Finding me in Stresa for a weekend of 'Liberty' architectural culture I was also looking for a restaurant that was at the same height. Not the usual restaurant for improvised tourists, but something more interesting and that spoke of gastronomic culture. I was not looking for a demanding place, but a restaurant that combined originality in the cuisine, affordable costs and a refined environment. I asked for little, right?
We have thus seen the main restaurants in Stresa present in the web guides, we have read the comments of the users and then we have started looking for these in the city. After having looked at whether the costs were reasonable, that the comments were also on average positive, after about ten phone calls we book at the restaurant the Lombarda. Walking towards the restaurant we cross the alleys and streets of the center of Stresa and as often happens we find ourselves in front of restaurant windows viewed online that showed full tables, other restaurants that were not present in any guide viewed, others that had us on the phone communicated to be already full, some really nice for position. Doubt assails us. Will we have chosen well?
La Lombarda is not far from the center, just five minutes from its main square. The restaurant has a refined and modern interior design and is already a point in its favor. We were actually looking for something original. The tables were practically all occupied, both the inside and the outside. The dishes on the menu did not reflect any local gastronomic tradition, but there was no lack of Lombard products such as Bresaola della Valtellina or Salva Cremasco. We do not use pre-cooked ingredients, so we apologize for the wait that we hope will be rewarded by the flavor and freshness of our dishes. This is the message at the opening of the menu and after ordering we wait patiently. Twenty minutes pass before our dinner begins with a selection of mountain cheeses with jams, then long homemade pasta with rocket pesto and fresh stracciatella, goose fillet marinated with green pepper and seared in a pan. In combination with two glasses of Docg wine Erbaluce di Caluso, a vine grown on the Canavese hills. I admit the wait was long, but what we tasted was absolutely delicious and affordable for anyone. I advise.
