Restaurant Review for Vinandro – VINO F. Desco Molle
Mino Da Fiesole 33, Fiesole
(0039) 055 59121
https://vinandro.it
Don’t get me wrong, I love Firenze but lately, I’ve been yearning to get out of this city. This past weekend a couple of friends and I decided to go to Fiesole to visit a Teatro Romano (Roman Theater) and finally satisfy my craving for something new. Fortunately, we got there early and had the entire theater to ourselves. It was truly stunning. Our admission also covered entrance into two museums, the Museo Civico Archeologico and the Bandini Museo. After exploring the theater and the Museo Civico Archeologico, our stomachs began to growl in hunger and we decided it was time to eat. We gallivanted around the Fiesole square to find that this town was fairly slow. Cars would pass every 5 minutes, bikers would stop to refresh themselves and restaurants didn’t open till noon. The open restaurants were accommodated for tourists and didn’t quite catch our desire. After walking back and forth, around and around in circles for almost an hour, we finally found the place that we all agreed on… VINANDRO – Vino D. Desco Molle
Vinandro was hidden away from the main attractions on the outskirts of the square and had just opened. We had the option of outdoor seating (like every other restaurant you see around Italy) or indoor seating on a large family dining table. At this time, I guess you could say we were all getting a bit hangry and just wanted to eat, so we chose to eat inside where we can all sit comfortably.
My first impression as I walked inside was a cave, a small home office, and a tiny dorm room with a bunk bed. The room was the size of a Matson container cut in half and stuffed with as much table space as possible. The walls were decorated with shelvings of fake food, empty alcohol bottles, art pieces, pictures and t-shirts for sale. There was a table area against the wall that was filled with magazines and books. All furniture was wooden, which also gave the overall aesthetic its rustic/home feel vibe.
They have two separate menus, one in Italiano and one in English. The server gave us our menu, and judging by our conversations and the way we dressed, he gave us the English one with no hesitation. There was no music playing. We sat in silence, studying the menu and deciding which dishes we wanted. Shortly after, an older couple squished next to us on this long family dining table and filled the space warmly. There was only one worker in the front that took care of everyone. He did not serve us right away rather the couple that got there after us. His service shows respect towards locals and the elderly. It took him a while to take our order, but when we did this is what we requested…
The Maccheroni – Meat Ragout
Tagliatelle -Tomato sauce
Seasonal Vegetable Ratatouille
Tagliatelle -Etruscan Style
Leek and Goat Cheese
As we waited for our food I began to truly study the place, and it started to feel like home. There were pictures of the founders like a mom and pops shop, hidden tarot cards near the cashier register, a flickering light, and a picture demonstration of how to make wine. These things brought me back to a place where I grew up, that sadly I forgot about, my grandmas’ old house. She would always have pictures up on the walls, shelves of wine bottles, the decor of fake grapes and garlic, and always a flickering light that just needed a little twist. The winemaking demonstration actually made me share a story with my friends that my grandma told me…
When my grandma was a little girl, her father (Papa Foti) would make her and her two siblings ‘make’ wine in their basement. They would have to step into these barrels and squish and squish and squish the grapes with their feet. One night they heard the barrel rattling as if it’s going to burst. Now in the middle of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the early 60s, Papa Foti would have gotten fined big time. He did not want the firefighters to come after hearing a loud explosion. So, he took the initiative into his own hands. Papa Foti told the kids to grab containers and follow him. He opened the lid to the barrel and it explodes like a volcano. My grandma and her siblings had to catch the remnants of the jammed grapes with their containers.
It didn’t take long for the food to arrive. The first dish to come out was The Maccheroni – Meat Ragout with a side of Seasonal Vegetable Ratatouille.
The Maccheroni meat Ragout was my main dish. It reminded me very much of home. The noodles were a little hard but perfectly Italian. It tasted exactly like the boxed hamburger helper that my brother loves. I would definitely recommend it if you are craving an umami taste. I liked the meat to pasta ratio. There was just enough meat to every noodle that allowed me to get the best of both in every bite. The size of the dish was perfect for me, just enough to fill me up.
The side of Seasonal Vegetable Ratatouille reminded me of BBQ Sundays at Moms’ house. There were peppers, cucumbers olives, and garlic that were well seasoned with herbs and olive oil. It had a definite grilled taste that was too overpowering for my liking.
Then came the Deep Fried Baby Mozzarella and both of the Tagliatelle pasta. The Deep Fried Baby Mozzarella was not my favorite. I think I was expecting a thick-crusted/fatty mozzarella cheese stick like from OutBack. But these baby mozzarellas were balls and tasted as if deep-fried in olive oil. The oil overpowered the mozzarella taste. The textures met my expectations and made the dish.
The first Tagliatelle dish was The Etruscan Style. Its name alone was mysterious. This dish had a refreshing taste. I heard one describe it to have a ‘grass’ flavor, but I wouldn’t agree. Mixed with these flat long egg-based pasta strips, was a blend of mint and pesto. I enjoyed it and would definitely order it again.
The next Tagliatelle was with tomato sauce. A dish so simple that can never go wrong. This dish was actually my favorite. You can tell the tomato sauce did not come straight out of a can. This tomato pasta was also very cheesy and even better when you add parmesan on top.
The final dish was the Leek and Goat Cheese Pasta. I have never tasted leek before and expected it to taste like vegetables. Surprisingly the pasta itself is not green but tasted very green like veggies. It didn’t have a heavy flavor like the meat ragout but a subtle and light one. Overall I enjoyed this leek and goat cheese pasta and would order again.
After finishing our meals, we asked for the bill and to our surprise, it was fairly reasonable. I took the time to observe Vinandro one less time. At the beginning of this experience, I felt congested in a cluttered room. Throughout our time there, this place began to remind me of home and it was comforting. Everyone has their own preferences and experiences, but I would definitely recommend trying Vinandro. We finished the day by walking through the Bandini Museo. Fiesole is an experience. It is truly beautiful and can’t wait to go back!
kaiusrootz 