Rave Reviews for Denise's Cuisine & Our Restaurant

Our restaurant guests and critics say it better than we ever could. Here is sample of what they are saying:

"Denise cooks the best food we've tasted here in the Langhe, even better than Davide Palluda at all'Enoteca!" Jane & Nordar Helland

"Why would you want to eat anywhere else when the best food in Piedmont is 50 feet from your bedroon door?!" Mike Cenery

"The kitchen is run by Denise and how she gets so much out of herself and a small staff is a marvel. Breakfast is a delight -- pastry, meats and cheeses of the region, little French toasts or a crepe served hot at the table -- and four nights a week she operates a first-rate restaurant for hotel guests and others, that highlights local produce and cuisine. Piemontese cooking is very traditional, hidebound some say, but not in her hands. Familiar dishes are lighter, brighter, fresher-tasting than you will find elsewhere." Phil in SF

"The chef is the co-owner, Denise Pardini. Both my wife and I agreed that the two dinners she prepared were the best we had during our trip that included Rome, Florence, Bellagio and Milan. The preparation, presentation and freshness of the food combined with Jay’s knowledge of the regional wines and a great wine list made it one of our most memorable experiences." Bruce Blasberg, Vancouver

"Denise produces serious, inventive dishes that range from the classics to surprising, creative takes on traditional Piemontese cuisine. Her salsiccia with roasted onion was gloriously comforting, while her version of cotechino with squash and sweet & sour pickled onion & apple salad was a lovely surpise. ...her set menu was among the best and best-value meals we had." Peter Kenyon, Cairo

We change our menu constantly, often daily, and prepare only enough for the reservations we have so that we can insure the utmost in quality and freshness and make the most of what the season and fertile forests and farmlands have to offer. From the famous Alba white truffles in fall and winter to wild asparagus in the Spring, our menu reflects the our deep interest and respect for the local traditions while appreciating modern sensibilities for lighter techniques and tastes.

My name is Denise Pardini and I am the chef. I was born in San Francisco but my family is from Lucca in Tuscany and I grew up cooking with my Nonna Giulia Bertolani and my Dad, Enrico Pardini. I am grounded in Tuscan cooking technique but I am also French trained and many years ago was part of the Chez Panisse "revolution" in Berkeley, California. I personally and painstakingly select all recipes and the local ingredients that go into what we prepare. The cuisine is tipical Piemontese and at the same time, uniquely my own. I have a small staff that assists me but I am always personally in the kitchen cooking, as well as directing and overseeing everything that we present, both for breakfast and dinner. I consider our breakfasts as important as dinner and I give them the same attention & care. We offer both savory and sweet selections that include tipical items as well lots of changing breakfast favorites.

Jay and I work together to select the wines on our list, of which we are quite proud. We work together to create our menus and I rely heavily on his input to keep us on course. Jay also oversees the dining room (read is often your wait person!) and the wine service. His recommendations, our finds of the area's great wines, our passion in the kitchen along with Jays penchant for being able to make us all laugh, make for memorable meals. We want to make you feel at home in the surroundings of our exquisite 12th century castle and in our dining room with its massive wood timber ceiling and fireplace!

Together, I believe Jay and I create one of the most unique and satisfying dining experiences here in Le Langhe. The cuisine is tipical, but modern and light in it's sensiblities and presented with imagination and perhaps a bit of flair. The wines represent the best and most interesting winemakers we know, presented in the Piemontese tradition but again with modern sensibilities.