Castello di Sinio

My husband and I both stayed and dined at the Hotel Castello di Sinio. Denise Pardini not only owns the establishment, but she also serves as Executive Chef. Denise draws from her Tuscan heritage, coupled with her experience and background working as a professional chef, to form her carefully composed seasonal menu. Not only is the service and food phenomenal, but the atmosphere at «PARDINI, VINI & CUCINA — The little Restaurant in the Castle» cannot be beat. Denise converted a back room in the castle on the 2^nd floor into the dining area, resulting in an atmosphere that is cozy, warm, intimate, romantic and incredibly inviting.
Denise’s waitstaff was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and Denise herself was frequently seen in the dining area personally speaking with each guest to provide additional recommendations and ensure that everyone was happy with their experience.
I ordered a salad starter — it was a richly flavored assortment of field greens, fresh figs, and goat cheese artfully arranged in a homemade pastry shell with drizzled balsamic vinaigrette. Despite the simplicity of the ingredients, the combination of flavors was explosive and rich, and everything was incredibly fresh and beautifully arranged on the plate. My husband had a salad composed of zucchini florettes that was also absolutely incredible (I got to taste!) Along with our starters, we also received a tuna amuse bouche that was delectable and a basket of homemade bread that was out of this world. We tried not to fill up on bread, but it took an EXTREME amount of willpower!
We both ordered pasta primi courses — mine was a truffle ravioli stuffed with quail and sauteed with foie gras and a truffle ragu. Despite the heavy nature of the ingredients, Denise arranged a graceful plate that still managed to come off with light, delicate flavors on the palate. My husband got the infamous gnocchi (inspired by Denise’s grandmother’s recipe!) which was also outstanding! All of Denise’s pastas are homemade, so I suspect that all of the pasta course options were equally amazing!
For our mains, we got the pork tenderloin and steak filet. The pork melted in my mouth and was coupled with fresh vegetables and a bacon-​infused risotto (!) — the steak came with a generous layer of fois gras, potatoes and the same seasonal veggies.
Unfortunately, we were way too stuffed to indulge in the desserts (but we saw them coming out for others and they looked RIDICULOUSLY good!) but they still served us a fantastic plate of homemade truffles and cookies that was a perfect finishing touch to the meal.
In addition, we had an incredible bottle of wine with our meal: Denise did a fantastic job recommending the appropriate wines to us, as she carefully composed the wine list from a wide assortment of local, regional Piedmont wineries who she has personal relationships with. The meal also began with a beautiful, complimentary sparking rose that completely opened our palates up for the upcoming feast.
Please: if you find yourself in the Piedmont region of Italy, you MUST stay and, at the very least, dine at this restaurant. It was the highlight of our 3-​week journey and we can’t say enough good things about the venue and the meal!