on to Bologna!

so we are off to Bologna- here is the map of the area we traveled on this trip- Trieste (upper right hand corner) then Venice about 2/3 of the way over - in the middle of the top of the map) and finally Bologna (lower part of the map in the middle) 

so- again- we are off to Bologna on the high speed train - 220kmph (132mph) - a quick trip of a little over two hours- 

then we took a cab to our hotel - which was perfectly located right by the square in the city center - from the middle ages... 

we almost immediately leave for lunch because our room is not quite ready- we found an EXCELLENT place only a few blocks away- Da Nello...

our starters- salumi plate and zucchini flowers- 

mains - tagliatelle bolognese and lasagne carbonara-

the place was absolutely perfect and we got to eat outside to add the icing on the cake!  ON the way back to the hotel we made a circuit of the main square where they are holding a festival celebrating the pride of Bologna - mortadella (or as we call it- bologna! LOL)

tonight we have a reservation for the fancy place in a hotel- with a ceiling recently uncovered which revealed a fabulous frescoe---

 a salmon crudo for an amuse-

triple tartare dish for my starter (below) - Phil's (above) was culatello I think--- LOL - this is what happens when you get delayed in posting- LOL

butternut squash mezzaluna pasta and spinach on the side-

Phil's main and my main (scallops with mushrooms)

a very nice extra - a pre-dessert of chocolate mousse with cherries and pistachio macarons-

I couldn't eat dessert but Phil managed- LOL

this was an excellent meal but way too much food - I was unable to eat much of the last few courses-- we are only in Bologna for two nights so that we can stop on the way back home in Frankfurt to see our friends Claus and Evi... but I may not have mentioned that we had been here before... so this is a return engagement - driven by the food Bologna is famous for...

our lunch the following day was unexciting but dinner was fabulous- and so I will follow up on that right here and now- this is another place worth seeking out (along with Da Nello)

fried zucchini flowers, again (sigh! LOL- only kidding!)

White truffle tagliatelle and white truffle ravioli--- we may not get this again this year so every where we saw it we ate it!

and a house made mascarpone with intensely flavored berries! yum yum!

OK so that is the run down on the food- three of four meals were fabulous... so worth heading to Bologna more than once.... next up a final post of some of the center of Bologna and its famous library---