The tour books don't mention Nuove Salette, at least not the ones I've read, but it's the place to eat in Turin. Tucked away in a side street (Via Goito) near Porta Nuova train station, it's a restaurant in Italy rather than an Italian restaurant, and mercifully it doesn't pretend to cater for anyone other than for people who just want to eat. They don't even translate the menu, a skill not yet mastered by most restaurateurs the world over. Local people eat here and everyone seems to know everybody else, but not in a way that excludes strangers. The surrounding streets are seedy, and for some reason the ladies who hang about those streets all wear very short, tight skirts. Strange.
The cooks and waitresses are a friendly lot who don't speak English. I like that, and the menu is fairly self explanatory anyway. The people seem to genuinely want the customers to enjoy themselves and come back for more. They seemed pleased that foreigners came in, but couldn't figure out why.
The menu is standard but extensive and certainly not expensive. I went for the set menu - an unbelievable €20 excluding wine! The wine we ordered was very affordable and more than just drinkable. I was quite chuffed with my choice.
Aperitif - a glass of champagne
Starter - a platter of cold meats, bread, cheese and the tastiest bruschetta I have ever had. Where do Italians get their tomatoes?
Next course - spaghetti (home made) with a meat sauce to die for.
Next next course - lumps of meat roasted on a spit with just enough roasted vegetables and salady bits to go with it.
This was a seriously exceptional and good value meal with no pretension.
Maybe I should have kept that to myself. Hope it's as good when I go back next year.
