Groupon junkies (and restaurant update)

I love discounts and -50% always catches my attention. Earlier this year I signed up to Groupon.it and now receive  a daily email of offers which can be annoying but buried amongst all the offers are some gems, particularly restaurants. Grab the offers when you can.

Eating a full menu in Michelin starred restaurants, including wine, for less than €50 per head is compelling and we have experienced some incredible meals. Latest additions to our list of favourite restaurants are:

 

I Caffi in Aqui Terme was well worth the drive and we will return at some point to try the wide variety of steaks offered in their Brasserie in the evenings. Brilliant food that included a seasonal capon salad with fruit, a risotto with gold leaf and black truffle and a perfectly executed tagliata amongst other goodies. It also provided a reminder to visit Pace (Arneis aperitivo) in Canale whose Barbera we enjoyed at Leone d’Oro.

 

Cascinale Nuovo is another must in Isola d’Asti. I will never forget the millefoglie of foie gras and tongue with port jelly, nor the lightly curried risotto. In fact at around €45 a head we decided to blow the discount and ordered a sublime Sottimano Barbaresco Cottà 2000, although we still finished the wine offered with the deal!

You don’t have to stay with the Michelin starred restaurants to find Groupon value:

 

Gener Neuv in Asti offers a great deal and excellent service but the portion sizes were a bit overwhelming.

Refined Antinè in Barbaresco was a great (re)discovery.

We also haven’t been limiting ourselves just to offers as we live in an affordable foodie paradise.

 

Our other latest favourites are Le Torri in Castiglione Falleto where they have the most amazing Carne Cruda served with black truffle and salty ice cream or if you’re hungry try the tris d’antipasti, and lamb cutlets cooked in crispy grissini crumbs. A panoramic terrace overlooking the vineyards up to La Morra is the perfect setting and not expensive.

Talking of views both Rabayà in Barbaresco and La Donna Selvatica newly opened in Neive have beautiful terraces and good food. Interestingly my favourite dishes in both were the snails and the seafood pasta, not to mention the eels in Donna Selvatica. Both worth a visit

 

Hard to fit them all in particularly when the truffles and porcini arrive at our special, more regular  haunts like La Torre del Monastero, Il Camino and  I Due Regni and they are only 5 minutes away in Neive Basso