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Siena: Hostaria il Carroccio

Via Casato di Sotto, 32 , Phone: 0577-41165

Closing day: Tuesday evening & Wednesday

Reviewed by: Kevin Clark from Italy, review #2103

When: 2006

Outstanding food in a very busy spot - reservations are a must here. Great bistecca fiorentina and excellent pasta. Nice wine list too.

Directions: Just a block or so off the corner of the Campo

We had dinner here twice in our two weeks in Siena. Both times it was packed and reservations were essential (we were also turned away once when we didn't have a booking). It's a small place with only 10 or so tables. The owner's dog, a cute King Charles Spaniel, rules the roost from his chair in the corner. The menu definitely tended towards hearty Tuscan food and the wine list was very nice (almost too many choices!).

On our first visit, I had pear and pecorino filled ravioli in an asparagus sauce. The ravioli were excellent, but I didn't care for the whole peppercorns hidden in the sauce. Kim had pici "Carroccio"; unfortunately our notes don't record exactly what that was (duck sauce, maybe?). I then had a bistecca di Chiannina with some roasted potatoes and she had stew with chunks of chicken and rabbit with olives. We shared a dessert of ricotta with marsala and a hot chocolate sauce. We had a very nice bottle of Quercibella Chianti Classico. With water and coffee, dinner was €85.

We returned a few nights later planning to have the great looking bistecca fiorentina we'd seen on our first visit. It was a cool evening, perfect for a hearty meal, so I started with a farro soup with funghi porcini and Kim had the lentil soup - both were excellent. The fiorentina was as good as it had looked, though we decided it would be rude to gnaw on the bone in public.

We had a wonderful 2001 Badia e Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva, one of my favorite Chiantis. No room for dessert tonight! They did offer complimentary grappa after our coffee. Total for dinner this visit was just over €90.

Definitely one of our favorite places on this trip!

Reviewed by: jgk from FL, review #1363

When: 2005

Small and informal. Good home cooked unusual food like stuffed black cabbage and chicken with zucchini. Didn't like the house red wine. Tom Hanks' picture on the wall.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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