If you imagine Umbria to be one big rural idyll, as I once did, the southbound E45 towards Todi comes as a bit of a surprise, flanked by industrial and retail units. I suppose not every Umbrian can be a farmer or an olive grower or a vineyard owner any more than we can all be sheep farmers or farm shop owners in Britain. The complete rural idyll is something of a myth, even here.
But as we headed south, there were increasing glimpses of the gentle Umbrian countryside – densely wooded hills, groves of shimmering olive trees and row upon row of vines, dripping with grapes, awaiting the Autumn harvest. That was more like it. And suddenly there was Todi, a proper hill town, doing what hill towns do best – perching on top of its hill.
Todi itself is a rather unremarkable town when compared with Umbrian neighbours Assisi or Orvieto, but it's a pleasant enough maze of steps and slopes and squares. In the broad piazza, where we stopped for coffee, a road crew was assembling the most enormous stage, with a lighting and sound rig that would do justice to The Rolling Stones. We never found out what this was for, but whatever it was it was going to be loud. Perhaps it was The Rolling Stones.
Persistent searching of the town rewarded us with the discovery of the recommended Antica Osteria delle Valle, where we stopped for lunch. The streetside restaurant was simple and inviting, with a shady canopy above just a handful of outside tables. The day's menu was handwritten and taped to the window (usually a good sign). The attractive young waitress, who may have been the owner's daughter, or may have been here temporarily from eastern Europe, spoke English with a markedly strong, strangely Transylvanian accent. She offered help with the menus. "For eny help viz ze menu you only heff to esk me. But plees, mek sure zat you finish your meal before sunset... oh, look, you heff cat yourself on ze knife... here, let me see..." Sorry, I watched a lot of Hammer horror films as a child. Somehow, Ingrid Pitt has made a lasting impression.
We started with the recommended antipasto della casa – crostini with fondue cheese flavoured with truffles, then a selection of bruschette and some other items which we couldn't identify, but which tasted good nevertheless. Then the pasta della casa – strangozzi with fresh tomatoes and truffles, and I had the beef fillet. The strips of meat were beautifully cooked, meltingly tender and served with rocket, lemon and olive oil, with a scattering of juniper berries on top. The odd whiff of two-stroke from a passing scooter added a certain non so che.
Curiously, there were no mirrors in the toilets...
Osteria delle Valle, 19 Via Ciuffelli, Todi
Tel 075 8944848
The restaurant doesn't appear to have its own website, unless it only comes online after sunset...?
3 comments:
"Todi itself is a rather unremarkable town when compared with Umbrian neighbours Assisi or Orvieto, but it's a pleasant enough maze of steps and slopes and squares."
You, sir, are an idiot. Orvieto is ugly and grey with bad food. Assisi is marvellous, but full of tourists and therefore overpriced. Todi, meanwhile, has one of the greatest mediaeval squares in the world. It also has the best food in Umbria, being a Slow Food town.
Todi is a precious jewel: a romantic antique medieval township of hidden osterias, trattoria, gelatorias, and churches perched atop a hill with a commanding view of the valley below. We arrived at the height of the white truffle season and had wonder local food including wild boar, wonder homemade bread, the local scamorza cheese and regional wine bold, and resplendid all at bargain prices. Ahhhhhhhh!
Steve and Vicki Salkow
To 30sandlost I say it's always nice to get constructive criticism about blog posts, or corrections when they are patently wrong. Actually the comment I made about Todi was not derogatory, simply my opinion. I could say the same about your assessment of Orvieto, with which I disagree, but that's your opinion.
By the way I'm not sure how being a Slow Town guarantees that Todi has the best food in Umbria, since Orvieto, which you claim has bad food, is also a cittalow. I'm afraid that you, sir, are confused and opinionated.
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