Absolutely unique and delicious experience with a great sommelier: Restaurant Pappagallo (20. December 2018)

Our original intention upon entering the Pappagallo was to try the famous “tagliatelle al bolognese” – however, things turned out quite differently. Instead, we went for a “tasting menu” (EUR 80.00) which was put together especially for us. It started with bread and broken grissinis.

Then, the fun bagan – we started with a “fired capon meatball, in double capon beef broth” which was creamy, smooth, and overall quite delicious but you wouldn’t taste much of the broth.

The second course was much more to my liking, the “fassona raw meatball with 20-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano mousse and crispy red onion crumble” (usually EUR 17.00 on the menu) was delicious. The meat was cut in rather big chunks but was delicious in terms of flavour. The Parmesan mousse was good and it fit well with the meat but in terms of portion size, it was too much for my personal gusto.

The next course was the “antipasti” course, a “selection of “Culatello”: 18 months, 22 months Riserva, black pig” which was interesting as you were able to try different aging stages of meat and the black pig was overall quite interesting.

Then, there was also a selection of cheeses served, i.e. “camembert with beetroot velvety; St. Maure de la Dragonnerie with hazelnuts; Provolone del Monaco with creamy chickpea; Fassano, alps cheese; Pecorino di Pienza Riserva with figs bread” which was generally a nice selection although a bit much.

The next course was truly inspiring – I loved the “homemade Tortellini in 30-months aged Parmigiano Reggiano milk cream” (usually EUR 18.00 on the menu). The Tortellini were perfectly al dente and the Parmesan milk cream was incredibly smooth and rich in flavour. This dish was just mouth-watering!

The next one wasn’t any worse – the “Spaghettone of fresh pasta with Medicina’s red onions in different textures” was great. Again, the pasta was perfectly al dente, a tiny portion but so rich in flavour you would just enjoy it a lot!

The “Lasagna alla Bolognese and Parmigiano Reggiano bechamel” (usually EUR 15.00 on the menu) was good but not as good as the previous two pasta dishes. The lasagna itself was good but it was a bit too crispy for my gusto and very close to being burnt.

The main course was a selection of four different meats – “slow boiled Fassona tongue, mustards, green sauce and compotes” (apparently, at Christmas time in Bologna, sole boiled meats and tongue are a must, to feel part of our traditional cuisine you gotta try that). The tongue was an experience for itself. While I somewhat liked the texture and flavour it is something not that easy to get accustomed to. The oxtail was fine but what was truly delicious was the veal cheek.

Slowly but steadily, I started to have enough but it was time for the first dessert, a “selection of blue cheeses: fourme d’ambert with pan d’epices; shropshire cheese, marinated with carrots and Port Wine; handcrafted Mascarpone” and I must say, I liked it. The portion was tiny but by that also quite tasty as it wasn’t overwhelming.

The last dessert, the “hazelnut semifreddo with crispy sponge cake crumble and meringue on chopped hazelnuts of Alba IGP” (usually EUR 10.00 on the menu) was good but just too much at the very end for me.

The place is rather simple and was – at first – a bit sterile when we walked in (especially since we were the first and only guests for about one hour). Later, when people started coming in, it became better in terms of atmosphere but the place remained half empty anyway throughout the entire night. The service was exquisite though, they were super attentive and friendly once they realized we were not here just for one dish but wanted to eat and experience the cuisine from Bologna. And the sommelier, Giacomo, did a spectacular job at providing us with an incredible experience – he did not only provide us with the perfect matching wines but was also super enthusiastic about it – something I can appreciate.

All in all, we didn’t manage to have Tagliatelle alla Bolognese but it was definitely worth the visit! If you go to Bologna, this place is a must!

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Pappagallo

Piazza della Mercanzia 3C

40125 Bologna (IT)

Tel.: +39 051 232 807

E-Mail: ristorante@alpappagallo.it

Homepage: http://www.alpappagallo.it

About the Author: Sven

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.