Quaint and Off the Beaten Path

My favorite thing to do when traveling is finding that little place that locals enjoy. I find the small, cozy spots often provide the best experiences. And Trattoria dal Taio fit the bill. The dining room could fit about 20 people on a crowded night, but when we were there it was only half full... which was great. The service came with a smile at all times, and with a great passion for the local processes and offerings, which I loved.

In typical Italian fashion, meals are split into courses... appetizer, first and second courses and then dessert. Yum all around. For apps we chose local prosciutto and bread (that was served with some regional gorgonzola on the house which was delicious.) The wine started flowing as well, a local Valpolicella grape variety which was full bodied and aromatic. 

My starter was actually the star of the show for me... homemade tagliatelle pasta with wild boar ragu. Oh my! Every bite was better than the first. A slightly al dente cook on the pasta made it utterly delicious.

For my main dish I chose a steak cooked with green pepper corns and covered in a homemade steak broth. Quite tasty, although not overly impressive. 

And then we capped it off with some Crema Catalana... a deliciously eggy cream dessert which is to die for. (Especially with a late night expresso!)

All in all, the meal was scrumptious, the prices were reasonable, and the atmosphere quite nice for an off-the-beaten track on a back road in Verona.