Ostaria Nòva - ESTE

It took me over more than a month to write this evaluation. So immense was the bad experience I felt on that unhappy evening in October 2023 – which led me to “... read more It took me over more than a month to write this evaluation. So immense was the bad experience I felt on that unhappy evening in October 2023 – which led me to “eat” “fill my unhappy stomach” in this “restaurant”. An “eating-place” that was recommended to me by a friendly local in Este. This is certainly the best proof that even friendly locals sometimes don’t know what they recommend – and are misled by appearances. This so-called “restaurant” is not good. It is beyond any doubt the worst restaurant I have eaten in during all my travels for many years in Italy. The food you get on your plate has without any exception the unappetizing light brown color and tasteless composition. It took me two days to recover from it. Afterwards in the evening I ate an ice-cream in the city of Este – just to get rid of the insistent bad taste that “restaurant” left in my mouth. Moreover and much worse – the manager Silvia Tolin of this “restaurant” can be simply described as not adequate. She is a woman full of self-entitlement – who is clearly not capable of any self-criticism whatsoever. She seems not to realize that she only runs a simple and not so good “eating-place”. The walls of her “restaurant” are covered by eulogies of her “eating-place”. That should be a “red flag” for anyone who cares about really good food. A really good restaurant does not need these public eulogies. But Silvia Tolin nevertheless believes that she is an absolute great cook and an even greater wine connoisseur. She is not! She is a woman who treats any customer of hers who does not consider her as the “great genius of authentic food and good wine” as an ignorant. You cannot order a decent carafe of wine in this “restaurant”. You have the “choice” between an expensive bottle of wine selected blindly by Silvia Tolin herself or an expensive glass of wine filled to barely two centimeters of wine at a very expensive price. This barely filled glass of wine you have to taste first – and you have to nod “friendly” to Silvia Tolin that you like it. If you don’t do that – you’re in for a bad evening and “eating-experience”. I said cowardly to Silvia Tolin that I liked that two centimeter of bad tasting wine she gave me – in the hope of getting a good meal. Alas – I did not get a good meal. On the contrary! You don’t have to believe me. Not at all. But I have warned you. Stay out of that so-called “restaurant” in Este – “managed” by that woman Silvia Tolin. It is an absolute insult to the thousands and thousands of really good restaurants in Italy. So stay away from this “restaurant”. At all costs!

Suggestion from the hotel! They have a own farm for the meat, so I took the „costata“. Tasty and tender, a great piece of meat!! Very friendly and loveble servi... read more Suggestion from the hotel! They have a own farm for the meat, so I took the „costata“. Tasty and tender, a great piece of meat!! Very friendly and loveble service!

On a rainy November afternoon, we wandered into Osteria Nova late and even though we were the only people there, we were welcomed warmly. Nicely priced prosecco... read more On a rainy November afternoon, we wandered into Osteria Nova late and even though we were the only people there, we were welcomed warmly. Nicely priced prosecco. My partner had fresh tagliatelle with duck ragu, while I had the softest, fluffiest gnocchi with sausage and mushrooms. We both had meatballs for our main, which were delicious both fried and in sauce. Then coffee and their own biscuits. We got to see the waitress feed their little neighborhood cat. It's the relaxed but charming neighborhood place with handmade food and attentive service. Some of our happiest memories of a long pranzo in Italy.

A rare experience. I asked for a structured but mature wine, and four suggestions came back. A moving 2001 Slovenian Merlot. The appetizer was goose liver and s... read more A rare experience. I asked for a structured but mature wine, and four suggestions came back. A moving 2001 Slovenian Merlot. The appetizer was goose liver and smoked goose salami, cappellacci with melted cheese, and cod Vicenza-style. Perfect. Update: 1/12/2023, second tasting, with beef heart and Crozes-Hermitage Syrah. Always excellent.

Impeccable kindness and professionalism! Not to mention the quality. If you want to be pampered, go to Silvia. read more Impeccable kindness and professionalism! Not to mention the quality. If you want to be pampered, go to Silvia.