Day 4-6 More of Tuscany
Finally a feeling of home...or did I just wanted to make that home!? This was the first night that I had a really nice and comfy bed to rest on, with a down comforter. Woke up early as usual but very well rested. I totally took my time to get up and get ready. By the time I walked into the breakfast room was already past 9:30AM. However it didn't matter because I wasn't the last one.
Then the funny thing was to find out there were two couples who checked in the same day as I, one stayed on my left side and one on my right; and they were both from California also! Not only that, but all of us covered the bay of SF! Don and Libby were from Pleasanton, me right in the middle of Emeryville, and Ben and Kathy were from Novato! So hopefully very soon, we'll have a reunite at the restaurant!
Starting out with a nice breakfast, Alberto then told me he had already arranged lunch for me at La Porta, located in a small town close to Montepulciano called Montechello. When I sat at the terrace looking over the rolling hills of Tuscany, reading the menu that La Porta offered, I knew I was at the right place!
My only wish was Viv was still there, so that I wouldn't look too bad if I really ordered the whole menu. Well I still ended up ordering 3 dishes and matched each with wine that the owner recommended. I was hoping I could make it there again the next day to try the rest of the menu that interested me, but of course Alberto had other plans for me. Guess I just have to make it back next year! That Tagliolini al Tartufo(Tagliatelle with truffles) was so simple but really out of the world and sure was the best truffle I tasted!
After 3 sensational courses and 3 glasses of wine, I was just glad the ride back "home" was only 15 minutes. All I did before my dinner was lay right by the pool and being under the Tuscan sun! Of course with the hospitality that Relais San Bruno offered, Alberto brought me another glass of wine already as soon as I found my spot under the sun. Could life offer anything better than this?
After showered and changed, with no doubt; Alberto already had my dinner reserved at Ristorante il Rossellino in the town of Pienza. While Don was also a wine lover, and heard of the wonderful dinner that I had the night before, he and Libby decided to join me for dinner. We of course then invited Ben and Kathy. I thought my restaurant was small, il Rossellino was half of my size and could only seated about 16 people. We were very lucky that Alberto could arrange for all of us to fit into this little restaurant, and met the owner Enzo. Ristorante il Rossellino was a little different from the two wonderful meals that I had. This definitely had more of a home cooking touch to it. It sure was a nice change before another big restaurant meal that I was going to have the next evening! Really nice touch of how Alberto arranged the dinners, so I wouldn't get overwhelmed.
Last but not least, I must thank all my dining partners, who were all so kind to share all their dishes with me!
*More pictures on Flickr.