Complesso Agrituristico La Ciriola

As a chef there are times when you eat out that you experience a true food revelation... a meal so good that you spend hours working each dish through your mind over and over in hopes of recreating it. This is the truffle pasta at La Ciriola's Ristorante Piediluco. I first experienced it in 2016 with my husband... en route to another restaurant which we found closed, we saw the sign for La Ciriola and decided to give it a try. GRAZIE DIO that we did, as this ristorante offers the best handmade ciriole pasta with truffles I've had in Italy. The delicate pasta draped in rich summer truffle, almost over the edge of decadence...mmmmmm. I can taste it right now, the food memory is so strong. This year I brought 10 Culinary Adventurers and La Ciriola was a 'must do' on my hit list of top restaurants in the area of Arrone, Piediluco and the Cascata delle Marmore in southern Umbria. We expected to be served simply the delicious Ciriole Pasta with Truffles and some cold white wine for a quick lunch before another adventure... what we didn't expect was the 3-hour feast that was presented by Rosetta and Luciano! Every dish lovingly crafted and so delicious. We were started off with one of the prettiest antipasto platings we'd seen on our trip... succulent Umbrian proscuitto (sweet and less salty than that from Parma) with perfectly ripe cantaloupe, slices of sopressata and other salumi, a fava and mint salad, a dollap of fresh made cheese and a crispy fried squash blossom... accompanied by baskets of Rosetta's fresh made bread. We thought "how lovely" and assumed the pasta would be next. But no, as then came the Tartufo Omelet... a standard in southern Umbria and superbly done. Next the pasta? No. Next was a family recipe akin to a lasagna but of Eggplant layered with fresh Mozzarella and Tomatoes. Fabulous! So good I ate the entire portion (which by itself could have made for a nice Tuesday night dinner at home!) Next yes!! The Ciriole with Tartufo... ahhhhhhh.... it was as good as I remembered it... and I ate all of that plate too. Pushing back from the table, feeling pleasantly full, our noses were treated to the incoming aroma of Porchetta! Oh my gosh, an entire porchetta made for our group! Everything about it was perfect... so moist, with an herbaceous seasoning and an artfully crusted exterior. Luciano proudly let us know this is Rosetta's signature dish and now I have another food memory I will never let go of! Served with roasted potatoes and herb-breadcrumb crusted zucchini, this Porchetta was heaven sent! Our spectacular meal reached final climax with Rosetta's family recipe Olive Oil and Sweet Vermouth Cake with a custard filling similar to Zuppa Ingelese. Unbelievable! So tasty and such hospitality...Ristorante Piediluco at La Ciriola Agriturismo has taken its place among my top picks for dining in and around southern Umbria. I've not stayed at their agriturismo but given the kindess and warm welcome of its owners Rosetta and Luciano, I would feel confident that a stay there will too exceed expectation! Grazie mi amici Rosetta e Luciano, grazie tanti per un pasto straordinario!! Vediamo prossimo anno!