Gargantua in Valbrevenna

When my wife and I visited my sister in northwestern Italy in September 2014, we took a short trip to Savignone, near Casella, north of Genoa. From there, we set off to visit Senarega, a medieval town occupied only during the summers. The town is all very old houses, with narrow walkways for streets. 

On the way, we stopped in Valbrevénna for lunch at Gargantua (Via Nenno Inferiore, 63B, 16010 Nenno di Valbrevénna [GE], Italy; phone +39 010 9690753, www.gargantua.biz). 

We were the only ones in the restaurant, and Anthony, the owner and chef, explained the menu, took our order and returned to the kitchen to prepare the food.

The three of us shared a bottle of Pigato, a local Ligurian white wine that was very good. We each had the same meal: tagliatelle with a stracchino cheese and cream sauce with a pistachio-oil drizzle. Yummmm! Next was a calamari salad, and that was followed by dessert, an apple pie with pistachio semifreddo and zabaglione.

The meal was fabulous. For the three of us, the cost was €94 (near $107). 

Anthony is British, and after we ate he gave us a tour of the kitchen. This out-of-the-way restaurant is definitely worth the time to visit.

VINCE MELESKI

Cullman, AL