Lubriano: Sensory Overload

At dinnertime on a summer night, a small trattoria perched on a volcanic rock precipice outside Lubriano dishes out a sensory overload. It hits as soon as you sit at your table – one of three – on the tiny back terrace, lilac-tone table cloth in chromatic synch (accidentally or studied?) with the lavender and pale yellow petunias in the window box hanging on the railing. And looking out over the floral clutches, you’ll see Civita’ di Bagnoregio, seeming to teeter on a friable volcanic rock plateau like a fragile crown and slightly off to the left, Lubriano stretches along a neighboring volcanic cliff, the belltowers centerpoints of both towns. The day’s heat haze fades into a periwinkle sunset, a harmonious backdrop to the plum tones of the tablecloth and napkins, the petunias.

All this would be enough, you feel, as you sip a crisp local white wine while gazing out at the splendor. And then the goodness arrives from the kitchen of Il Vecchio Molino (“the old mill” and yes, wheat was once ground here) where young Barbara has reigned at the burners for thirteen years, conquering rave reviews from Slow Food. Just the antipasto of tasty mixed crostini previews that you’re now on full sensory overload: more than the view will make this a memorable dinner.

My friend Silvana and I split the antipasto and then she opted for the pappa al pomodoro, tasty Tuscan bread-and-tomato-soup and the pistachio-stuffed ravioli won me over.

Not an easy choice: the ravioli filled with the wild green, borage and topped with a zucchini and zucchini blossom sauce had tempted, too: the choice of a young man at the next table (there with a friend on a “must-try” recommendation)

I was out to taste what I could of Barbara’s culinary creativity but the ravioli satiated; luckily, our waiter, wispy-mustached Dario, kindly conceded me just a half-portion of the second course: wild boar in a sweet-and-sour sauce. For a side dish, I ordered the legume trio with fresh baby tomatoes and Silvana chose chicory.

Desserts were delivered to the other tables.
We two could only admire the zuppa inglese and meringhe with woodland berries.

Maybe the next time? We’ll be back.

Read about Lubriano’s famed miraculous Madonna
Click here to read about nearby Bolsena – and why we love it
Click here to read about other Bolsena treasures
Read about a memorable day at Bolsena
To read about Lake Bolsena’s July Living Tableaux, click here.
Click here to read about another Lake Bolsena gem.