GREAT DINING EXPERIENCES
When I allow myself a contemplative moment away from chasing the adrenhlin rush of a Milan Maratona or the sentiero de Mottarone my mind seems to settle on meals. Why is that?
Perhaps it is because my life is travel and I never separate Life from food.
This evening I had one of my best meals in Italy. As is often the case, it was accidental and without reservation. It was on a magical tiny island called Isola Superiore dei Pescatori which sits prettily in the Italian lake called Maggiore.
The restaurant is called Verbano and from it's terrace it commands views of Isola Bella and Isola Madre along with the mainland cities of Stresa and Baveno.
It is an old ristorante dating from 1895, and has served many other accidental tourists before me. I am not the first to enjoy the quality of the food and the warm hospitality of its hosts. There will be others after me who will have the same happy pleasure.
Perhaps it is because of this history that Verbano no longer needs to chase yield management quotas to encourage more than the other four diners enjoying the evening with us. Perhaps it is this long practice that makes the military carriage of the starched maroon vested waiters seem flawless.
The amazing aspect is that this world can exist only 50 minutes from the bustling center of Milano. Then again, maybe it is because of its proximity to this potential mass market that it can exist. Whatever the case, I am happy with my momentary good fortune. I have had a wondeful meal, superbily executed while watching the sunset on Lago Maggiore before the IHC Group purchases it and it succumbs to numbered oblivion.
11 April 2011
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