CORONA REALE

Moncalvo, the capital of boiled meats, now has a new restaurant, located in the lower corner of Moncalvo's large square, known since the 19th century as Corona Reale. After the war, it was an elegant hotel, then a pizzeria, and finally a brewery. But five years ago, Sonia Damarco and her husband Domenico Andrin (she in the kitchen, he in the dining room), after taking over the restaurant in 2002, transformed it into a trattoria of happiness, focusing on traditional local cuisine (and at fair prices). The meat they use here comes from the Micco brothers in Moncalvo, the cured meats are from Salumificio Tabacchetti, the cheeses from Cascina Valeggia, and the oil is from Veglio, also in Moncalvo. The bread and breadsticks come from Casorzo, while the wines are the best from the Asti area, as well as from Piedmont and the rest of Italy.

And you have to ask yourself: can you skip, in a place like this (hot, crowded on a Tuesday evening, with a larger dining room upstairs), the hand-cut Fassone tartare, the roasted Carmagnola peppers in bagna cauda, the Fassone round in tuna sauce (starters €10)? For first courses (€10): braised beef plin with butter and sage, cod and potato ravioli, creamed with cherry tomatoes and basil, or tagliolini with Moncalvo sausage ragù, then order the roasted local rabbit, the Fassone steak, or the tripe soup with vegetables (main courses €15). The bonet is the crowning glory, but the homemade ice creams are delicious, as are the rum panna cotta and white chocolate cheesecake (desserts €6). Come back in the warmer months, to the delightful terrace overlooking the square. Now that's the life!