This past weekend was yet another great example of why I live in Italy. I feel like if you play your cards right, you can always end up doing something fun {or nothing at all} if you choose too, this city has every possibility of both. Friday I got to revel in a French wine & cheese night with some friends. One of the cheeses was so stinky it was made to be put it in a ‘punishment’ corner in order to save our nostrils from the abuse, mind you it was quite tasty! I think I can still smell it now..

Saturday night –  a new restaurant that I have heard about called Tamero, located in Piazza Santo Spirito. Some of my friends from yelp had already been and loved it even if they complained a bit about the service being a little lackluster. I was more than ready to line myself with carbohydrates in the form of fresh delicious pasta come nightfall and what better place to be than one of my favorite areas in Florence.

When you walk in — your eyes can’t help but be immediately drawn to the open kitchen where you can see the fresh pasta being made. I wanted to throw on an apron and try making some pasta myself {which surely would be inedible}. It was really cool to watch and the fact that the place was full of Italians made me happy – always a good sign on a Saturday night somewhere in the center. The vibe and ‘look’ is super cool, hipster – oltrarno fabulous with movie posters like Pulp Fiction and Andy Warhol replicas dotting the dilapidating walls. A piano and ‘stage’ in one corner, a book-case in another, very appropriate for the area.

We shared an appetizer of chili con carne and nachos – polenta fritta. I think the polenta were the chips? But in any case the flavour of the chili was good which to this Texana is important. Though once I spotted the i taglieri or cheese & cured meat & cheese boards, I had a bit of food envy so next time, you better believe I am going to start with that the next time I’m there.

And for the pasta – since this is a pasta bar after all. I had a craving for perfect simplicity – aka pici con cacio e pepe – a thick pasta with Grand Padano or Parmigiano and black pepper. Basically my perfect idea of a comfort dish, it was good but lacked a little flavor, perhaps salt? The other pasta creation (and yes to me it was a creation) was black tortelli stuffed with potato and covered in a beautiful octopus sauce. There was some hints of orange or tangerine nestled inside the tortelli that I loved, I would  absolutely go with this next time..

Unfortunately I had no room for dessert except for my favorite Italian digestivo – un bel caffe! Oh well there is always next time.  For a bottle of wine, water, one shared antipasto, two pastas and two coffees – the bill came out to around 56 euros. I would come back again and perhaps convince them to let me make/ruin the pasta and stuff myself with excess. Perche no? 

Tamerò – pasta bar
Piazza Santo Spirito 11r – Firenze

Tel: 055 282596
Mail: [email protected]