Galante - Torino

The menu in this restaurant covers both fish and meat. We saw people enjoying the meat, but we ate fish and were very pleased. The amuse bouche was polenta with sepia: the polenta was superfino and the seppia had been cooked in a savory tomato sauce utterly delicious. Endless wonderful breads. Then branzino carpacio raw, incredibly fresh seabass dress in lemon and oil, served atop shredded lettuce with plump raisins and toasted almonds. Next grilled mullet and also fried calimari; each done beautifully as well as green beans dressed in lemon and oil. For dessert a persimmon, peeled and served with good quality rum poured over. Choice of coffee sources; Illy, Brazil, Ethiopia, and somewhere else. And the most wonderful cookies made of ground hazelnuts, almonds, sugar and butter. The wine list is extensive, not just Piemontese, and fairly priced for the quality. The service is gracious, formal but welcoming. It is a family restaurant and you will see charming, well mannered children, mamma, nonna, and papa' (lo chef). Because of the location, on a street with a market, you need to ring to get in. My guess is that you should book for evening.

I was staying at a simple hotel near the railway, which recommended a local restaurant and even gave me a discount voucher. Walking to that doubtless fine establishment I spotted the Galante, noted that it was full and cross checked on TA. What serendipity ! All the diners were of a certain age and local. The staff were welcoming and efficient in the traditional reserved Piedmontese way. The restaurant was generous in its freebies: Prosecco, polenta with ragu’, homemade spicy grissini and at the end of the dinner, more-ish biscuits. I couldn’t not kick off with an vitello tonnato, followed by a radicchio rosso bitter endive risotto. As a main I chose a “pescatrice” (monkfish tail coda di rospo? with artichokes. And to close, 4 sorbets each with their own liquor. All top notch. Half a bottle of house white, mineral water, all in at 70 euros felt very good value. Highly recommended.

Fine taste high quality food with very reasonable prices. Nice ambient, in general a perfect choice for dinner at Torino.

Do people really know this place in Turin.?? .. not many. But there is a reason. No advertising, no promotion, no all you can eat, no live music, no cocktail bar, no family games, no kids area, no big groups....... just a pure fantastic Italian restaurant. If I need to describe how an Italian restaurant look like... and taste like... this is my point of reference. Very high quality of food and wine, compared with the cost... this is great!

I was invited by dear friends to dinner in this beautiful place. What to say? elegance, elegance and great professionalism, accompany delicious dishes, excellent wine and wonderful desserts. I would suggest anyone to experience this fantastic restaurant. I was fascinated. thanks aurelia