Il Vizio Del Barone - CIVITA CASTELLANA

We have had a holiday home nearby Civita Castellana for 13 yrs, but only recently have we realised that the town has a nice little local scene for casual evening eating drinking. We popped in to Il Visio on a quiet early Friday evening,...based entirely on the TA reviews having walked by it many times by day (when it is closed) without ever noticing it was there. Thank you, Trip Advisor. The bar is quite small: there are a couple of large, comfy booths (for 4 to 6 people) on a slightly raised platform, facing the small bar area. There is a second room slightly off to the left, visible from the main area. I didn't go in there, but it looked nicely decorated (maintaining the theme from the main bar, with portraits of rock stars hanging everywhere) and had several tables. Back to those vices (Il vizio). The drinks menu has a good selection of local and international beers, but sitting to the side of the entrance is a big fridge, packed full of more interesting stuff that is y on the menu a lot of Bavarian and Belgian beers, some of which I had never encountered before (and I have travelled a fair bit in both countries). Belgian Lambic beers in particular were well represented, but I plumped for a 0.5L bottle of a Bavarian beer I had never seen before ... and which I have already forgotten the name of, the morning after! All I remember is that it was made in Freisling (which is where the Wienstephaner abbey is, just outside Munich) and the bottle had a date around 1170 or so for when the brewery was founded. It was quite different from the usual Paulaner/Wienstephan/Hofbrau etc. more complex flavour, I will definitely have to return and refresh both my memory my taste buds! Anyway, the food menu was fairly brief, and very much bar food (burgers/hot dogs etc orientated. There are two basic burgers on offer: 100g beef, or 200g black Angus. Being a hungry Scotsman, I plumped for the latter The menu has the basic burgers (priced pretty well at 4.5€/6.5€ respectively, with fries at an extra charge) but what I really appreciated was that there was an exhaustive pick n' mix list of add-ons, with 3 sections, covering sauces/relishes, salad ingredients and cheeses, and you can choose all/any combo you wish at no extra cost. Simple, but very pleasing for control freaks! I added a harrissa (spicy north African tomato based) sauce, lettuce, and cheddar cheese to my order, the wife had tomato sauce, lettuce, tomato, and we shared a portion of fries. We had already eaten some smoked carpaccio of Angus beef (washed down with Birra di Borgia golden ale, yum) in the lovely Stappo' bar round the corner, so we didn't order any starters. No matter, our very genial barman/waiter (who subsequently turned out to be the owner) brought us out a plate of appetisers anyway. A nice touch, made better by him sussing out (from our burger orders) that my wife didn't eat cheese. So, I got 4 little mouth sized triangular cheese ham sandwiches, with breadcrumb coating, deep fried (a really great snack to go with the beer) and the wife got two little mini-croissants filled with prosciutto crudo to go with her Orvieto white wine. The burgers then arrived in due course. Quite thin patties for the 200g of meat, so therefore quite large in diameter, with a big bun made to match. On first sight, the meat looked very mechanically' shaped, so I wonder if they are bought in pre-formed . I didn't ask, as it doesn't really mayter, as long as they taste good which they really did. We weren't asked how we wanted them cooked, but both came nicely medium rare, and very tasty. I loved the soft buns, too not a huge amount of bread (given the size), they squashed down nicely in the hand, and served as a nice holder for the meat without being stodgy or heavy. If you like a bit of spice/tang on your burger, I heartily recommend the harrissa option it was truly delicious, and applied carefully to the bottom of the bun under the meat so that you got it as an warm het buzz on the aftertaste rather than it hitting your palette straight away as you bit into the burger. Also, not squirted on willy nilly, but carefully spread in a light even coating, as a hot dressing should be. All little details, but they all count. The fries were standard stuff, but a healthy portion and crisp dry. So, the beer is great (I haven't even mentioned the brews on tap, Afflingem red, a Dutch blanche, and a couple of other nice options I have now forgotten), the service is great, the food is great. I thought that was enough til my gaze rested on the shelves to the right of the bar, where lo and behold, a fine array of single malt whiskies was on display (about 12 different single malts, mainly island ones like Ardbeg, Laphroaig etc. but also an Oban 14, glenfiddich etc I expressed my surprise and delight to our host, who is himself a whisky enthusiast. He demanded that I have a free try at an Irish whiskey (conemarra) which I happily did nice and peaty, and very Scottish tasting!! And he then invited myself and my wife to each have a free Scottish dram of our own choosing. So, we had an Oban a Laphroaig, having by this time relocated to the bar stools from the booth where we'd eaten, and we had a long chat with him about his love of beer, whisk(e)y and celtic culture/travel. I was quite frankly embarrassed (but delighted) by his generosity ... I really don't expect to be treated to free premium spirits having consumed just a beer and a burger on my 1st visit to a place. So, I offered to buy him a whisky back this is required Scottish drinking protocol but he politely declined, as his own glass was still half full of his own dram. So I insisted on getting myself another Oban, but paying for it this time. He duly obliged, with a very healthy measure! His wife to be (they are going to get married in Dublin) then arrived behind the bar, and we all continued to chat together over the counter while he simultaneously looked after the few other customers. It was pretty quiet, but it was ferragosto, and also it was still quite early on Friday night for an Italian pub that is open until 2am. All in all, a 0.5L premium bottled beer, a glass of draught blanche, 2 glasses of Orvieto, the lovely burgers, and the one large dram he actually let me pay for all came to 33€. Probably not the cheapest night out in an Italians eyes, but for us it was really tremendous value for what we consumed, and more importantly, we were made to feel like very valued customers by a charming young couple who clearly love their trade and the products they sell. I realise this is a hugely lengthy review of what is at the end of the day a pub with bar food. The place doesn't have a website. It doesn't show up at all on Google maps. I, who have walked by it at least 5 times since it opened had not even noticed it's existence. So, in thanking TA for bringing it to my attention, I wanted to return the favour by giving an in-depth review to spread the word. It is a great wee bar: unpretentious, friendly, huge range of interesting beers whiskies, and it is run by the nicest people. Go and have a beer. They deserve your custom

We found this restaurant by chance an evening. we went to a drink and stayed for dinner. there is no name outside, we had to look at the bill afterwards to find where we ate! we ate in a high-walled courtyard with beautiful. look at the city and the land through huge tore. the service is efficient, cheerful and helpful, the selection of cocktails, wein and beer (so I say) are great. the music was wrench and 80's and a lot to our taste, and the choice of the diners imaginitiw and tasty. I wish I had the opportunity to go back for one of their black angus hamburger: as it was, I had a carpaccio of thunfisch with lime and burrata. delicious! with our waist in the understood we saw a fabulous hot chocolate cake (gluten-free) and I really wish it was all mine. great. Get it out!

We're really excited about this place. the place is really beautiful, very characteristic. the waiters of a unique, friendly friendliness, to the hand but above all prepared. the manager, rich, really a beautiful person, from which the great desire to make customers feel comfortable at first sight. burgers and spectacular chips, juicy and goose meat. my partner took counterfeiting with red wine reduction, something really unique. beers at will, I will definitely come back to taste them all.