wine and Porridge "in Savona ; It is partly a farinotto and partly a restaurant , and you will taste the typical Ligurian specialties , and some preparations that you can only find in Savona . It is a simple place, from the family environment, at very reasonable prices, right in the historic center of Savona , and the old management without any concession to modernity.We tell you now of our tasty visits to this place.

The specialty of the restaurant is the porridge, but not limited to the classic that is also prepared to Genoa with chickpea flour , but also thewhite porridge made ​​with wheat flour , delicate flavor and special, they do only in Savona. From Genoa we say that this porridge is a little different from ours, much more thin and crispy, but still very good. The porridge is also sold to take away, for those who want a snack or a fast food genuine and speaking in dialect." via Buttalapasta.

 

Vino e Farinata

Via Pia, 15r, 17100 Savona SV, Italie

 

 

 

Comments

[Bonnie Gale]

I am envious. I recently visited Scalea, Italy in the Calabria region. Fell in love with the people & the places. I hope to return soon. I might even check out Savona. Thank you for sharing your adventure & my prayers are with your friend Thierry.

[Kipper]

Delightful! I was at the bank today and the bank manager, who is from Italy greeted me with "do you want a pizza oven " must admit my first thought was wow, what will Seattle banks give away next! Turned out her friend Salvator, from Sicily has a tile setting, pizza oven building business. No such thing as free pizza ovens.

[Marilyn]

This is indeed the best part of traveling. I love it so much! How special to meet Claudio and get to visit the kitchen. You and Alice were two lucky ladies.

[Jacklynn Lantry]

Two words...Bucket and list.
Thanks!

[Diogenes]

Friendship, beautiful scenery, and food. The best!

The name of the restaurant, your words and the murals in the church remind me of the movie Farinelli:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVbyR1zJ9DQ

or perhaps the film The Great Beauty:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koxRDhAQOpw

[Debra]

So sweet. Love it. Thank you so much one more time. Traveling and meeting people is my number one. Thank you again, c. xo

[Liane]

I don't know exactly what it is about this post today, but between the story and the pictures I find it one of the most heart warming ever. The innocence of Alice and those loving eyes of Claudio looking at her breathes life into the soul.
Thank you!

[Laurie SF]

A note to Claudio:
You fantastico, Italiano, you.
Wonderful post today, Corey. Just wonderful.

[Robin]

Love, love, love this post!

[Niki]

Loved this post! I just love to meet people like Claudio. Doesn't happen very often in the states. We are to used to driving through fast food places. Alice looks so sweet. No wonder he was taken with her. So sorry to hear about Thierry. Such a horrible disease. Prayers & love.

[Cheryl in Wisconsin]

Oh Corey. That building in the second photo, that pottery, Claudio, the creme caramel. Ethereal.

[JudyMac]

I love this kind of stuff, too. Would love to have had a seat at the table. :-)

[Momof5]

Oh Corey, I love this post! You have such a gift of openness to possibility that I try to emulate. Makes life so rich and joyful. I loved the photos of you Alice and Claudio. May you meet again!

[Rebecca from the pacific northwest]

Lucky LUCKY Alice, to have you to host her and pave the way to many delightful explorations!

The interaction with Claudio brought to mind my first-ever visit to Europe, when I was 22 and with a student group. We'd travel from city to city on a bus; hotels and breakfast-dinner were arranged; other than that we poured out into the places we were, sketching and photographing and exploring and growing into citizens of the world, independent but protected. A perfect first exposure for a girl from Oklahoma.

One lovely young woman friend and I decided to have spaghetti in Roma, because there we were in Italy after all. We sat at an outdoor table on the edge of some square at the very end of the lunch time when there were almost no other diners, and were waited on hand and foot by the enthusiastic, American-girl-lovestruck younger waiter and the suave older waiter. We ordered spaghetti with meat sauce (having only grown up with Chef Boyardee out of the kit: dried pasta and a can of red sauce.) The waiters absolutely REFUSED to let us order that; instead they brought us some marvelous dish with white sauce and peas along with the pasta, I think. Water mixed with wine because it was lunch time. Flirting and taking their photos and having them linger around the two cute tourist girls. Ahhh. A wonderful afternoon.

(Thanks for bringing it back to mind, Corey and Alice.)

[Joan Thodas]

Ah, land of my father.

[La Contessa]

THAT's ITALIA!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE PEOPLE.............are the BEST and the FOOD!!!!!!
YOU ARE LIVING LIFE COREY................and what an experience for ALICE!

YOU never visit me on my blog................I wonder if you are receiving?!!