Touch - (Firenze, Italy)

 Touch was referred by a close friend who had earlier dined here by locals recommendation.   Run by Chef Matteo Giuliani who has worked over many Italian cities and veritable kitchens,  the kitchen team decided they should come back closer to home and  cook up some traditional Tuscany fare with an avant garde experience.  The naming of the shop ‘Touch’ has also partially to do with it’s modernized iPad menus.  On one of the walls,   the restaurant also states almost with arrogance that they won’t serve any touristy dishes such as an Pasta Alfredo..

 

 

Inside Touch -

 

 

 

Some Prosecco aperitivo to start off the night -
It is so common in Italian much like Cava is in Spain.

 

 

 

 

Lurisia Mineral Water -
From the Maritine Alps close to the Italian-French border.

 

 

Bread Basket -
This is better than the norm offered in many Italian restaurants.  The sesame ladened Grissini are especially appreciated and together with their local Tuscan olive oil.

 

 

 

iPad Menu -
The menu items are both modern and also local Tuscan at once. 

 

 

 

 

Seafood Antipasto Platter – Euro 25
Sourced daily from the markets.  This had raw Sea Bass,  the prized Mazzancolla prawns from the Mediterranean sea,  Salmon and a Tuna Tartare.  Served with sliced peaches,  mango sauce and lemon.   All of these are from the local seas and served raw -  the kitchen says it is their local interpretation of Japanese sashimi.   All very fresh and lovely  ~  9/10

 

 

Raw Mazzancolla Prawns -
One of the most prized prawns in the Spanish/Italian waters,  in fact some gourmets treat this as superior to Red Prawns due to their extra sweetness.  I have got to say these were definitely amazing and sweet,  but whether they are better than the Red Prawns?   Different.

 

 

 

Now onto some Bolgheri from local -

 

 

 

 

Bistecca Fiorentina -  800g
Euro 3,50 per 100g

 

 

Dalla Terra -
I was told that this steak is local Tuscan Chianina Beef,  although some people afterwards mentioned that this is too cheap to be true.  Since I saw local butchers selling this from around Euro28 per Kilo at the market and plus the restaurant actually wanted to show me their meat supplier as they are proud of their meat,  I don’t have doubts as to their intentions.  It certainly was amazing as the steak was really flavourful and so meaty and thinking about how great this was has me swooning again.  One of the best steaks I have had for a long long time,  and it also comes with fried potatoes sandwiching fried herbs in between.   Very much better than the already not too shabby Chianina steak I had at Nino Ristorante (Rome) previously.   ~  10/10

 

 

Steak cooked briliiantly -
Very memorable indeed.
Although I only ordered food here which were more testing locally sourced ingredients than culinary flair,  I guess this is within the real spirit of eating Italian food and when produce is considered sacrilege?   In this sense,  Touch was a very well done job as both produce and execution were excellent,  and the price also very reasonable.  Most of all,  it was not at all touristy like the other 99% of ristorante one finds everywhere in the city.

 

 

 

Price:   Euro 61,00 including Wines and Water
Ease of Access:  2/5
Food:  ♕♕♕♕ 1/2 – ♕♕♕♕♕


Opening Hours:
Everyday 19:30pm til late

Address:  Via Fiesolana 18/r Firenze, Italy
Ph:+39 055 24 66 150

da Nerbone - (Firenze, Italy)

 This isn’t my first time here at Da Nerbone,  inside Florence’s Mercato Centrale.   Once again it is quite touristy but probably so for a reason.   They are most famous for their Cow’s 4th Stomach and Porchetta sandwiches.

 

 

Mercato Centrale -  subdivided into the Seafood corner and the Dry Goods section -
Miss here and my last visit was too rushed as a day trip… 

 

 

 

Nerbone and it’s Menu -
Very decently priced at only a few Euros each..

 

 

 

 

Lampredotto -  Cow’s 4th Stomach
This is actually one of the rarest parts of the cow,  as the Chinese also eat this and it is considered a rare delicacy due to the limited portions per carcasse.    The other 3 types of stomach tripes are more commonly available.

 

 

 

Porchetta and the jus -
Looking so tempting indeed..

 

 

 

 

Some Chianti wine by the glass -

 

 

 

 

Lampredotto “4th Stomach” on Panino bread,
with Salsa Verde and Salad Piccante -
This was pretty good although the stomach pieces were more on the softer side compared to Chinese cooking of the same.  The panino bread was surprisingly fragrant despite the pale color.  The Salsas were slightly too weak to my liking.   ~  7.5/10








L
Porchetta Panino -
This was tender and fatty,  it was likeable but could do with more pork taste.  The Pork gravy that was spooned on top however was really good.   Wish it had a more crispy skin too.   ~  7/10

 

 

 

Plenty of local Porcini Mushrooms and other Tripes and Organs -
All available for a dime.   The Lampredotto sandwich here was still quite good,  but if you aren’t visiting Florence anytime soon,  very similar sandwiches can be found in Rome especially in the Testaccio quarters.

 

 

 

 

Price:   Euro 10,00
Ease of Access:  4/5
Food:  ♕♕♕♕ 1/2

Address:  Mercato San Lorenzo (aka Mercato Centrale), Florence, 50123
Ph:  055 219949

Trattoria La Madia - (Firenze, Italy)

 Florence or Firenze is quite touristy,  because when you are sitting on the train you notice every tourist from America or Japan will inevitably get off here,  rather than hopping off at the next stations such as at Bologna or Modena, etc.   Tuscany does have it’s appeal,  but I don’t think Florence is really that representative of the whole region either.  

 

 

 

Florence is steeped in History and well represented by their Architectural buildings -
With the likes of Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore and many other monuments which dates back nearly 1,000 years. 

 

 

 

 

Local Lobsters,  Fishes and Octopus -
Liking the shine and freshness of the seafood

 

 

 

It is not easy to find authentic regional Tuscan food within Florence’s CBD -
Looking at 9.9 out of 10 shops here,  almost all just serve touristy Italian food and which totally lack the real Tuscan regional dishes.    I even saw Spag-Bol on different menus a few times.   I actually worry about Florence as a whole – in nearby Modena, Bologna,  also in Rome, Naples, etc,  there are also touristy spots yes but many also provide the local regional food.   Not so in Florence on average..   I honestly think Florence has lost it’s plot long ago,  and luckily I managed to find a restaurant which served some authentic Tuscan food after combing through their menus with a magnifying glass.

 

 

 

Crispy Grissini and Cold Bread -
As is expected in most of Italy,  they’re decent but won’t be as pleasing as the bread you eat in France or the UK on average!

 

 

Lardo di Colonnata -
A visit to Tuscany literally begs for a plate of this cured fat,  which is from local.   Here it was served with diced hazelnuts and rosemary herbs and bread,  with a drizzle of olive oil.   This was one of the best versions I have had, and you can see the small strips of meat attached.  It’s aromatic, melts in the mouth and not too salty,  also soft.   Pretty different to the ones I ate even in Rome,  or elsewhere in Hong Kong,  Australia, etc.  ~  10/10

 

 

 

Some Casadei IGT Super Tuscany wine -
Blended from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  Really enjoyable actually,  it has the boldness of Italian wine but also the finesse of a French Bordeaux blending technique and new French oak presence.

 

 

 

 

Pappardelle al Cinghiale – Wild Boar on Pappardelle Pasta  12 Euro
A local Tuscan pasta dish.  This didn’t look so presentable,  but the flavour was definitely decent.  It’s a simple dish but you can detect the small attention to details here.  The wild boar can be found as both bigger ragu like pieces and also as a minced meat,  giving it texture but also a nice sauce coating.  Also note the singular olive on the side.   ~  7.5/10
 

 

 

Wild Boar Ragu pieces on the left,  Minced Wild Boar meat on the right -
Best of both worlds!

 

 

 

Espresso to Finish off the meal -
The coffee was not too bad & definitely more approachable than the smoky and woody versions down further south of Italy.   The food in Trattoria La Madia here was definitely decent -  the Lardo was sensation stuff.  The Wild Boar pasta on the other hand doesn’t look like much but thoughts have been put into the 2 tiered ragu sauce,  though it could still do with more depth in meatiness or herbs.   The pasta was cooked spot on.   What’s more important is that…  Florence really is in need of more of these authentic restaurants which aren’t universally touristy and tries to milk the ill-informed customers’ money,  a problem I have been noticing for a while but that’s reality!

 

 

Price:   Euro 30,00
Ease of Access:  3/5
Food:  ♕♕♕♕  to ♕♕♕♕ 1/2

Address: Via del Giglio 14, Florence, Italy
Ph:  055 218563