Rosso Rubino Trattoria In Montepulciano

21/11/2024: A unique experience among the many traditional Italian restaurants, all with good food. They have the best [not traditional Tuscan] bread and they serve it with the best balsamic vinegar we've had in any restaurant ANYWHERE. We've never had a dish we didn't like. Visit with no risk of disappointment. Update one year later: we still come often, but I admit that we often order our same favorite items. Last night changed our future behavior. We were in a mood for something different. We still ordered our standard pasta dish: Pici with Tuscan beef ragu, but then we branched out into the unknown. We started with a baked eggplant with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. It was life changing. This 5 euro appetizer was the best vegetable dish either of us have ever tasted. I Will try my best to recreate it, and our host was open about some of the critical secrets. We followed with slow roasted pork neck in a wonderful sauce with mashed potatoes and fennel. Every bit as good as the eggplant, but not so unique.

17/10/2024: When we manage to spend a few days relaxing in Sarteano, the Taverna di Merlino has become the obligatory stop for dinner. The dishes are all delicious, everything homemade, including bread (a real delicacy). The kindness and professionalism of the owners are the icing on the cake. Well done guys, the five stars are well deserved.