trattoria di oscar {bevagna}

The last thing I think about when heading out to lunch in Umbria is style, elegance or sophistication. Eating out in Umbria is usually all about rustic. It can be rustic with a hint of formality or rustic as in sit by the side of the road and watch the trucks go by rustic.

But a few weeks ago Domenico and I had a lunch date in Umbria with two intimidatingly design oriented people. Gael is a film maker and originally hails from Martha-Stewartlandia and Stephen is one of the top graphic designers in New York. They were both guests at Civitella Ranieri, a  non-profit foundations that invites artists, writers, designers and all other manner of creative folk to Umbria to create.

Since we were in Todi and they were north of Perugia, Bevagna seemed a good half way point. While I love it for it’s charming setting and rustic restaurants, for this lunch with these friends I decided a return trip to Trattoria di Oscar was in order.

I’d been there when they first opened, a few years ago, with Salvatore Denaro. The Umbria-based Sicilian chef is a huge supporter of younger chefs just starting out. Three years ago, I was impressed by their care and attention to Umbrian specialities and ingredients. I was curious as to how they’d developed.

While I remembered carefully prepared dishes like fried rabbit and lighter than usual panzanella, I wasn’t at all prepared for the expertly executed and creative dishes that came out of the kitchen

Since it was deadly hot, both Gael and I went for the cool side of the menu. Gael ordered a saffron scented and colored fave bean soup that was bedecked with bright orange zucchini blossoms and a blindingly white dollop of sheep’s milk ricotta. It was as delicious as beautiful.

I ordered gazpacho, which – I have to admit – I’m always a bit wary of. In Italy gazpacho is a great idea that is often abused: tepid, insipid purees that have none of the zing of the real thing. The gazpacho that came to the table was a wonderful, creative and – I’m happy to say – successful – spin on tomatoes and things in a blender. Perfectly smooth, the soup captured the intense flavor of the season’s first cherry tomatoes. Just enough bread to emulsify it and make it hardy enough to satisfy (this is the part that is often left out) and the finishing touch which was pure brilliance: several chunks of mozzarella di buffala. Because of course what goes better with tomatoes than mozzarella? Which is why all gazpacho should have mozzarella in it, right? A final drizzle of fruity olive oil made it speak Italian even louder.

Stephen and Domenico, being men, ordered hearty pastas, ignoring the heat. Homemade pappardelle with a light lamb ragu. And I couldn’t resist the sound of Insalata tepida di coniglio which turned out to be just that.  Roasted chunks of rabbit meat layered between barely wilted Swiss chard and tossed in a citrusy dressing.

Coffee all around, and a walk through the winding alleys of Bevagna, You know, just run of the mill Umbrian rusticity. Which is actually pretty great.

Trattoria di Oscar
Piazza del Cirone 2
Bevagna PG
+39.0742.622510

For more information on dining in Umbria and Italy download my app, EAT ITALY. EAT ITALY is a free app, and contains guides to  Venice, Milan, Rome. Florence and Umbria (and an ever expanding list of regions and cities) available as in-app purchases for both iPhone and iPad.