A Ca d’Fantin. Golden Oldies.
Words and Photos by Gunnar Berendsen*
It is a very rare thing for a hungry tourist to catch a true slice of a gastronomic experience away from the over-cooked and over-crowded gourmet trails. However, it happened to us in Cerretto Langhe, a tiny nest which we stumbled upon only because of its thoroughfare. In this instance it was our dog Yasu who looked into a walled garden full of cats that drew our attention to the courtyard of A Ca ‘D Fantin with its small “Aperto” sign.
I believe small signs should always inspire confidence in a place, so we approached the (empty) establishment. The courtyard was in front of the entrance to the restaurant, but before we could change our minds an elderly lady greeted us from the kitchen window and asked us to sit down. A table was quickly covered with a tablecloth and napkins; she placed a bottle of wine in front of us and announced the imminent arrival of Cameriere, who would then continue to take care of us.
After a quarter of an hour, a friendly older gentleman came to our table and introduced himself as our waiter and the husband of the cook. The menu came with a soundtrack of background knowledge about the country and its people. The options available corresponded to the yield of their vegetable garden, the mood of the cook, the produce from the surrounding suppliers and the seasonal conditions – in short classical Piedmontese cuisine. We ordered one of everything.
Meanwhile the waiter, who is also the owner and whose wife had already greeted us, told us about the restaurant, which they have opened at lunchtime every day for over 80 years. Inside, the well-kept 70s-style restaurant seats 60, and was reminiscent of larger, better times in the resort. Today, the two only do what they enjoy and it tastes that way.
The prices are modest and the place is quiet, almost deserted. The service is friendly and perhaps not quite as fast on its feet as it might once have been. We went twice to the A Ca ‘D Fantin – because the place is a gastronomic Vanitas tableau, charmingly reminding us how fun and joy, even in old age, can charm guests.
Ristorante A Ca ‘d Fantin Via Annunziata 8 Ceretto Langhe
Tel. +30 0173 520063
Gunnar Berendson works as a communication consultant and lives with his wife and dog on Lake Chiemsee. For many years he has been dealing in the diminishing trade of handcrafted clothing, footwear and accessories. The store “SEESTRASSE7” was created in 2016 from the blog he founded called “Slow-Wear”. Here, in Seestraße 7 in Breitbrunn am Chiemsee, the sideline outfitter offers everything from handmade shirts to local Riesling from the Rheingau under the slogan “handmade with or without cork”, pleasing both the connoisseurs and the curious.
