I birbi

I went there some years ago. And I violated my principle not to write about a Restaurant after the first visit. My review was not good and luckily it has disappeared from the web.

Yesterday night Nixy and I went there again and it was a positive surprise. It started well by avoiding to order a natural wine. We compromised on a Malvasia (antichi vitigni) di Zanchi (“somewhat orange”) as the Patron said. I was sure Zanchi does not produce bad wines, but more about this later.

Let us start with the highlight “Assaggio di carciofi”, which we obviously ordered as Nixy goes mad for Carciofi. The chef must be lauded for the idea already! combining a plate of raw carciofi, grilled carciofi and deep fried carciofi is genial, the carciofo being even a presidio slow food. Well presented and well cooked.

We ordered 3 starters. Beside the carciofi “animelle con fave e cicoria” and deep fried zucchini flowers. I agree with the combination of animelle and cicoria. I am much less convinced about combining them with puree di fave as both are in tendency sweet and dry. What about using friarelli napoletani? Well this is talking around, I enjoyed the dish.

The wine resisted even the carciofi and paired very well with the other starters. not elegant, but aromatic and fruity and full in the mouth, color really orange.

The bread. 10 extrapoints for the bread, it was so good that we had to get a refill for the secondo as we finished it with the starters..

We chose twice Baccala’ this evening, the first time with the primo, pici with baccala’ and urtica cream. I love urtica as a vegetable, but in combination with Baccala’ I would make the same comments as on sweatbread and fave. The pici were as you should expect in Perugia, but cooking them, the salt in the water had been forgotten, happens…

We went on with one secondo: Baccala’ with friggitelli- approved and wild asparagus- wasted.

and two side dishes (fagiolina del trasimeno and obviously grilled carciofi) .

Who ever bought fagiolina del Trasimeno knos that it costs! (>12 Euro/kg) but it is worth any cent.

The wine in the meantime had developed strong Ananas and Mango aromas, but that was just OK with Baccala’, Carciofi and Fagiolina.

We finished with a semifreddo of coffee cream, which was fine and we paid 118 Euro for 3 starters, 1 primo, 1 secondo , 2 contorni and 1 dessert. And more we really could not eat. A honest price.

Will I go back to i birbi? Maybe yes, if the patron would be more enthusiastic about his own creations! but no smile no explanation and highlighting of the menu only the usual phrase “If you have questions..”

And there are many Restaurants in Perugia.