Padova: Passed on the Cavallo and Asino

Leaving Chiesa di Eremitani, we continued onto the restaurant Mui had found on a quiet street. Reviewers suggested that one would pass right by it since it had little to recommend it from the outside, but that the food definitely made it worth going in for a meal in a casual atmosphere. Perfect!

We found La Risorta Osteria del Re Fosco easily enough … though it was indeed quite inconspicuous. There were tiny two-top tables on the narrow sidewalk across the street … for aperativi only as there wasn’t enough space to place two dishes on it at the same time.

The waiter escorted us upstairs and seated us at a two-top. The menu was short and sweet … handwritten in Italian … translated version available in English (also handwritten). A quick perusal had our eyes skimming past the Tartare di Cavallo (Horse Tartare) and the Stufato di Asino (Donkey Stew). No judgment on my part … just a bit too adventurous for my ‘I-love-pasta palate’ even if horse and donkey meat are considered a traditional culinary specialty in Northern Italy.

Instead, to start, we ordered another dish that is an Italian culinary tradition … porchetta … savory, fatty, and incredibly moist boneless pork roast. It’s a dish that Mui remembers from his days living in Roma as a child.

For my main, I ordered the lasagna alla Bolognese … delicious (if a bit more than the usual al dente) … it didn’t have the traditional spinach infused pasta, but the béchamel sauce made it nice and creamy. Mui opted for the peppered mussels, which came in a big bowl … yummy, yummy was his only comment as he dug into the mound of mollusks that were perfectly steamed with just the right amount of ‘bite’ from the black pepper infused in the broth.

After a very satisfying meal, we skipped dessert for gelato later!Read more