Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
style, at long tables that crowd a series of rooms beneath old photos and memen-
tos, and the typically Piemontese fare never fails to please (all the more so on Sun,
when many other restaurants in central Turin are closed). Several variations of
gnocchi are usually made fresh daily, as is the Piemontese flat noodle
tajarin
(
7.50), and
agnolotti al sugo d'arrosto
(cheese-stuffed pasta in a roast pork
ragù;
€
8). They also honor an old working man's tradition: At lunchtime, Monday
through Saturday only, you can order a
monopiatto,
which consists of a plate of
hearty pasta (
€
8.30) or a meat dish (
€
10) with a dessert, coffee, and either water
or wine included in the price—one of Turin's great bargains.
Worth a Splurge
€€€€
€
555
(Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 41, next
to Libreria Zanaboni at Via Goito;
%
011-6504589; Mon-Sat)
—which translates as
“Once Upon a Time,”—you'll feel as if you've entered a bit of a time warp: a large,
old-fashioned second-floor dining room filled with heavy old tables and credenzas,
and a highly professional waitstaff that seems to have been in place, unchanged,
since the 1950s. Until recently, the restaurant only offered a set-price tasting menu
(
€
24-
€
26) of authentically Torinese dishes that never stopped coming; if you
choose this option, don't bother making plans to eat for the next 24 hours. But due
to popular demand the restaurant has introduced a la carte choices as well. The
menu changes daily, but might include crepes with ham and cheese, risotto with
artichokes, a carrot flan, rabbit stew, or a slice of beef with polenta. A meal like this
deserves a fine Barolo—and almost always requires that you book ahead.
Arriving at
C'era Una Volta
55
(Via Bellezia, 37;
%
011-4366553; Tues-Sat, Mon dinner only)
has been one of the city's most pop-
ular eateries for more than 3 centuries, a bright wood-paneled room with friendly,
professional service and a five-course gourmand's tasting menu that's a steal at
€
35. The salami are hand-carved at your table for an appetizer, and the daily
changing menu mixes Torinese and Piemontese specialties with slightly creative
dishes using local ingredients. Some of their better creations include
agnolotti
(meat-filled pasta ringlets) in a pink
ragù
(
Another Torino classic,
Ristorante Tre Galline
€€€€
9), risotto with basil and truffles
(
€
13),
carré d'agnello in crosta di erbette
(lamb cooked with herbs;
€
15), and rab-
bit cooked in apple vinegar (
€
16). If you don't book ahead, don't expect to get in.
WHY YOU'RE HERE: THE TOP SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
Though best known for its famed shroud, Turin has a number of worthy sights
and attractions, from world-class museums to art-filled churches. Allow a full 2
days to explore the town fully.
Around Piazza Castello
Don't be misled by the baroque facade on the
Palazzo Madama
€
5
(Piazza
Castello;
%
011-4429912; www.palazzomadamatorino.it;
€
9; Mon-Wed and
Fri-Sat 10am-7pm, Thurs 10am-11pm, Sun 10am-8pm),
which was added by
architect Filippo Juvarra in the 18th century. If you walk around the exterior of
the
palazzo
—named for its most popular resident, Madama Reale, aka Marie
Christine of France—you'll discover that the massive structure incorporates a
medieval castle, a Roman gate, and several Renaissance additions. Juvarra also
added a monumental marble staircase to the interior, most of which has been
