Finding Food and Fun in Firenze

Being a person who takes a great pride in great wine and amazing food to match, it doesn’t take much to find the best of both while being a student in Florence. Just avoid the tourist traps and be daring enough to try some of the local hole in the wall shops for true amazement. In my hungry adventures I ended up stumbling upon one diamond in the rough that proved to fulfill all my food and drink desires of the night in one meal.

Caruso is a restaurant/jazz café/art gallery owned by the self-made chef Nico Scotti, a suit-wearing, black-haired, extremely social Italian. Though my visit didn’t land on a night when a jazz group was playing, I was entertained instead by the business endeavors of Nico as well as discussions of art and cooking. His ideas and success stem from his strong belief in quality over quantity and that nothing is as good as the freshest ingredients, which I must say, can be seen, smelled and even heard in his food.

I wasn’t feeling too daring so I had what I thought to be a typical Italian dish: pizza; but what I got was a mouthwatering delight. Pizza Catoccio has never been done so well, and featured a homemade sauce and mixture of crunchy crust with a softer center. Even the placement of each ingredient was select so as to get a taste in every bite. The meal was joined with a recommended Chianti Classico that tasted sweet with subtle undertones and a mellow after taste. Caruso is now a cherished spot in my Florentine cuisine list and is a recommendation for all. Goes to show how much more rewarding the rugged route can be, with more fine restaurants to be found around every corner.

Nathan Petersen

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