Zeb

This morning we all went out to breakfast together at this place called Cibrèo. I ordered a crème filled croissant and water. The croissant was essentially a donut, yummy but not your typical flakey croissant. It even had powdered sugar coated on the top of it. The pastry was delicious but not something I wouldn't be able to get at home.

As lunch soon crept up, Paige and I found ourselves by the San Lorenzo market again. So of course, we went inside the Piazza Del Mercato since we were right there. Since it was miserably hot outside, we decided we didn't want a heavy meal but a refreshing snack. I ended up at the vegan station on the bottom floor of the market where I ordered a "purifying juice". The ingredients included carrots, lemon, and apple. I was not impressed. It was very chunky and tasted like carrots. Albero was had this place beat by a landslide. The juice was similar tasting to a Naked juice that you'd buy at an EnMark. However, I will give it the credit of being really refreshing after being out in the heat the entire morning; I didn't have any complaints, but I wasn't blown away.

For dinner, we would meet Pascoe and Leslie at the Bridge (Ponte Vecchio). Off we went to Zeb, this really sleek, contemporary, and clean-lined restaurant. The style of the physical set-up of the restaurant reminded me of something you'd see in Manhattan, New York. The space wasn't big by any means but had three areas where customers could sit. There was a bar height space where 5 people could sit to the right of the entrance. Then, immediately as you walked in, there was a long glass structure where the waiter and waitresses would stand to serve you. On either side of that space, there was seating along the sides of the rectangular area.

On the menu:

A Super-Tuscan red wine was served with dinner. It was incredibly dry and bitter. The taste was too strong for my pallet.

Appetizer: Prosciutto and salami plate with pecorino cheese and a bread salad with basil, a white wine balsamic vinegar, fresh diced tomatoes, and red onion

First course: Ravioli stuffed with a potato purée, ricotta cheese, and herbs

Second course: Peposo, a beef dish with a red wine sauce, rosemary tomatoes topped with peppercorns.

Dessert: Torta della Nonna which translates to mean "grandmother cake"

The appetizer was plated beautifully. It was a repeat of other appetizer cheese and meat boards that we'd had before, but it was aesthetically way more pleasing than any other presentation. The change of having a bread salad paired with it was also a plus. I'm pretty sure I got so excited about the bread dish that I didn't pace myself well enough for the upcoming meals. The refreshingness of the dish was really satisfying, and I don't know if it was because it was cold or due to the fresh ingredients that were used; either way it was fortifying after a long day.

The first course was another excellent dish. In comparison to the ravioli that we handmade, this had us beat which interestingly enough was also made from scratch. Honestly, this pasta was the best I'd had since being in Italy. The potatoes in the center tasted so smooth and creamy. At first I thought the filling was some sort of cream cheese but once we were told that it was actually potatoes that were inside the pasta, it made more sense. Overall, definitely an A+ dish.

The second course we had was a beef dish. I was already beginning to fill up from the two meals we had just been served so I just nibbled on this one, especially since I was still overwhelmed by meat from yesterday's adventure. The beef was tender and juicy per what was expected based upon the prior dishes that had just been devoured. However, the potatoes were the star of this dish in my opinion. The rosemary potatoes were unlike anything I'd ever tasted before and made me question the way I'd been eating potatoes before . My mom makes really good roasted potatoes and these reminded me lot of the ones she makes but on a whole other level. There was this perfect crunch to them without being overcooked and hard. I mean, the inside melted in your mouth and although I had already gorged on the pasta and bread plate before I couldn't help myself but to finish them off.

For dessert, we had a cream cake with a dessert wine infused into it. Topped on the cake were pine nuts and toasted almonds. The cake wasn't a cake consistency, instead it reminded me more of a pudding. It tasted tasted too artificial for me to enjoy but if you like banana pudding, then this is definitely your dessert!