After far too much indulging in hearty Triestino mountain fare over the Easter weekend, the objective was a quick light lunch as quite a few kilometers (almost all of them, actually… late start) still remained to get to Rome.
Being behind schedule of course shouldn’t stop anyone from buying local specialties, especially when they’re being sold from a truck/improvised veggie stand off the side of the road. Veneto white asparagus in this case…
“E senta, ma ci sa indicare un bar dove potremmo prendere un panino…?” (Oh by the way, can you point us towards a cafe’ where we might get a quick sandwich..)
He suggested a McDonald’s close by… blank stares all around.
“Oppure c’e’ una trattoria un po’ piu’ giu’ a destra. Ma e’ semplice, ci vanno i camionisti.” (Or there’s a trattoria down the road. It’s really simple though, truck drivers go there.)
You just love hearing that! Like anywhere the world over, where there be truckers there be honest home-style fare. And sure enough, it didn’t disappoint. Il vecchio baraccon (roughly, Ye Olde Shack), was simple, clean, no-frills, filled with locals and workmen.
Wine and water were served within 30 seconds, hadn’t even asked for them. Another 30 seconds later and the owner came over to take orders. Choice of a primo (pasta), a secondo (main course), and a contorno (veggies/side).
Exactly what the doctor ordered. Portions were not enormous, and the flavors were perfect. The produce was fresh, the main courses prepared at most an hour or so before hand.
Total cost per person (including the water, wine, and an espresso each)?
…11 euro.
Long live il vecchio baraccon!
And you just had to put the pictures in glorious color on here, too! Fie! It’s 8:30am here and I’m already salivating.
Simplicity, quality, taste, value, good service. Sounds just great GB and makes us all miss Italia!
What a great find. Can’t wait to try it.
Wonderful! The kind of place we always hope to find.
My kind of place! (thanks for the map) GB you do know food………..
excellent text and wonderful pictures of such great food
Now, why or why can’t there be a place to eat like this within a mile of my house? ?
BG, Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves for paying so little, with smiles on your faces?
Arthur B.
OK, except I would not have believed the price if you had not taken a picture of it! Que nostalgia Io ho per Italia!
Wonderful story and pics GB! Reminds me of a very similar trattoria in the famed Bosco di Consiglio, Italy’s second-largest forest. Taking a little extra time to ask about and find where the inhabitants in a village go for a quick, simple meal is always worth the effort. Our meal was all the more enthralling because the site of the trattoria – through several manifestations of course – dates back to 1258.
Oh my. Just the kind of place you dream of finding. It. Looks. So. Good. Thanks for sharing.
11 euro? soltanto 11 euro per tanta bontà? beato chi capita al vecchio baraccon!!! f.