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Santa Croce: Trattoria Pallottino

Via Isola del Stinche 1 , Phone: 055.289573
www.trattoriapallottino.com

Reviewed by: Jeff Whiteaker from Slovakia, review #3844

When: 2011

Pallottino used to be a reliable standby, but having eaten there recently for the first time in four years, I feel that they've slipped a little in quality.

On trips to Florence in 2005 and 2007, I was quite wowed by Pallottino's pasta and risotto dishes, particularly a farfalle with truffle oil and zucchini shavings, and a risotto ai funghi porcini that was without question the best risotto I've ever had. However, coming back here in October of 2011, I noticed the food was a little lacking, a little less memorable or distinctive. Whereas I once recommended them pretty highly, they've slipped down my list to the point where I'm not sure they're worth mentioning anymore.

I ordered tagliatelle ai funghi porcini, which was good, but it came in a thick cream sauce, and they were really heavy-handed with it. This kind of dish works best when the sauce is light, and when the pasta is not drowning in cream. The porcinis were quite flavorful, though. My wife ordered farfalle with truffle cream sauce and slices of zucchini (similar to the one I mentioned above), but it just seemed to lack that "wow" factor that their pasta used to have. At least the pasta for both dishes was cooked perfectly al dente. So, not bad, just not that great.

For a secondo we split the chicken al mattone with roasted potatoes. Again, this was merely good. The chicken was pretty flavorful and tender, the potatoes were nicely roasted, but the whole thing was a little over-salted. Honestly, my wife (who, I admit, is a professional chef) makes this dish much, much better.

So, this review is really just an update to say that I don't recommend Pallottino as strongly as I used to. Based on this recent experience, I'd give them about a B-. You can find better food at places like I Tarocchi or Ristorante del Fagioli.

Reviewed by: Elizabethwix from USA, review #3605

When: 2010

The worst food we have ever had in Italy. Bloody under cooked chicken. Tasteless fiacciaria. Slow, unresponsive service.

My husband and I went to dinner there on Tuesday November 2nd 2010.

The service was very slow. No bread offered.

My husband's pasta fiacciaria was tasteless --not piquante at all. Just like tomato sauce.

His chicken was undercooked and bloody. We should have refused it. The waiters noticed when they removed his plate of uneaten food, but no explanation was given.

Waiter had to be asked twice for bill. Ungracious and depressing.

We have been travelling in Italy for 40 years and our experience here was HORRIBLE.

Price was 47 euros for two inferior dinners.

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

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Santa Croce: Trattoria Pallottino

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