For lunch, my aunt was seeking out risotto di parmigiano which she had had the last time she was in Italy. We went to Gallo d'Oro (Borgo della Salina, 3, Parma) where we sat outside and had a delicious lunch. As the parmesian capital of the world, we also found some fabulous risotto di parmigiano for my aunt. It was so, so good - rich and creamy and packed with parmesian flavor.
I got a really good salad, with thick slices of parmesian on top.
For dinner, we tried a place that I had been wanting to try for a while, Drogheria della Rosa (Via Cartoleria, 10). As the name implies, it is in a converted drug store. You walk in and the old shelving is still above the dimly-lit tables, cluttered with old antiques and quirky paintings. They bring you some antipasti, all of which is top-notch. Ours included mortadella, culatello, salami and creamy mozzarella di buffala. There was also a bread basket with some tasty homemade bread (one was bright green... herb or olive flavored, perhaps?).
For dinner, I ordered pasta with morel mushrooms. The pasta was light and delicate and quite good, the mushrooms and sauce full of flavor.
My aunt ordered best, though, with tortelli stuffed with squacquerone and stracchino (soft Italian cheeses) and topped with sliced artichoke.
For dessert, just some simple and perfect spring strawberries.
This place was excellent, the service for the most part very friendly and the food some of the best I've had in Italy. Besides the uncomfortable and crammed seating, this place is at the top of my list in Bologna. It is the simple, quirky Italian eatery everyone is looking for, and their food could not have been better. They even gave my aunt a rose of the way out. Does your neighborhood restaurant do that?
