Centro
Storico 

Via Roma 6

12050 Serralunga d’Alba (CN)

Tel. +39 0173 613 203

Wine:&nbsp; 

<a target="_blank" href="http://vinousmedia.com/wines?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;q=L%27Avizoise+2005">2005&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Agrapart
Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs L'Avizoise</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 96<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1383916886048-Agrapart+-+vinous.jpg"> 

Food: 

Insalata Russa<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1383916923065-InsatlaRussa+-+vinous.jpg"> 

Agnolotti al Plin<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1384297922148-Plin+vinous.jpg"> Hazelnut Gelato<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1383917149770-IceCream+-+vinous.jpg"> Centro Storico is one of my favorite
places to eat and drink in Piedmont. I am not alone. Over the last few years,
Centro Storico has become a huge hit with locals and tourists alike. Proprietor
Alessio Cighetti’s enthusiasm is infectious and embodies the true meaning of
hospitality. Centro Storico offers a straightforward menu of the classics, with
three or four choices for each course, all written on the chalkboards that
adorn the room. The food is simple, delicious and deeply satisfying. What could
be better? Only Centro Storico’s winelist, which is staggering in its breadth
for a small, intimate winebar/restaurant. The selection of Piedmont wines is
vast, but it is the Champagne selection that keeps many regulars, including me,
coming back. 

Centro Storico’s Insalata Russa, an
old Piedmont classic, is delicious. How can carrots, peas and boiled potatoes,
all dressed lightly in mayonnaise, be this delicious? Now almost gone from
local menus, Insalata Russa is a reminder that not too long ago Piedmont was a
poor, rural region. The Agnolotti al Plin are also fabulous. Again, nothing
fancy, just simple, homemade comfort food at its most satisfying. Gelato is not
usually on the menu, so you have to ask if it is available. If it is, don’t
miss it. The Piedmontese hazelnut, the tonda
gentile, is another of the region’s many local specialties. The deep,
resonant flavors literally seem to jump right out of the bowl in Centro
Storico’s heavenly hazelnut gelato. I regret ordering just one scoop and make a
mental note to avoid making the same mistake again.

I rarely drink after a long day of
tastings, but if I am going to have wine it is almost always Champagne. Centro
Storico has a great selection. From growers to grands marques, diners will find a vast selection of the very best
of both. Italy is a huge Champagne market, often among the top five for most
houses. Italians like to drink Champagne with a meal, not just as an aperitif,
which is a great way to live, in my book. Agrapart’s 2005 Extra Brut Blanc
de Blancs Avizoise, from a vintage that is proving to be highly
inconsistent, dazzles from start to finish. Even more mineral and tightly wound
than I recall, the 2005 captures the essence of Avize Chardonnay and the
Agrapart house style. On this night, it is flat-out superb. What a wine!Readers visiting Piedmont owe
themselves a meal (or two) at Centro Storico. The convivial, informal
atmosphere is inviting and a nice break from some of the more formal dining
rooms in Piedmont. There are few better places to enjoy the many bounties of
Piedmont than Centro Storico.

-- Antonio Galloni

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