MIKE RICCETTI
  • The best of Houston dining
    • Guinness pours
    • Banh mi
    • Breakfast tacos
    • Chicken Fried Steak
    • French
    • French Fries
    • Fried Chicken
    • Greek
    • Italian
    • Italian-American
    • Mexican
    • Midtown Dining
    • Pizzerias
    • Pizza at Non-Pizzerias
    • Rice Village Dining
    • Sandwiches
    • To Take Visitors
    • Wine Bars
    • Wine Lists
  • The margherita pizza project
  • The martini project
  • Musings on Houston Dining
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2022
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2021
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2019
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2018
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2017
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2016
    • The dozen best Inner Loop values
    • Dining recommendations for visitors to Houston
  • Italian restaurant history
  • Italian & Italian-American
  • Entertaining tips
    • Booze basics
    • Styles of Cheeses
    • Handling Those Disruptive Guests
  • Wine
  • Beer
  • Cocktails and Spirits
  • Miscellaneous
  • Blog
  • The best of Houston dining
    • Guinness pours
    • Banh mi
    • Breakfast tacos
    • Chicken Fried Steak
    • French
    • French Fries
    • Fried Chicken
    • Greek
    • Italian
    • Italian-American
    • Mexican
    • Midtown Dining
    • Pizzerias
    • Pizza at Non-Pizzerias
    • Rice Village Dining
    • Sandwiches
    • To Take Visitors
    • Wine Bars
    • Wine Lists
  • The margherita pizza project
  • The martini project
  • Musings on Houston Dining
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2022
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2021
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2019
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2018
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2017
    • The top 10 new restaurants of 2016
    • The dozen best Inner Loop values
    • Dining recommendations for visitors to Houston
  • Italian restaurant history
  • Italian & Italian-American
  • Entertaining tips
    • Booze basics
    • Styles of Cheeses
    • Handling Those Disruptive Guests
  • Wine
  • Beer
  • Cocktails and Spirits
  • Miscellaneous
  • Blog
MIKE RICCETTI

Mostly food and drink...

...and mostly set in Houston

In Michelin I trust…for Europe, at least

7/14/2018

0 Comments

 
​The second amuse bouche featured a pressed cube of guinea fowl, I thought I overheard one of my family members repeating the chef’s description, along with a circular dollop of a rich aioli atop .  The meat was excellent, and with the rich sauce, unctuous, and absolutely delicious.  I was humming audibly with delight at the end of the table.  I was also about uncontrollably audible for the first one, a wedge of a Belgian waffle tasting almost solely of terrific Parmigiano.  The rest of the meal including a stellar version of the local classic tortelli d’erbette, silky egg-laden ravioli filled with ricotta and bitter beet spinach and complemented with amazingly flavorful grated Parmigiano that helped make this best pasta dish I had during my two weeks in Italy.  Excellent veal belly, with succulent, salty fat eaten together with the tender meat was very enjoyable, much better veal than I am used to in Italy.  A cheese course was Parmigiano, of course, the king of cheeses at 24, 30 and 36 months respectively.  This was easily the best meal during the trip for me.  This was at Parizzi, a restaurant bearing a Michelin star in Parma that I dined a couple of weeks ago.
 
The current Michelin Guide for Italy, which I picked up just for the trip, was on point yet again.  We were five-for-five with very good meals from restaurants mentioned in the guide.  In addition to Parizzi in Parma, there was Da Ermenio in Assisi, Bussa-alla Torre in Murano, La Franceschetta58 in Modena, and Ai Gondolieri in Venice.  This continues the luck I have had with Michelin in Europe.  If it is in the Michelin guide, it is worth visiting.  It doesn’t matter if it does not have a star or Bib Gourmand designation – excellent food that’s a good value – it usually serves very good food.  It hasn’t been perfect.  During my previous visit to Italy several years ago, a restaurant with star in country southeast of Rome turned out an unbalanced and unsatisfying meal – a set menu featuring just a series of all heavy dishes during the summer.  It subsequently lost its star.  That another meal a return to Bib Gourmand restaurant in Siena that did not live up to its initial visit were the only two of the numerous Michelin-directed restaurants I’ve visited.  It even did good work in Ireland years ago.
 
I’m heading up to Chicago for a weekend soon.  Maybe I’ll put the American Michelin inspectors to a test, as Chicago is just one of four American cities that Michelin judges.  Their European brethren have been spot-on for years for me.  Something to mention, is that the Michelin recommended restaurants always skew higher price wise.  There is nothing in it that will be a cheap eat, often good values, but never inexpensive.  You’ll be on vacation, though.  Enjoy yourself.
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Mike Riccetti is a longtime Houston-based food writer and former editor for Zagat, and not incidentally the author of three editions of Houston Dining on the Cheap.

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016

    Categories

    All
    Beer
    Cocktails
    Italian
    Margherita Pizzas
    Recipes
    Restaurants
    Wine

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.