St Moritz, Graubünden & the Southeast - Discover Switzerland: Experience the Best of Switzerland - page 551

( 091 743 32 96; Vicolo della Chiara 1; mains Sfr19-42; lunch & dinner Tue-Sat) Tucked away
on a cobbled lane, this has all the cosy feel of a grotto . Sit at granite tables beneath the
pergola or at timber tables by the fireplace for homemade ravioli and hearty meat dishes.
From the lake follow the signs up Vicolo dei Nessi.

Information
The tourist office ( 091 791 00 91; www.ascona-locarno.com ; Largo Zorzi 1; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri,

10am-6pm Sat, 10am-1.30pm & 2.30-5pm Sun) is nearby.

Getting There & Away
Trains run every one to two hours from Brig (Sfr52, 2¾ to 3¾ hours), passing through
Italy (bring your passport). Change trains at Domodossola. There are also runs to and
from Lucerne (Sfr54, 2¾ to three hours). Most trains to Zürich (Sfr58, 2¾ to three hours)
go via Bellinzona.

What's Cooking in Ticino?
Switzerland meets Italy in Ticino's kitchen, and some of your most satisfying eating experiences in Ticino will hap-
pen in grotti - rustic, out-of-the-way restaurants, with granite tables set up under the cool chestnut trees in summer.
Alongside the Ticinese specialities below, perch, whitefish and salmerino (a cross between salmon and trout, only
smaller) are popular around lakes Lugano and Maggiore. The region's bounty of new wine, chestnuts, game and
mushrooms make autumn a tasty season to visit.
• » Polenta Creamy, savoury maize cornmeal dish.
• » Brasato Beef braised in red wine.
• » Capretto in umido alla Mesolcinese Tangy kid-meat stew with a touch of cinnamon and cooked in red wine.
• » Cazzöla A hearty meat casserole served with cabbage and potatoes.
• » Mazza casalinga A mixed selection of delicatessen cuts.
• » Cicitt Long, thin sausages made from goat's meat and often grilled.
• » Robiola Soft and creamy cow's milk cheese that comes in small discs.