Cibreo Caffe'

I recently spent a couple days down in Tuscany visiting a good friend who works at this wonderful place. On my way home we stopped in Florence for lunch. Now it's been 3 years since I've been in Florence and call me stony of heart or whatever, but in the past it hasn't really done it for me - mobs of tourists, packed piazzas and disgruntled shopkeepers. Plus I am spoiled living where I am pretty much guaranteed at least a good meal wherever I pop in. The last time I was in Florence I went on a mad rush that lasted into ridiculous hours of the night to find a restaurant that I deemed beyond tourist quality. Let's just say I wasn't in the know.

But today Florence gained some points in my rather closed book thanks to B's local insight and the charming brilliance of Chef Fabio Picchi's Cibreo Caffe'. The caffe's big sister restaurant, Cibreo, is right across the narrow street (in fact waiters run hot dishes from their kitchen to caffe' guests), but was out of our modest lunch budget - we are, after all, tightening strings for the mother of all trips to Paris in less than a month.

First thoughts on entering - "SO charming!" Plush red velvet theater chairs cozy up to small cafe tables dressed in crisp white cloths and wine bottles sanded down to glasses hold cheery yellow flowers. The menu is an abbreviated offering of the restaurant's goods, and I particularly enjoyed the variations on standard primi; no pasta here but rather creamy soups, savory flans and fish carpaccio. B started off with a steaming terrine of gorgeous thick cream of fish soup, based on a stock that shames lesser contenders into a corner. I went for the gelatina di pomodoro, essentially a cold tomato flan (yeah, yeah, not in season). How refreshing, how elegant, perfectly complemented with subtle herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Secondi followed up with a perfect autumn day's stewed rabbit in a tomato sauce so thick and "mop it up with your bread" good for me, and a chicken salad for B, which she happily described as a chicken salad sandwich on a plate. The highlight of this dish was the generous helping of homemade mayonnaise: lemony with a peppery, slightly bitter finish - no doubt made with Tuscan olive oil.

Lunch for us finished with coffee - espresso cups come with lids to keep them hot if you have them outside - more cuteness! - but there was a long list of dessert options that probably would do the country proud, and given Italy's general record with sweets, that is saying a lot.


Cibreo Caffe' - moderately priced
Via del Verrocchio 5/r
Florence
055-234-5853