My Kind of Food

Bologna is the heart of the foodie and agricultural region of Emilia-Romagna.  It is known by many different names, la dotta ( the learned one) refers to its reputation as a place of knowledge, being home to the oldest university in the west, la rossa, refers to the red stone and brick of the buildings as well as reflecting the left-leaning politics of the city, since the second world war.  La rosa (the pink one, similar to the red), also indicates the colour of the buildings and, shall we say, the city’s liberal social attitudes.

Another sobriquet that is of particular interest to us on this blog, is that of la grassa (the fat one).  Bologna has an immense and well-deserved reputation for good products and great cooking.

Eating local salami, mortadella and tagliatelle al ragu (never, ever “spagbol”!) in an unpretentious local trattoria is a great way to spend an afternoon.

A number of years ago I discovered a restaurant that offers a slightly more polished version of local delicacies.  I’ve been back four times now and each time it has got better, in terms of the level of sophistication of the cooking and its presentation but most especially in relation to the intensity and combination of flavours in the food.  

Camera con Vista (Room With a View) is the place and while the website isn’t the best, it is very out of date, I think, if you go, you’ll experience some great food. The decor is whacky, the staff friendly and helpful and English is spoken well.

On my last visit, yesterday, I started with Uovo pochè, patate al tartufo, salsa Perigueux (poached egg with truffle potato and Perigueux sauce).  The combination of soft poached egg, silky smooth potato and heady black truffles could only have been improved if the potato had been put through a foam gun to make it even lighter.

Next up was Ravioli d’anatra mantecata topinambur, foie gras (ravioli with creamy duck, Jerusalem artichoke and foie gras).  This was a rich, buttery and intensely flavoured dish which I’d wolfed down long before I thought to take a pic!

For my secondo, I choose Maiale in due cotture, insalata di pomodori, glassa di arance amare (pork cooked two different ways, tomato salad and a glaze of bitter orange).  Despite being full of flavour and well cooked this was the weak point of the meal for me, for a number of reasons, perhaps the most significant being, I’d already eaten too much and my appetite was beginning to suffer.  One of the servings of pork was the cheek which was unctuously soft and tender, the other a piece of fillet which by comparison was slightly dry.  I would’ve been perfectly happy just to have the cheek, sometimes less is more.  The bitter orange glaze was a welcome addition to the dish and it was tasty but I can’t say I could detect any orange flavour.  The addition of the coastal vegetable, barba di frate, gave a little bitterness and salty sea flavour to the dish which certainly added a layer of complexity.

I highly recommend Camera con Vista if you’re in the area!