• Ambience: Vaulted ceilings evoke a traditional Tuscan wine cellar, lit warmly by tall paper lanterns. Ask to sit outside in the covered stone passageway.
• Food: Inventive and thoughtful, with each dish presented as a small, exquisitely wrapped gift. Mushroom soup is served in a glass cappuccino cup, with froth on top and a tiny cinnamon croissant. A mound of creamy white risotto with asparagus tips and sliced quail breast sits in the center of a huge black plate. Diners can choose among two courses (€40), three (€55) or four (€60).
• Extras: Waiters present a water menu, listing 11 types of bottled water and their origins, mineral content and purported medicinal benefits (“encourages the secretion of gastric juices”). Its pretension is tempered by the tongue-in-cheek humor of the genial, unstuffy staff. Bread is delicious and bountiful, from the tiny warm honey buns to the tomato- and celery-infused rolls.
• Wine list: The selection focuses on Tuscan reds, naturally. Moderate to expensive, they’re grouped by Chianti town: Greve, Radda, Gaiole, etc. Just try to find a bad bottle.
