Locanda Stella d'Oro?

[CyN]

Alberto, what can you(or anyone) tell me about Locanda Stella d'Oro? Its in Soragna in the heart of culatello country.

In my 2001 Michelin its not listed. But in the current on-line Michelin it has one star.The comment is that its in an old inn that was completely renovated two years ago.So the restaurant got a star in only two years of operation? Or is it older ?

What is its history?Where does Gambero Rosso rate it? What about Vermicelli? Or other guides?

Whatever light you can throw on this mystery will be appreciated.

[CyN]

That should read Veronelli, not Vermicelli. :

[Joe H]

http://www.locandastelladoro.it/ is their website.

Yes, I'm back. Don't ask! And, yes, we leave for Italy on Tuesday. With the Euro brushing $1.35 today it may hit 1.40 while we're there! ....if we're "lucky" we'll be there for the record!

Le Calandre (four Decembers in a row) , Sostanza (superb bisteca), Beccofino and an intriguing Veronelli starred place that no one has ever heard of: Lo Strettoio in the hills outside of Florence. Highlight of the trip, though, is returning to Dal Forno.

Last week I "accidentally" opened a bottle of his '97 Amarone (another long story: in dim light his Valpolicella and Amarone look similar!). After discovering this and crying-I was saving it for retirement!-I remember him telling me to open it, then put the cork back in and drink it 24 hours later. We did exactly that. Honestly, this may have been the single greatest bottle of red wine I have ever tasted! Serious. And I've drank a lot of wine, too!!!

Needless to say I unexpectedly announced my retirement, too, last week.

[francesco]

Alberto, what can you(or anyone) tell me about Locanda Stella d'Oro? Its in Soragna in the heart of culatello country.

In my 2001 Michelin its not listed. But in the current on-line Michelin it  has one star.The comment is that its in an old inn that was completely renovated two years ago.So the restaurant got a star in only two years of operation? Or is it older ?

  What is its history?Where does Gambero Rosso rate it? What about Vermicelli? Or other guides?

  Whatever light you can throw on this mystery will be appreciated.

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I only have the new Gambero Rosso guide and there it gets a 79 with the following sub-scores:

cuisine 46

cellar 17

service 7

ambiance 7

bonus 2

reading through the review, the cuisine seems be focused on a refined version of classic regional recipes.

I have never heard of this place before. Don't get me wrong, but if it had some special reputation I probably would have heard of it. How did you come across it?

As you probably know, in not-too-far Reggiolo, Il Rigoletto has just been awarded two stars and from what I hear the cuisine is quite good (if not perhaps at Perbellini's level): have you considered it?

Francesco

[CyN]

Francesco

My encounter with. Locanda Stella d'Oro arose for a somewhat complicated reason, a boring story, so I wont regale you with it.The Gamberto Rosso description and rating

on it actually sounds pretty good. But now that you have called my attention to Il Rigoletto,it looks like I will follow your lead as I am doing with Arquade. I hadnt realized Reggiolo was right in my path- give or take a few miles- but since it is and since it has just earned a second star, it wouldnt make much sense to bypass

it.So with a little schedule revision(a problem because practically every

restaurant is closed on Mondays) I can include Rigoletto and drop a less inviting

joint and I believe thats what I will do.

So onc again I am indebted to you . Now lets just hope these places live up to their credentials! I'm scratching two traditional down-to -earth trattorias for highly creative cuisine-hope its the right course to take.The chief reason is that I'm being accompanied by my daughter who always prefers the elegant to the plain, and I want to keep her happy.

Thanks again.

[Boris_A]

Alberto, what can you(or anyone) tell me about Locanda Stella d'Oro? Its in Soragna in the heart of culatello country. ...  What is its history? Whatever light you can throw on this mystery will be appreciated.

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Two months ago, I visited Fernando Cantarelli, son of the great Mirella and Peppino Cantarelli, who runs a wine and salume business in Samboseto.

I asked about restaurants cooking in the best tradition of this "Cucina Parmigiana/Emiliana" and he came up with name of the Locanda. He gave me an article printed in "Tuttoturismo": The owner of the Stella d'Oro is Marco Dallabona, who ran a one star restaurant in Parma for 10 years (I dont' know which one). That's why he got his star after only one year at the Locanda. The Dallbona and Cantarelli familiy knew each other for decades.

Other recomendations he gave:

La Fiaschetteria (Besenzone)

Trattoria Campanini (Busseto), obviously open on monday (!).

[CyN]

BorisA

Thanks Boris for that info. It does sound tempting and if I want to try culatello, that will be a great place for it.

But to include both Rigoletto and Locanda Stella d'Oro means I would have to scratch Aquila Nigra and the city of Mantova, which I'm reluctant to do. I'll have to mull this over.

Thanks again

[francesco]

BorisA

Thanks Boris for that info. It does sound tempting and if I want to try culatello, that will be a great place for it.

But to include both Rigoletto and Locanda Stella d'Oro means I would have to scratch Aquila Nigra and the  city of Mantova, which I'm reluctant to do. I'll have to mull this over.

Thanks again

←

It is a tough decision because and endorsement from the Cantarelli's son is something not to dismiss lightly at all. And, on the other hand, Mantova has such beautiful things to see that.....

BTW, Reggiolo is quite close to Mantova, so perhaps the choice in not between Mantova and Il Rigoletto but between the latter and Aquila Nigra.

Francesco

[Boris_A]

It's only 60-80km from Soragna/Parma to Mantova, and Reggiolo is just 20km from Mantova.

I always loved driving through the gentle melancholy of "la Bassa" during winter days and listening to the sound of some distant chime of bells, muffled by the fog ...

[CyN]

Dont know why my trip decisions should attract such solicitous interest in Francesco and Boris, but I am certainly grateful for it.

I flip-flop from one idea to another at the drop of a hat, as you may have observed. My latest decision is to keep Aquila Nigra and Mantova(which includes an early morning guided tour of a cheese dairy) and scratch Rigoletto in favor of not Locanda Stella d'Oro, but instead La Fiaschetteria.Its in the same area and is recommended by Boris' source and looks very enticing on the internet. Attactive premises, tasting menu,one star, etc . Stella d'Oro, on the other hand turns up four negative reviews(five favorable) including two diners who claim to have been deliberately cheated on their checks.

I'm determined to have culatello and the traditional local cuisine that goes with it, and am willing to pass up what appears to be more creative cuisine at Rigoletto, something I will be getting plenty of every else on the trip.