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Travel Bites
HUNTING THE WORLD’S GREAT TRUFFLE RESTAURANTS
KATHLEEN SQUIRES SNIFFS OUT THE WORLD’S BEST SPOTS TO
EXPERIENCE THE SINGULAR FLAVOR OF THIS MOST FABULOUS FUNGUS.
Frequently referred to as the “black gold” or “white gold” of a terroir, truffes are a culinary
treasure—certainly the most revered luxury that comes out of the ground. Expensive, rich and
aromatic, they add a lusty, earthy perfume to a dish, going beyond the mere mushroom. It takes
professional savvy (and a well-trained pig or dog) to fnd truffes, which grow under tree roots.
Although varieties of the subterranean substance come and go by season, there are regions
around the world that are especially known for their bounty. Here are fve of the best restaurants
across the globe that specialize in the delicacy.
LA TOQUE Napa, California
Chef Ken Frank has been cooking with truffles
for 35 years, ever since he opened the original
branch of this restaurant in 1979, earning
Michelin stars along the way. His esteem as the
foremost U.S. authority on truffles, as a matter
of fact, caused him to be the first and only
American chef to be invited to the renowned
white truffle festival in Alba, Italy. Frank
currently leads the Napa Truffle Festival, held
each January. Whether it’s festival time or not,
diners at La Toque can expect it to rain truffles
on Frank’s menus, from truffled free-range egg
with brioche to Skuna Bay salmon slow-cooked
in duck fat with fresh black truffle. latoque.com
LA MAISON DE LA TRUFFE Paris
The world’s most prized black truffles hail from the Perigord region in the south of France. This
“house of truffles” has been serving them, along with the white, summer, winter and Burgundy
varieties, since 1932. The menu here includes touches of whatever is in season, so expect risotto
with scampi and black truffle in December and white pizza with white truffle in the fall. Like what
you ate? The gastronomic gems are for sale in the attached boutique. maison-de-la-truffe.com
LITTLE TRUFFLE Mermaid Beach, Australia
Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller shocked many when he compared the finest French black
Perigord truffles to the variety from Down Under during a tasting at his world-renowned restaurant
Per Se. “It’s hard to tell which one is better,” he said, according to ABC News. But Australians like
chef Daniel Ridgeway of Little Truffle have always extolled the virtues of Australian truffles, and
they fill his award-winning menu. Ridgeway especially enjoys pairing them with meats in dishes
such as braised beef cheek with cauliflower and truffle purée. littletruffle.com.au
AMERIGO 1934 Savigno, Italy
Alba might get all the press, but Savigno, a
municipality outside of Bologna, also unearths
some of Italy’s most valued white truffles.
The convivial restaurant Amerigo 1934 has
been serving them for three generations.
Today, chef/owner Alberto Bettini shaves
a generous ten grams into each pasta and
entree, whether serving tagliatelle, pasatelli,
soft polenta with parmigiano or “Egg Amerigo
2014.” White truffle even graces the butter here.
amerigo1934.it
TRUFFLE GOURMET Singapore
There’s a dirty secret in the truffle trade: Imposters known as “Frankentruffles,” imported from
China, are sprayed with fake aromas and passed off as genuine. But there are plenty of bona fide
truffles coming out of China, and Asia’s leading restaurants are sticklers for making sure that they
are getting the real thing. This branch of the Italy-based luxury wine bar and restaurant is not only
known for its authentic truffle quality, but also recognized for its innovations with the earthy jewels.
A must try: truffle “caviar,” black truffle juice transformed into tiny black pearls. trufflegourmet.sg
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 19