Trattoria del Glicine in Cernobbio… In February, Mr. Hibernator has a firm grip on Lake Como. Almost all tourist spots are closed and many catering establishments and hotels are closing their doors for a period. Taxi and ferry boats also operate to a limited extent. Spring is the time when Lake Como revives. The oh-so-large choice of restaurants, trattorias or osteries is today reduced to what is open.
From a terrace in Tremezzo under a radiant winter sun, we scroll through Tripadvisor with an aperitif in our hands. Ultimately, the choice fell on Trattoria del Glicine in Cernobbio: typical dishes from the region, tasted by locals and with good reviews. You can also find the restaurant on the Michelin website. We reserve a table and look forward to a nice evening…
Trattoria del Glicine is located a little higher up in Cernobbio in the middle of a residential area. You have to drive in circles to find a parking space. The terrace is overgrown with wisteria. We are curious about what the view will bring on a sultry summer evening.
We are welcomed in a friendly and hospitable manner by the hostess and waiter. The young man – dressed in a white shirt and with his hands behind his back – asks timidly: “Do you want the menu in English or Italian?”
The dining room with wooden parquet floor is spacious, cozy and furnished with care. Beautiful and authentic, you almost feel like you are in an old Italian film. Trattoria del Glicine is a family restaurant where dad is still behind the stove. Nice!
The waiter (the son?) puts a basket of bread on the table and serves water from glass bottles bearing the trattoria’s logo. An eye for detail, told you.
With the exception of one table of Dutch people, we dine alone: no locals to provide atmosphere tonight. Then an intimate dinner can also score. However, there is no shortage of attention because the hostess likes to chat and is very friendly and correct when serving.
The menu offers dishes that follow the philosophy of the house: “l’eccellenza della cucina regional d’Italia”. What should you propose? Very different things… Be sure to take a look at the menu! The melanzana parmigiana would be delicious…
The prices are higher than what you would expect from a local trattoria if we compare, for example, with Trattoria il Tipi Tipici or Trattoria la Moltrasina. And ingredients such as foie gras also indicate that del Glicine is aiming for something a little higher. But it is the very extensive wine list that catches the eye, including a Barolo for 750 euros.
We order Piemontese beef tartare and Scottish salmon tartare with capers with a glass of wine by the glass. By the way, we receive excellent advice when choosing the wine. The starters are well prepared and very tasty. Of course, a tartare is just a tartare: you shouldn’t expect many crazy things in taste and presentation.
For the main courses we go for steak with green pepper sauce and grilled deer fillet with wine sauce and a hint of blueberry. The meat is of very good quality and perfectly cooked. Once again simple, neat and very tasty… La cucina di una trattoria! The portions are rather on the small side. We still have a little hunger and share a chocolate mousse cake with a coffee.
The bill is 115 euros and we think that is too high. A price around 85 euros seems correct(er) to us for a small portion of steak, pepper sauce and fries. Were there better options on the menu? Maybe! Do we feel robbed? Not at all! We had a delicious meal of honest and well-prepared Italian cuisine. We enjoyed Italian hospitality in an authentic setting. Would we recommend this trattoria? Absolutely.
Why not end on a positive note? We simply add the small mouth of the new Italian Wolf and split the bill by three: so we eat on average for 38 euros per person and not for 57.5 euros…
How should you rate Trattoria del Glicine? A super trattoria with delicious food where you pay a surcharge for the setting, the service and of course the wine list. If you were to go, perhaps suggest that we speak of Ristorante del Glicine from now on?
