I have been going to the same restaurant every Friday for the last year or so, and ordering the same thing. Actually I don't have to order; the waiter Serafino just pats me on the shoulder and brings me out a bottle of red wine, a bottle of acqua di Nepi, and soon a steak, and salad (or punterelle if in season). This is my favorite restaurant, with a fireplace (where the steaks are cooked) and the tv news on. They are the best steaks I've ever had. Better than the Florentine steaks of Cecchini in Panzano, and better then Peter Luger's. The flaw of all three is that it is not local meat. The secret of my steak restaurant is that the meat is from Denmark. But it is not a secret, Fabrizio will proudly bring the side of beef to your table and show you the label, "see this, this is Danish." That's where the fat is. In a region where everything is local and seasonal, this may seem strange -- we have the best olive oil, the best lamb, pretty damn good pig, pretty good wine-- but we don't have the best steaks. If I'm going to eat a steak, I want the best steak. Oh yeah, and with coffee and amaro, the check is about 20 euro, depending on how big the steak was. And don't tell them you want a big steak or a small steak or well done or rare, just order a steak and trust in god. Thus, I never order steak anywhere else and don't even cook them at home anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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