by Victor Caneva
Trieste residents are already blessed to live in an enigmatic city where mountains kiss the sea, but if they venture slightly further north, they can quickly access the Alpine wonderland of Carnia.
As the second wave of coronavirus continues to crash on the shores of our fun and interregional travel bans loom ominously, Carnia, with its rugged beauty, remains a destination for Triestini to enjoy.
If you decide to explore Carnia, make sure to stop in the charming village of Forni Avoltri, which offers winter sports lovers plentiful diversions in cooler months and is an excellent base to explore pristine mountain lakes in warmer seasons. Forni Avoltri is also home to the Albergo al Sole, a cozy refuge that houses one of my favorite restaurants on earth.
Ristorante al Sole has the distinction of being one of the 123 members comprising the Unione Ristoranti Buon Ricordo, an association devoted to celebrating regional Italian cuisine.
The origins of the Albergo al Sole go all the way back to 1908, when the great-grandfather of current owner, Tiziana Romanin, opened the restaurant. Built on a spot in the dramatic valley where the sun shines all day long, the “Inn in the Sun” was named after this fortunate attribute.
Four generations later, Tiziana continues her family’s legacy, providing quality holiday lodging and preserving scrumptious Carnian culinary traditions with style and grace… and in my opinion, she crafts the most luscious cjarsons available.
Cjarsons are a filled pasta, similar to ravioli, that originated in Carnia ages ago. I’ve been told that every Carnian family has their own cjarsons recipe and the fillings vary greatly, although many recipes combine sweet and savory flavors.
Tiziana is the proud keeper of her grandmother’s legendary, hundred-year-old recipe, which packs exquisite flavor into a delightfully delicate package. These cjarsons, featuring smoked ricotta, butter, and cinnamon are defined by smoky, salty, and sweet ingredients working in beautiful harmony to an utterly delicious end.
While Ristorante al Sole’s cjarsons may be the super-stars of the show, the supporting cast are by no means slouches. Tiziana serves up inspired renditions of Carnian classics, including frico, incredible purple-potato gnocchi, hearty venison tagliatelle, and much more.
Although the presentation of these dishes is sublime and they are served in elegant environs with mountain views, an exceptional meal here will not break the bank. On my last visit, I splurged for a steak served with potatoes. It was succulent and cooked to perfection…and set me back a whopping twelve euros, allowing me to completely justify the caffe affogato I followed it up with.
So if you end up exploring the Alpine areas of our incredible region, spoil yourself and stop in at the Ristorante al Sole and let Tiziana and her wonderful staff wow you with exceptional Carnian cuisine and warm hospitality. We may not have the ability to travel the world (or even all of Italy) at the moment, but we still have so much to discover right at our doorstep.
