Scrigno del Duomo – Trento, Italy (7/10)
Jul 3rd, 2008 by admin
Lunch in Trento was a spur of the moment decision. It would take around an hour to drive there from Limone Sul Garda, where we were staying, and as we unusually had no plans for the day, a trip to Trento seemed like fun.
It was Monday, so almost everything was closed until 3.30. Luckily, husband spotted a smart restaurant almost as soon as we arrived, in the Piazza Duomo, and though we searched for alternatives, there weren’t any that we could find, and not knowing Trento, we settled for our first choice. Having done no research for lunch, we were quite impressed with the place. On our return home, I discovered that it has a Michelin star, and was listed in a recent Guardian article, Michelin-starred meals for under £20.
Scrigno del Duomo is set in a centuries-old building, and some of the original features are still visible. The interior, with an open kitchen area, is modern and trendy, and we were seated on the ground floor in the informal wine bar area. The restaurant is downstairs in the cellar.
Bread arrived in a paper bag, which was opened in front of us. It seemed a little gimmicky, but it turned out to be DOC (Italian quality assurance label for food products, like the French AOC), and very fresh.
What I ordered:
I was impressed with the €25 three course set lunch including wine – starter of terrina di funghi con primizie dell’ orto vinaigrette di erba cipollina (mushroom terrine), main of pappardelle di casa con ragù d’anatra e piopparelli (parppardelle with duck and porcini mushroom) and dessert of aspic di spumanti e frutti di bosco, biscotto allo zenzero con gelato alla vaniglia (spumanti jelly with berries, ginger biscuit and vanilla ice cream).
Vegetarian husband chose the gnocchi di patate e piselli con alici e pomodori datterino (€10.00), followed by a buffalo mozzarella salad with basil and potato (€9.00).
The food was simple, modern and delicious, while the dessert was one of the best I’ve ever had anywhere.
The verdict?
What did not impress me at all was the service. It was a far cry from the three-starred experience at Dal Pescatore just two days ago. Scrigno del Duomo would have received a higher score, had the snooty staff deigned to acknowledge our presence. It goes to show that eating at a restaurant is not just about the food. If the service isn’t welcoming, no one is going to return, let alone write positively about their meal.
The bill came to a very reasonable €43 (no alcohol), although we were initially charged for my dessert, which was supposed to be part of my set lunch…
Afterwards, we walked past a lovely, cosy restaurant that I would have loved to have eaten at – Ai Tre Garofani, 33 vis Guiseppe Mazzini, as well as Ristorante Patelli, just a few doors down this street. And on the way back to Limone, we drove past an impressive fairytale castle on the edge of a lake in Sarche, Castel Toblino. I’ll have to add it to my restaurant wishlist…
10 – Perfection, 9.5 – Sensational, 9 – Outstanding, 8.5 – Superb,
8 – Excellent, 7.5 – Very Good, 7 - Good, 6.5 - Above Average, 6 – Average
All the Italy restaurant reviews on World Foodie Guide
Contact details:
Scrigno Del Duomo
Piazza Duomo, 29
38100 Trento (TN)
Italy
Tel: + 39 0461 220 030
www.scrignodelduomo.com
oh helen – every time you throw in a review of a place in italy i just stare and stare at each picture. i want to get lost in that mushroom terrine! NOW!
amy
Hi Amy,
It was really good. So fresh, so flavoursome and not like anything I’ve had before. I’m sure you guys can whip it up in minutes though! I look forward to reading about your re-creation!
Spot on review, given my lunch experience there. I went there alone one day when my travel mates were elsewhere. No problem being alone, so I set up in the patio area — in fact, in one of those very tables seen in your picture!
The bread, as you said, was excellent. So was a next-course duck salad. But then my wait began. OK, I’m patient, but I waited and waited and waited with absolutely no contact with the “wait” staff. Hmmm, “wait staff” — that’s funny! I had ordered the gnocchi, but approximately 45 minutes AFTER I had finished the salad, my waiter came by finally to tell me that these were gone and would I like somethiing else. You mean so you could begin to cook that something else? Weird service, and I truly am not an impatient American. I was comfortable writing notes about this place!
I opted for dessert instead of food — a stunning peach and peach ice cream thing that was outrageously fresh and good. It included some other fantastic fresh fruits too.
So, my assessment? Good food, has some customer service/communication issues to deal with.
Also, and I know this was Europe and not cigarette-stuffy United States, four people who arrived midway through my salad sat just next table and all lit up incredibly food-UNfriendly cigarettes that overwhelmed any delicacy I was feeling (and tasting) in the food. Yuck — and, no, I didn’t do that little cough-cough thing to note my disgust!
Pedalaforte – good to hear from another diner! The wait would have driven me absolutely mad. And to be informed after 45 minutes that they’d run out of what you ordered is really unacceptable. It’s a shame because good service on top of the good food would make this a wonderful place to visit.
Helen Yuet Ling