For my second dinner in Siena, I took another recommendation from my hotel. I chose this restaurant that night because it was very close to my hotel and it was raining that evening. It wasn’t in a main tourist area but it wasn’t hidden either. This is another local joint that focuses on Sienese cuisine. They have small handwritten menus that reflect the ingredients of the day.
The appetizer was the highlight of my meal. The crostone con fagioli e lardo speziaso (crostone with beans and spicy lard) looks like something devised by a mad scientist. It looked completely unappetizing when the waiter brought it to me and yet I loved it. Basically, it’s toasted bread topped with beans, wrapped in a thin piece of lard, and drenched in olive oil. It doesn’t sound good either but I would recommend it if you ever make it here.
I wasn’t feeling a meat dish that night because I had the steak the night before so I went for a dish I know well, rigatoni all’amatriciana. Amatriciana is a spicy tomato-based sauce that typically has guanciale (pork cheek) and pecorino romano. I’ve had it many times in Rome because it comes from a small town in the same region (Lazio) as Rome and it’s very common there. I don’t know if it was a mistake to order amatriciana in Siena or just at this restaurant but it was disappointing. It was prepared with very little sauce, didn’t have the kick you normally expect, and barely had any guanciale.
Overall, If I went again, I’d probably order a local dish rather than something from the Lazio region. Sometimes you want a familiar dish but in Italy, as in other countries, you really ought to stick with local specialties.
| Website (no website): | Osteria del Gatto |
| Address: | Via San Marco 8, 53100, Siena Italy |
| Phone: | 39 0577 287133 |
| Visited: | December 2021 |
