La Taverna – Perugia, Italy

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This was definitely the best meal we had while in Italy.  It is the La Taverna restaurant in Perugia, Italy (yes where Amanda Knox had her drama).

My wife (Marnie Schmidt) posted a review on TripAdvisor on July 3, 2015 so I thought the easiest thing for me to do is copy that review below.  You can also check out other reviews at the La Taverna TripAdvisor link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187907-d1171825-Reviews-La_Taverna-Perugia_Province_of_Perugia_Umbria.html

Claudio Brugalossi Executive Chef
Executive Italian Chef representing Disney World Resorts
Executive chef at Hyatt Tampa/Oystercatchers

We were on a group tour and our tour guide recommended this hidden away place as one of his favorites. So we went to check it out and make a reservation for the following evening. Claudio, the executive chef and proprietor greeted us and offered us all a glass of Prosecco and chatted with us as he simultaneously ran the whole operation from front door to kitchen. When we arrived the next evening, he greeted us personally again and saw us to the best table in the house out in the beautiful Italian courtyard. With no additional words necessary, the meal tells the rest of the story….

Appetizer – fennel, cucumbers, olive oil/bread, caper berries, tomatoes

Antipasto – artichoke crustini, truffle crustini, mortadella, capicola, salami, chicken liver pate, potato pancake, goat cheese and arugula salad

Pasta course – beet/mozarella caramella ravioli with gorgonzola cream sauce and poppy seeds, truffle and porcini ravioli with (a mountain of) shaved truffles

Main course – Veal w/ porcini mushroom sauce with scallop potatoes. Grilled fish with garlic mash

Dessert – Chocolate mouse with hazel nuts

House made lemoncello
House made chocolate liquor

The pasta is all hand made by a woman whose mother was the house’s previous pasta chef. What a memorable evening!

This guy is great and hope he comes back to Tampa to open a restaurant in his retirement (since we live in Tampa).  Here is a link to his website. http://www.ristorantelataverna.com/home.htm