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See
below for the latest
Reviews
(February 2012)
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ITALY If I were ever to compose an annual list of the best ten restaurants in the world, there is an establishment in Florence which would always be included. In the city which down the centuries has made the pursuit of beauty the very essence of its being, there is a dining room which reflects the Florentine craving for perfection so startingly that every gourmet worthy of the name longs to eat at its tables. It is famous and it deserves to be famous. It has given to me moments – indeed, whole evenings – of the purest pleasure. I always look forward to my visits with the keenest anticipation, and I can honestly say that not once in the years I have known it has it provided me with a scintilla of disappointment. It is an example of what humankind can achieve when intelligence, skill and dedication combine for the advancement of the culinary arts. It is, of course, the wonderful, the enchanting, the magnificent Enoteca Pinchorri. |
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ITALY Occasionally I have the privilege of staying in an hotel which has the look and manners of a private home. This can be a delightful experience – as long the establishment is discreet, luxurious and furnished in impeccably good taste. The Hotel Regency in Florence, a mansion full of fine paintings and antique furniture, is exactly this sort of place. It was built in the 19th Century and for much of its life it was used as a retreat for senior government officials. From precisely what they needed to retreat, I do not know, but they must surely have enjoyed their time at this handsome villa, with its private garden and its excellent location overlooking the public gardens of the piazza Massimo d’Azeglio. I certainly did. And it was a retreat for me, too – not from affairs of state, but from the occasionally crowded wonders of beautiful Florence. |
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ITALY The world of luxury hotels can be a small one. That is why I so often bump into members of staff I have met before. Those who work in such establishments tend to be those who care about high standards, and have the determination and ability to rise to them. They are, then, people I can respect and admire – which is why such (frequently unexpected) meetings fill me with pleasure. I was therefore delighted, when I was about to dine in one of the finest restaurants in Florence, to see a familiar face approaching. It belonged to Tiziano Orsini (pictured). I think I had encountered him in at least four previous hotels, for both he and I confine ourselves to the very best places. Now he is the Restaurant Manager of the Ristorante Guelfi & Ghibellini at the splendid Relais Santa Croce. The moment I saw his smiling face, I knew I was in safe hands. |
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