Ristorante La Stresa has a whole mess of killer reviews and for good reason- the service, food, and price all made for a nice evening. Two women worked the entire restaurant, not annoyed that I was dining solo and gave me choice of table which is always thoughtful for we solo diners.

As usual in Italy, I opted for a starter and first course. Here I selected the Parmesan “fondue” which was essentially a small bowl of melted parm with a runny egg in the middle and a roasted artichoke to taste the side. It made for a bit of a rich soup, but worked for the small portion that it was.

The main was a black pappardelle with shrimp, bacon, and rosemary. Typically when I order pasta first courses as a main, I realize I could probably eat more, but the first course-ness of it all typically makes for a nice stopping place. I don’t know what it was with this bowl of pasta, but it felt never ending- I was absolutely stuffed by this hot and generous portion.

My waitress brought me her favorite local Amaro to help me out. Of course I skipped dessert, but it was nice to see something different on the menu- a Piedmontese tasting of mini desserts. I ate with my eyes from the plates of fellow diners and it looked like a fun choice.