Ristorante Cavallino in Maranello closed permanently?

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/ristorante-cavallino-closed.615062/

 

Amazing really, one would think that some things are so harmless to be left alone.....apparently not.

 

We had lunch there years ago on our first visit to the factory since we read this was the place to go. The service was good and the decor is nice, but the food was only acceptable (nothing I couldn't get in an American restaurant). Although it was a decent meal, to put it in perspective, it was the next to worst of all the meals we have eaten in Italy. I know there were Ferrari personnel also dining at the same time, but I'm sure they didn't get the same food we ate. Maybe because we were obvious American tourists they felt we didn't know food any better, but we did.

Maybe this was an aberration, but we didn't give them a second chance. Since then we've only dined at Ristorante Montana when we are in town.

 

Massimo Bottura is not just about Osteria Francescana and complex three star cuisine. He has done some pretty remarkable things to counter food waste and to feed the homeless.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/may/21/massimo-bottura-feed-the-hungry-food-for-soul

Personally I wouldn’t want to be having an overwrought three star meal for lunch after a factory visit, and maybe the new restaurant will reflect this. Cavallino was just fine for me.

But the comments in the other thread about this being another empty Ferrari/branding exercise are wide of the mark. Bottura is Italy’s greatest chef and by some measures the world’s greatest, as well as a thoughtful man who puts his money where his mouth is. Why shouldn’t the world’s greatest car brand have a restaurant to match?

Incidentally as anyone who has visited knows, BMW have an ok Michelin starred restaurant at their Munich museum. Mercedes have a dreadful pretentious offering at their Stuttgart museum. Let’s hope it doesn’t go that direction.

 

Ristorante Montanna is way better agree! Kinda sad for the history however.

 

I’d like it if Massimo went in more of a rustic direction with the menu at whatever Cavallino will now be called. By the way, there’s an interesting article in the current The Road Rat about Enzo’s favorite restaurants in Maranello, Modena, and nearby villages.

 

You bring up an interesting point about favorite restaurants when you mention Enzo's favorites. When I posted that we didn't have a great meal at Cavallino, I was cautious to write that our experience may have been an aberration. In America many restaurants are either owned by a chain, or if an individual, may change ownership frequently. And even if individual ownership doesn't change, chefs may regularly change. So the continuity of quality may vary greatly.

My experience in Italy is many restaurants are family owned and are passed down to the family over many years. Consequently the quality of the food is much more consistent than I will see in the US. So the restaurants mentioned that article you reference were ones Enzo dined at well over 30 years ago. My guess all or most of them still maintain the same quality that he experienced.

These days I'm very cautious about recommending a US restaurant to friends because I've had occasions where friends dined there and wanted me to give them their money back!

 

The former Ristorante Cavallino in Maranello today.

Marcel Massini

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glad i have eaten at both of them a few times.

i do agree that montana was better tho.

 

SadSadSad

 

What is going in its place?

 

I visited the factory in May of 2017 and stayed in Maranello for two nights at the Planet Hotel. It was a very quiet time of year to visit. My first night there, I ate the Ristorante Cavallino and I was the only person there that raining evening. The food was, well, awful, which shocked me. I was expecting it to be superb, genuine Italian cuisine. I'll always remember what surprised me most - the bread, or rather the dinner rolls. They were hard as rock and reminded me of frozen, heat and serve rolls in the US, not great Italian bread. Agreed, Montanna was much better, yet still not what I would call "exceptional". Regardless, it was the history and significance that still made the experience at the Cavallino great. I'm very sad to see it go.

 

That bread is horrible yet is commonly served almost everywhere in Italy, an oddity, like cardboard however there is usually a choice with several wonderful breads. But yes it is the only thing I dislike in Italy's restaurants...

 

Extra butter on my popcorn please.

 

Never heard anyone say that but there is always a first time for everything.

 

Had a great time in October 2019. 13 of us took a dream trip and saw everything and ate everything. Cavallino was good, not great but good. Montana was great!

I'm just happy we kind of made it in the nick of time before the world got turned upside down by the virus and also to have the experience of a meal in the genuine Cavallino restaurant was great!

Like all things, this had run its course and it was time to move on to bigger and better things. I just hope Massimo Bottura doesn't turn it into an overpriced-must-reserve-online-3-months-ahead type of place. It's nice that it was more of a daytime lunch place filled with tourists and Ferrari employees, it was a simple and genuine vibe.

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The collection of Ferrari memorabilia at Cavallino was sometimes more interesting than the food. Sadly all that got auctioned off a few days ago:
https://www.artcurial.com/en/sale-4099-automobilia-including-former-collection-giuseppe-neri-friend-enzo-ferrari


And Ferrari couldn't save it for its new fancy restaurant? Tells you a lot about where the company is headed.

 

I've been to Cavallino and Montana several times for lunch and dinner. the food at Cavallino is hit or miss. I've had great meals there - then bad meals. you have to order the local stuff... don't get a steak or anything like that. stick to the pasta, salad some cheese... Lambrusco and its great. do veal or lamb... not so good.

It's sad to see the historic Cavallino go. I missed out on the Neri Artcurial auction... some of the stuff went for crazy prices. ... but I have my empty Lambrusco and balsamic bottles from Cavallino ... as for Massimo Bottura ... his food is excellent so I'm hopeful it will be relaxed modern Italian.. which will match the cars.

if you get to eat at Osteria Franchscana ... you have to its really very very good. presentation is wacky, and the flavors are truly amazing.

 

I was registered to bid and was outbid on every lot on my list--not even close. Given the provenance and pent-up demand by the well-heeled Retromobile crowd it's not surprising. There were nearly 600 registered online bidders, a small number bid in person and others bid via telephone. Commission plus VAT was approximately 30%.