My Birthday Dinner, for Real This Time

I got back to Florence and did a bunch more research on train to Munich. After that I found a place to eat dinner and was back off to the train station to get this thing taken care of!

I arrived to a long line and when I got up to the counter explained what I wanted. The lady told me that there were only over night trains from Florence to Munich and so I pointed to the day one that I found. She told me that it was run by a train that was not theirs and that I would have to buy the ticket from somewhere in Bologna, but that their train station would not have tickets either. Really?! Anyway, I bought a ticket from Munich to Paris and Paris to Avignon and figured I would look into this Florence to Munich junk later...again...

I headed back over the bridge to see if I could find tonight's restaurant. It was near last night's pizzaria and so I figured worse comes to worse I would just get some more pizza :) Anyway, I found(Quattro Leone)the place without a problem and asked for a seat. They said there were none for the terrace without a reservation and they would see about inside. The guy with the book made it seem like he had to squeeze me in and I got seated in the very back in a little cove. It was wonderful!

Anyway, it was kind of a nicer place, so I do not have any photos as I thought that would not be so great. The atmosphere was very good except that they were playing American music. I read that the stuffed pasta with pear and asparagus sauce was a must and so I ordered that with spinach and bruchetta to start.

The bruchetta was very good,oil dripping from my fingers to my arms. I ate every last tomato and knew that this was the birthday dinner that I was waiting for. My pasta came and let me say, it was remarkable. While enjoying each bite one of my favorite songs came on (which is not really that well known in the US) and I just felt like this was were I was supposed to be at this very moment in time (I don't know if that really makes sense but it is truly what I felt).

I savored every bite like it was the last bite. The pears were only a bit sweet and with the cheese and asparagus sauce it just blended together perfectly. The spinach was a nice accompaniment although I should not have gotten them at the same time.

I finished every last bite and then was asked if I wanted dessert. I was full but it was my birthday and I needed dessert. The waiter recommended two desserts, one a cheesecake with fruit and chocolate and one pear tart with chocolate. Since it was late, I asked if they had a lot of chocolate and the guy said the pear tart had a small amount so I ordered that.

It was a warm pear tart with melted chocolate dripped from the inside. It was the perfect dessert and the best birthday meal I have ever had!

ps- if you are ever in town and decide to go and try the amazing pear stuffed pasta, make a reservation and do not expect the authentic experience; i mean the food will be but the place does have tourists.