La Ginestrella In Varzi

12/05/2025: The latest gastronomy investigation took Watson and myself to Cassolnovo: I must admit that until that moment, this town had always been just a transit location to reach Vigevano; instead I discovered a place still anchored to the traditions of the past that lives on agriculture. The town is not small at all, so much so that the Spezza tavern, our destination, is located in a hamlet, separated from Cassolnovo by the state road. After booking (mandatory, but above all necessary given the small number of places) we went as usual to the opening which, to find freshly baked bread at the table, must not be before eight in the evening. Here, in a single room where there is also a cold cuts counter, you are welcomed by the owner, whose wife is usually behind the stove. Extreme simplicity, extreme courtesy, extreme availability: these are the characteristics of the restaurant and the property. On the walls a good choice of Piedmontese and Lombardy wines with absolutely competitive prices. The menu, declared verbally by the owner and shown on a blackboard, is based on the availability of products of the day. Watson and I order a small platter for two (it's not small at all and the cured meats and cheeses are first choice) as an appetizer, two risottos with Castelmagno and hazelnuts and some veal rump with potatoes. The preparation is homemade, not by a starred chef, but everything is genuine and the 20 seats available mean that you immediately become part of a large family made up of a few customers with the two owners acting as hosts. With a bottle of 2023 Cascina Fiorenza Langhe Nebbiolo, a coffee and a dessert, we spend only €30 each!

08/03/2025: Posto piccolo e accogliente, ho mangiato e bevuto benissimo con un prezzo veramente onesto… assolutamente da consigliare. Il titolare poi è stato particolarmente gentile.