porcarorama picturescope: Helsinki

Helsinki, The city in which rabbits and foxes might cross your way

Porcarorama consiglia: ristoranti italiani nel mondo

Since I am visiting cities all over the world and I have abandoned my reticence to go to Italian restaurants, this section provide you randomly with fresh information about were to eat a proper italian meal and coffee.

Addis Abeba (Ethiopia)
"Ristorante Castelli", P.O. Box 803, Tel: 011-1563580 / 011-1571757
One of the best Italian Restaurant I have been outside Italy. It is somehow a quite strange setting since it is located inside the building that used to host the headquarter of the Fascist Party during the Italian Occupation between 1936 and 1941. And it is the oldest italian place in town. It is definitely worth a visit for its historical value and for the excellent food.

Shanghai (China)
"Bella Napoli" 140, Xi Kang Lu (Nearby Nan Jing Xi Lu), Tel: (21) 62538358, www.bellanapoli-sh.com
I love Chinese Food. However, after more than one week of banquets and official dinners I had between Beijing and the Shandong Province, the first evening in Shanghai was perfect for my Italian Restaurant review. Bella Napoli proved to be perfect, in all senses. Truly Neapolitan-Italian, I felt at home tasting the "Paccheri" with spicy tomato sauce and the "antipasti misti". The Tiramisu was excellent and the coffee definitely the best one I had in China during my trip.

São Paulo (Brazil)
"Ravioli - Cucina Casalinga" Rua Joaquim Antunes, 197 - Pinheiros, Tel: (11) 3082-3383
This by far much better restaurant than the "Cantina Capuano" which some guides of the city might try to sell you as the super typical italian restaurant, because it was the first one that opened in the city 100 years ago. Ravioli is far away from the cliches, could be a normal italian restaurant in Tuscany or in Lazio and the food is delicious. Next time in the city i have been recommended to try as well the "Famiglia Mancini", if you pass by there before me try both and let me know!

Helsinki (Finland)
"Nerone" Pursimiehenkatu 27, tel. 09630670
www.ravintolanerone.com
If "Da Antonio" in Vilnius you have to be careful with the paintings on the ceiling, here you really need to watch out if you sit on the table in the middle because there is a real Roman Chariot suspended there. The decoration is consistent with the chariot and the name of the restaurant, so you will find gladiators and other ancient roman oddities. The people working there are from Campania (my region) and the lasagna is good and big, the pizza I have not tried but it looked ok, and prices are resonable, You will have good and tasty time there, enjoy!

Vilnius (Lithuania)
"Da Antonio", Pilies g. 20, tel. 852618341
Don't get afraid by the paintings which are hanged on the ceiling (which are to say the least an oddity which i rarely found in a restaurant so far), if you manage to get over this first shock then you can really enjoy the simple and cosy atmosphere of "Da Antonio" in the main street in the old town of Vilnius. I suggest not to take the pizza (they don't have wooden heated oven) but try the different kind of home made pasta (the agnolotti are particularly good) and go for panna cotta instead of the tiramisu.

Buenos Aires (Argentina)
"Piola", Av. Libertad 1078, Buenos Aires, tel. 48120690 - www.piola.it -
There are two remarks here to make. First of all in Buenos Aires all restaurants are somehow italian, no need to further comment on the fact that this Country has such a huge italian influence on food culture, with the advantage of having the best meat in the world, probably. Second remark is that a "Piola" pizzeria was almost making it to this blog in New York (but Rosario had priority). Piola Buenos Aires confirmed that it is possible to eat a proper pizza in various continents and that Piola is definitely synonimous of quality (but take the big pizza and not the individual one).

Seoul (Korea)
"dal 1887", 47 Samchung-dong, Chongro-go, Seoul, tel. 722 5930 -
This is a very tiny restaurant, which i recommend if you want to take a break from Galbi, Bulgogi, Kimchi, etc. They only serves spaghetti and of course you need to understand that you are here very "far" away from Italy, taking these circumstances into consideration then "dal 1887" is a good place because the pasta is "al dente" and quite tasty. Though being one of the few italians who don't eat cheese I had a small accident with my dish there... order a tea instead of the coffee at the end of the meal.

Stockholm (Sweden)
"Tvalpalatset", St. Paulsgatam, 28, tel. 086422001, Metro Mariatorget -
This is not an italian restaurant. But it is one of the cosiest cafes ever that makes a good espresso coffee and they even give you a glass of water before you drinl your cup, something rare already in Italy outside Naples. As you can immagine already this detail qualifies the place for this list. Further the price is almost italian (10 SEK for an espresso = 1 Euro more or less). A surplus is the decoration of the place and the music: you will love it.

Bruxelles (Belgium)
"Casa Italiana", Rue Archimede 37-39, 1000, Bruxelles, tel. 027334070, www.casaitaliana.be -
This will probably not be the only italian place in Brussels which i will put in this section, but it has for sure the merit of having conquered the first place in cronological terms. It is a mix between a typical italian "salumeria" and a small classy restaurant. It is not cheap, but it is worth of it.

New York (USA):
"Rosario's Pizza", 173 Orchand Street (corner of Stanton Street), New York City, 10002, tel (212) 777-9813 - Sandwiches, Hot & Sweet Sausage, Pepper Steak, Baked Manikotti, Baked Lasagna. But in reality you should go there to listen to Salvatore A.K.A "Sal" which knows the best stories of the city and cooks like my mum would do. For that you need to call him and say that you are my or marco's friend. Enjoy!

Budapest (HU):
"Karoly Cafe", V. ker Karolym Mihaly utca 19, Budapest, tel (061)3280117 - A real "ristorante ligure" in the heart of the magnificent capital of the Danube and a coffee which is basically like in Italy. Recommended: the strozzaprete with mushrooms!

Pristina (KS):
"Panevino", UCK street, between Police Avenue and Mother Theresa - Above all this restaurant is memorable for having hosted italian supporter during the Finals at the World Cup, Germany 2006 (I was among them - see my other blog for further references). You can eat very good pasta and a reasonable pizza.

porcarorama picturescope

Friday, 5 September 2008

Helsinki

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