Osteria taStè
Simone’s suggestion for lunch brought us to Osteria taStè at Tre Stelle, just outside Barbaresco. And once we arrived, I understood why.
The restaurant sits among the rolling vineyards of the Langhe, with a view that almost makes you forget to look at the menu. Rows of vines stretched across the hills under a beautiful blue sky. This is the sort of scenery that makes lunch in Piedmont feel very different from lunch anywhere else.
We decided to share a selection of dishes so we could try more of the kitchen. The meal started with little bites of focaccia topped with peppers, anchovies and capers, followed by several very Piedmontese appetisers. Vitello tonnato was naturally on the table, together with beef tartare and other cold preparations that were simple, generous and very much in keeping with the style of an osteria.
There were also seafood and vegetable dishes before we moved on to the primi. The tajarin with meat ragù was probably the plate that immediately said Piedmont to me. Fine strands of egg pasta, rich sauce and plenty of cheese grated over the top. Nothing complicated, just the sort of comforting food that makes you want another forkful.
We also had a hearty vegetable soup and a beautifully cooked fish dish to finish the savoury part of the meal.
What I liked about taStè was that the food did not try too hard. It felt rooted in the region, served in generous portions and meant for sharing around the table. Exactly the kind of lunch I enjoy when travelling with friends.
And then there was that view.
Food tastes slightly better when you are looking across the vineyards of Barbaresco with a glass of local wine in front of you. I am quite sure there is no scientific proof for this, but after this lunch, I am happy to defend the theory.
A very good recommendation from Simone, and one of those lunches where the setting, food and company came together naturally.
