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You are here: Home / Travel / Ancient and Modern – eating out in Garda Trentino

Ancient and Modern – eating out in Garda Trentino

September 3, 2016 by Fiona Maclean 16 Comments

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Last Updated on December 27, 2018

Dining in Garda Trentino:

Riva Del Garda 2

There are certain cuisines which seem so tied into to tradition that the idea of a contemporary version seems counter-intuitive.  Italian food as a whole falls into that category, with those perfect pasta dishes, rich slow-cooked ragus and recipes that are handed down through the generations.  But, a love of carefully prepared and cooked food, a respect for tradition and an understanding of terroir doesn’t preclude innovation.  In the right hands, the result is spectacular.  The wealth of restaurants in Garda Trentino offers visitors a choice – between traditional dining or places where there might be some element of fusion, of new cooking techniques and where what you’ll enjoy is clearly still Italian, but with a twist.  It’s an area that is particularly well known for outdoor pursuits, but the same micro climate which makes the lake perfect for sailing and the mountains great for climbing, results in a wealth of local produce.

Garda Trentino Castle

I’ve already written about my experience in Casina, where we learnt how to strangle priests and ate some fantastic traditional regional food.  Antica Croce, opposite the castle in Tenno and just down the hill from Canale di Tenno, makes and serves its own high-quality carne salada which I’ve written about before.  Of course, we had to try it, a perfect aperitif before a dinner of pike, from the lake, served with seasonal grilled vegetables and almonds.  The food here, just as in Casina, was utterly delicious and, I imagine, very much what nonna would have served fifty years before.  Very much of the ‘if it isn’t broken, it doesn’t need fixing’ mentality.  The hotel has been in the same family since 1909 and there’s a timeless feel to live here.

Garda Trentino Castle

But, it’s possible to just update things a little bit – to stick to the basic, local ingredients and dishes but add a contemporary touch.  Perhaps the most striking of our traditional meals and a good example of doing just that was at Al Forte Alto – a converted Austro-Hungarian fort that was built in 1860.

Garda Trentino Castle

The Chef Patron Marcello Franceschi, focussed on using local ingredients and suppliers to support the local economy.   So, in the atmospheric setting of the fortress, looking out over Lake Garda, we started our meal with a glass of Trento sparkling wine DOC before sitting down to eat

A stuffed courgette flower was fried and served with a sauce made from fish from the lake and garnished with trout caviar.

Garda Trentino Forte Arco

Then, slow cooked ham, with apples and apple vinegar was served on a puree of local broccoli from Torbole. Presented in a billy can, we were reminded that the fortress remained in use through the first world war, though I suspect what we were eating was a lot better than the soldiers would have enjoyed.

Garda Trentino Forte Arco Canelloni

Next, cannelloni stuffed with lake fish and served with cherry tomatoes and a black olive crumble, followed by a white onion soup garnished with tiny pastry parcels filled with lard and potatoes

Then, a palate cleanser of sorbet with bergamot and ginger before our meat course.

Forte Arco Garda Trentino - Beef

The roulade of beef was served with asparagus and a potato gratin.  A classic dish but one made here with local ingredients that tasted perfectly fresh and full of flavour.

Forte Arco Garda Trentino Dessert

The meal was finished with a selection of local cakes and pastries, though by that stage I’d eaten quite enough.  This for me was a traditional dinner of local food, but refined and brought up to date by clever presentation and inventive use of local specialities.

Arriving in Torbole - Lake Garda

A little further along the ‘contemporary’ line, Aqua, in Torbole, claims to ‘retrace tradition on the rails of modernity’.

Chef, Aqua TorboleSet in a fabulous location right on the waterfront at Torbole,  Aqua is a contemporary styled restaurant with plenty of light and space.  We enjoyed a wonderful lunch with more of a focus on lake fish.  I started with lake fish tempura with cream of peppers and ramsons (wild garlic).  A pretty plateful of fish with a crisp and light tempura batter made an excellent way both to start the meal and to enjoy some of the special fish that are found in Lake Garda.

Torbole Aqua - Lake fish tempura

My second course was that kind of simple, classic dish that is lifted by careful cooking and perfect sourcing.  Aqua’s truffles are from Monte Baldo and are supplied by Ettore, a friend of the Chef.  This local truffle is found between Monte Baldo and the eastern side of Lake garda and has been treasured since the Middle Ages.  Only a few hundred collectors are allowed to search for the Monte Baldo truffle.  Served as a topping on a plateful of deliciously al dente ravioli with cheese from Cavalese, an alpine ski resort in Trentino, this was a fragrant, light and yet comforting dish.

Torbole Aqua - Ravioli with Monte Baldo Truffles

Further still on the ‘contemporary’ scale was Ristorante il Ritratto, in Arco.  Aldo Tiboni, the chef, who owns and runs the restaurant with his brother, served my companion a whole range of dishes, a ‘degustation of antipasti’ which she loved.

Lobster and pumpkin soup

Meanwhile, I tried my best to eat a healthy lunch with a plateful of grilled fish served with extra virgin olive oil.  Delicious food and great service yet again, the food served here wouldn’t have been out of place in London.  Unlike many of the places we ate, Aldo complements an extensive use of local ingredients with more exotic produce brought in from overseas or elsewhere in Italy.  The result is what I’d call contemporary European cuisine, though based on some of the fine produce of the region.

Arco Ristorante il Ritratto - grilled seafoodOf course, I’ve just picked out a few of the restaurants we tried.  The area is full of places to eat, artisan produce and great wines.   Next I’ll be exploring a couple of the artisan producers we visited – balsamic vinegar (from Garda Trentino) and an ancient mill which produces some of the typical polenta of the region.  Garda Trentino is best known for its outdoor activities.  But, there’s more – you can eat exceptionally well too, as I hope I’m demonstrating

Meanwhile, if you are thinking of visiting Garda Trentino, why not pin this post for later

 

garda-trentino

 

 

I was a guest of Garda Trentino Tourist Board for this trip

I flew to Verona with British Airways.  There are direct flights to Verona from London with British Airways and Easy Jet.  A transfer to Garda Trentino will take around an hour by car.

I stayed at Hotel Luise in Riva del Garda.

LOGO-ALTA RISOLUZIONE

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Italy, Travel Tagged With: Fish Restaurant, Garda Trentino, Italian Restaurant

About Fiona Maclean

London based freelance writer and marketing consultant. I edit London-Unattached.com and write for a number of other publications. With a music degree and a background in marketing across many sectors, my passions include all types of music, food, restaurants, wine and travel

Comments

  1. Theresa Thomas says

    February 2, 2018 at 10:18 pm

    Wow, what great food to which you put a lot of good twists! No wonder they sponsored you on a trip like this. Bravo

    Reply
  2. Eleanor Beavan says

    April 13, 2017 at 10:14 am

    The food looks gorgeous, I have always wanted to go to Italy and I think this would be the perfect place for me combining the ancient with contemporary.

    Reply
  3. Maya Russell says

    December 12, 2016 at 6:15 pm

    Have been drawn to Italy all year but have not been. I think I’d like this place.

    Reply
  4. Mags says

    September 6, 2016 at 8:18 pm

    Wow! The food and scenery look amazing! What a perfect place.

    Reply
  5. Aileen Adalid says

    September 6, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    I haven’t had the chance to visit Italy yet, but I’m definitely looking forward to! This place looks absolutely gorgeous and the food looks divine. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Cory Lee says

    September 6, 2016 at 1:18 am

    You are making me so hungry! Everything looks exquisite! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Leah says

    September 5, 2016 at 9:39 am

    Not what people typically think about when they think of Italian food. I like being surprised, however. That’s what I love about Italy. The food is diverse throughout the country. The truffle dish would probably be my favorite of all of these.

    Reply
  8. Jenna says

    September 5, 2016 at 7:25 am

    Yum! All three spots sound fantastic, and the water views beautiful! The dessert plate from the first restaurant looks absolutely amazing, as well! Love that there is great food and good opportunities for adventure actives nearby as well! Perfect mix 🙂

    Reply
  9. Holly says

    September 4, 2016 at 7:15 pm

    Food looks good. That is great that the chef uses local products to keep the money flowing within the local community. Awesome!

    Reply
  10. Jackie Sills-Dellegrazie says

    September 4, 2016 at 4:05 pm

    Reading the descriptions of the dishes, you can’t help but conjure the local landscape in your mind. It’s a new spin on classic dishes, but with a regional flair that you just can’t help but appreciate culinary arts.

    Reply
  11. anna says

    September 4, 2016 at 6:06 am

    Oh man! That view. The food looks amazing but the view makes it even better.

    Reply
  12. Lori says

    September 3, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    Seeing your photos I got hungry. And I want to pay a visit to the first restaurant that you’ve presented as the roulade of beef and the selection of cakes look really yummy. Great photos too!

    Reply
  13. Carol Colborn says

    September 3, 2016 at 4:38 pm

    Wow, what great food to which you put a lot of good twists! No wonder they sponsored you on a trip like this. Bravo!

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      September 3, 2016 at 4:45 pm

      I didn’t cook any of this food! Just enjoyed eating it!!!

      Reply
  14. Wandering Carol says

    September 3, 2016 at 3:04 pm

    Wow, what a feast. I love new takes on old tradition … and anything with pasta sounds good to me. On our honeymoon my husband and I actually passed this area on the train and thought how beautiful it looked. Now I know we need to stop next time.

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      September 3, 2016 at 4:46 pm

      it’s a lovely and quieter part of Lake Garda – plus there’s a lot to do in the area – hiking, climbing, sailing and swimming for starters!

      Reply

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