Filo Fieno

After a beautiful sunset at Lake Orta, it was time for dinner. And what better way to end our first day here than with some hearty local cooking and a bottle of Piedmont wine? We found ourselves at Filo Fieno, a restaurant serving rustic Italian cuisine in the historic centre of Orta San Giulio. Judging by the crowd, we were not the only ones looking for a good meal. Both levels were almost filled! This was not fine dining with elaborate presentations or fancy techniques. Instead, the menu celebrated local ingredients and traditional flavours, the kind of food I enjoy discovering when travelling. We started with trout carpaccio with horseradish and preserved lemon, followed by fried Toma cheese, pasta with mushrooms and bread gnocchetti in bagna cauda, a traditional Piedmontese sauce made with garlic and anchovies. Rich, comforting flavours that reflected the region's cooking. But the dish that surprised me most was the rabbit in porchetta with riso al salto. I must admit, rabbit is not something I would usually get excited about. But this turned out to be my favourite dish of the evening! The meat was tender, mild and surprisingly similar to chicken. It sat on a beautifully browned, crispy rice cake that reminded Mike of a hash brown. We paired dinner with a bottle of Arneis, a local white wine from Piedmont. A refreshing change from the reds we often associate with this famous wine region, and a lovely companion to our rustic dinner. What I enjoyed about Filo Fieno was its unpretentious approach. The food was rooted in local traditions, the atmosphere was casual and lively, and the restaurant felt like somewhere people came simply to enjoy a good meal. From Milan's busy streets to Lake Orta's charming old town, a romantic sunset and now a delicious discovery over dinner, our second day in Italy had been a wonderful change of pace.