THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN TUSCANY, PART 2

Ah, Romano. Our visit here is still the subject of a heated debate. Was this one of the best restaurants we visited in Tuscany, or was the limited menu reason enough to remove it from our top 10 list?

Romano Franceschini and his wife Franca (who also serves as the executive chef) opened this family restaurant in 1966, and have since become a local institute, as well as a Michelin-starred restaurant. Some of the dishes served here are considered classics of the Tuscan coast.

Romano’s menu changes seasonally, and is very focused on seafood. There are fish dishes, but not that many. Here, seafood delicacies, such as langoustine (scampi, in Italian) and cuttlefish, are the stars. Since a full meal here, wine excluded, will cost around 95 euro per person, some might say that a more varied menu is to be expected. Others would claim that the restaurant should stick to doing what it knows best, and has been perfecting for 40 years. Our tip to diners considering this venue would be to consult your waiter and ask for his recommendations. Try at least one of the classics, and base your choice of dishes on the season’s specials.

If we may skip to the end for just a minute, it’s worth pointing out that for us, despite its limitations and flaws, Romano offers some exquisite dishes and is definitely worth s visit. Even though our menu consisted mostly of langoustine-based dishes, served in different forms and dressings, they were the best langoustines we’ve had in Italy –  fresh, delicate, sweet and pure. They were perfectly prepared, presented almost nude, as if the chef were so sure of the quality of his produce that he felt no need to wrap it up in exciting spices or overbearing flavors. Other diners, on the other hand, expected more complex dishes and a more varied menu, They found the style here to be a bit too simple.

An incredible dish of fresh langoustines, Sardinia artichokes and heavenly mayonnaise. But is it enough to declare Romano (in Viareggio) one of Tuscany’s best restaurants?

Our antipasto was probably the best dish of our meal – fresh langoustines, served with artichokes from Sardinia (this dish is only available during artichoke season, naturally) and Romano’s signature mayonnaise (one of the best we’ve tasted in any restaurant). The complex bitter-sweet tastes of the artichoke, combined with the delicate, pure, fresh taste of the seafood, and the creaminess of the mayonnaise, was perfect.

Other dishes were also good – the tiny calamari filled with a finely chopped mixture of vegetables and shrimp was fun and very tasty, but my friend’s insalata di mare was a bit bland.

My main course was, once again, scampi… This time served in  a rich butter sauce.

Seafood risotto. Why is it that so many restaurants in Tuscany serve their risottos extra-al-dente?

The seafood risotto was good, though a tad salty (and those who like their rice well done should choose a different dish. Like many other restaurants in Tuscany, Romano make a very al dente risotto, keeping their grain with a strong bite).

The deserts were well executed and tasty (though not spectacular). A millefoglio with cream and fruit, and a hazelnut tartufo, followed by an assortment of biscuits offered by the chef, and some strong coffee, were the perfect ending to the meal.

All in all, this was a very good meal, but a bit overpriced in our opinion. We would have liked to see more options on the menu, but something should be said for the fact that the memory of the scampi remained and floated in my mouth for several days after our visit to Romano.

As we were leaving, we could see the numerous people walking in costumes to the Viareggio carnival, held yearly, and famous in all of Italy. Naturally we couldn’t resist taking a couple of photos…

People in costume at Viareggio’s annual carnival

Romano, Via Giuseppe Mazzini 120,Viareggio. Tel: 0584-31382, www.romanoristorante.it

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