City, sea, art and good food along the ancient Via Emilia: a trip to Imola – Part II

Our journey through Imola's history continues near the only survivor of the town's four ancient gates, rebuilt from 1449. Once known as Porta Pusterla, Porta Montanara still keeps its original square plan and Ghibelline merlons on three sides. A monumental gate that for several decades now can also be considered the symbolic entrance to a world of flavours and good taste: in the adjoining Piazza Bianconcini, in fact, stands the Ristorante Pizzeria Porta Montanara, where we decide to stop for dinner. Welcoming us with great kindness in the spacious rooms with their elegant yet family atmosphere is Fabrizio, son of Mr Dino and Mrs Giovanna, who started the business 37 years ago and still run it with undiminished passion together with Karin and Lorenzo, Fabrizio's wife and his just-of-age brother.

"Our family business was born in the Ravenna area, where my parents ran a restaurant-pizzeria called Paradiso. From there they then moved to Imola and set up this place, which in March 2016 reaches its twenty-ninth year. We started out as a pizzeria and have always made an excellent, very thin and crunchy pizza, particularly digestible, prepared according to a family recipe that is still a great success. But from the very beginning we also made fresh pasta in-house, genuine first courses prepared fresh, which is unusual for a pizzeria. Perhaps we seemed a bit mad to some people, but it is precisely thanks to this open and enthusiastic approach of ours that we have managed to grow over the years.

Despite the crisis we don't get discouraged and we continue to believe strongly in our work, as shown by the fact that we recently also took over a beach establishment with a restaurant and pizzeria at Lido di Savio, between Ravenna and Cervia. It's called Bagno Paradiso, a name that links our origins to our present and future," Fabrizio tells us as we begin to enjoy the first treats. We begin with a rustic chopping-board platter, the restaurant's signature starter, served in generous portions for two. It is a true celebration of local flavours: mixed cured meats including prosciutto, pancetta, coppa, salame and ciccioli, cheeses with various jams, candied figs, the cassatella, squacquerone and pickled vegetables, accompanied by white flatbread with oil and rosemary.

Some of our friends instead opt for tempting bruschetta, baked in the pizzas' wood-fired oven, topped with garlic, oil, cheeses and olive pâté and served on a board of mixed bruschetta in many flavours. There are also those who can't resist the scent of the sea released by the indulgent fish starters, including mussels and vongole alla tarantina, prepared in a tomato broth and served with bruschetta to dip in the sauce. We continue with exquisite first courses made from pasta prepared in-house using the traditional method once used. We taste irresistible tortellini in broth filled with a meatless filling, and with meat or porcini ragù. The tortelloni with ricotta and spinach are fantastic too, or with radicchio instead of spinach. We're also very fond of the tagliatelle, while the seafaring souls in our group savour excellent fish risottos.

We also sample another house speciality, spaghetti alla chitarra with guanciale and shallot, or seafood spaghetti (allo scoglio) with mussels, clams, langoustines and king prawns. Now comes the moment to taste another "top" speciality of the house that has set the restaurant apart since its beginnings: the thick-cut Tuscan fiorentina, served on a pre-heated lava stone. It's a real spectacle, both to see and to taste: we can decide how well done the meat is, according to our tastes. Some leave it barely cooked, while others prefer to cook it more, but without the risk of it toughening as could happen on a grill. On the lava stone, in fact, the meat always stays tender. There are also those who can't resist the beef tagliata and the fillets prepared in many ways, and the cotoletta alla bolognese made the old-fashioned way is a great success too.

It is a super-tempting cutlet, a bone-free steak which, after being fried with a double coating, is finished in the oven with prosciutto and mozzarella on top. A thoroughly enjoyable culinary "bomb", in short, and one to try. The seafaring souls are spoilt for choice among the main courses too, above all the fried fish, which draws diners even from afar. Particularly appreciated for its light, crunchy coating, it is one of the restaurant's flagship dishes. Besides the fried fish we also taste flavourful grilled fish and skewers, but the oven-baked sea bass is much loved as well. Some of us, on the other hand, are seduced by the exquisite one-dish meals that in recent years have enjoyed ever-growing success, since they offer a complete menu at a modest price.

We particularly can't resist the Captain's one-dish meal, made up of a prawn salad, seafood spaghetti and mixed fried fish, which also includes a bottle of water, all for 18.50 euro. There are also set menus, risottos, big salads and excellent side dishes, some of them served buffet-style. Finally, we certainly can't resist the sweet temptations of the many homemade desserts made to the authentic recipes of times gone by. Besides the latte brulè, a typical Romagna dessert, the zuppa inglese, the tiramisù and a tempting nougat semifreddo, we taste a fantastic mascarpone with hot chocolate and the ciambella. "By now several other places make this dessert too, but ours is the original. It's so good that a dedicated Facebook page has even been created for it," Fabrizio tells us, amused. After this lovely day, all that's left is to dream of the next time we'll come back here.

We'll try to do it soon, and in summer we'll certainly combine a visit to Imola with a fine day at the seaside, crowned by a lovely dinner with a sea view at Bagno Paradiso, listening to the sound of the waves.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante Pizzeria Porta Montanara Piazza Bianconcini, 2 Imola (BO) Tel.: 0542/32917 Facebook: Ristorante Pizzeria Porta Montanara