Now that says enough of Bologna, the gastronomic capital of Italy =)
But I had to narrow down my search because I cannot just eat anywhere. I prefer some structure to my travels and meals. So that means going down to the details such as the design and ambiance of the restaurant. I have a soft spot for places with a great view, but it looks like the serious trattorias in Bologna do not really have sweeping views of the city. Most of them are located inside a building and decorated the traditional Italian-Bolognese way.
Another thing I need to take into consideration is the location. I didn’t want a restaurant out of the way, so I further narrowed down my search to within the perimeter of the old town and approximately 15-20 minutes’ walk from the parking at Piazza dell 8 Agosto.
This brought me to make a decision to have dinner at Trattoria Anna Maria. Firstly, I liked the reviews I read and that the restaurant is specialised in local Bolognese cuisine. The pictures do show as well a very Italian and homely ambiance. The walls are covered with many picture frames of famous and your run-of-the-mill type of people who have dined at the restaurant, as well as notes from happy customers.
The frames really make the trattoria genuine and cosy. The personal connection between the customers and the restaurant is really there and that is impressive in itself. A feat I guess in this overly commercialised world.
This is what I love about Italy. The focus lie on going back to the basics. Getting up close and personal. Having the simple pleasures in life. Making simple dishes with high quality ingredients. It is quite similar to the adage – Less is more. That is Italian cuisine for you in a nutshell. Well, at least in my opinion.
When I arrived at the restaurant it was already in full swing. Luckily, the turnover of the guests were quite quick and they also have a table available for 1 for me. I liked the table they gave me as I was facing everyone in the main room. I have a great viewing point! You can say I did massive people watching whilst dining, haha.
Trattoria Anna Maria’s specialty is their local Bolognese dishes. I was torn between ordering the classic ‘Ragu’ (Tagliatelli al Ragu Bolognese) and Tortellini. As I didn’t want to eat a heavy meal, I made the decision to go for Tortellini. I have also heard that Trattoria Anna Maria is famous for this. They all make the tortellinis from scratch in the kitchen.
I also didn’t follow the Italian dinner meal structure. If I did, I would not be able to walk, let alone breathe after the meal!
The restaurant however gave me a small Antipasto which was a deep fried vegetable coated in flour. This was a really nice bite that opened up my palate for the next course. I also had a glass of red wine. I think I took the wine from the region.
Then I had my Primo (first course) of Tortellini which was really, really good! I was worried at first that I won’t be able to finish it. Since I am not a pasta person, I have set very low expectations. However this tortellini really surprised me because it was so easy and light to eat. I had no problems in fact of finishing it. It was really that good. I do not think I have eaten this delicious of a tortellini somewhere else.
Then I also ordered a Contorno (side dish) of grilled vegetables – courgette and aubergine. You eat this with extra virgin olive oil and balsamico from Modena sprinkled on top. Very simple and delicious.
To finish off I had a caffe.
While I was paying at the cashier I was able to peek inside the kitchen and saw an older lady. So I asked if the older woman is Anna Maria. The cashier said yes and before I knew it she called her and we were taking pictures =)
Anna Maria is so down-to-earth. She has this “mama” and “granny” effect on everyone. She even gave me some of her biscuits saying I need to taste it. I felt like she is a long lost aunt who wanted to quickly pamper me for visiting. Grazie Tante!
Scroll down to the last picture to see Anna Maria and moi.
The antipasto from the house.
My primi - Delicious tortellini speciality by Anna Maria.
Your typical condiments present on the Italian table.
The picture frames are truly the treasures of this trattoria. The evidence of happy customers leaving notes about their happy experiences.
An espresso to finish the dinner and Anna Maria gave me some (free) cookies.
Anna Maria and moi =)
Travel Period: May 2016
Destination: Bologna (Emilia-Romagna), Italy
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
All pictures were taken by a point and shoot pocket camera or iPhone.
