Restaurant Albergo al Portico — Restaurant in Circolo del Gambarogno

After a long day walking at Luino market we just wanted guaranteed delicious food. We had a very uninspired lunch in Luino at Gambarius because we wanted to try some place new (other than Turismo, which we loved). Based on that punishment, we decided to return to Ristorante Al Portico - we were not disappointed in the least, nor regret repeating a restaurant!||||We did not have reservations, so we walked in at 530 - opening time. Definitely need reservations or to arrive early because the vast majority of tables were already reserved. Although food is not available until 6pm, drinks are. We had a gin and tonic which was prepared tableside so the amount of tonic was perfect. We also had decaf caffe macchiatos with amaretto - super flavorful and warm after a cold day walking! ||||We were Pasquale converts so ordered both of his special menus for the day: ||||Menu 1-- cream of carrot soup (so delicious!), mixed salad (a constant which was one of our favorites), and asparagus ravioli homemade from another vendor with wild ramp pesto (other sauce choices were available), amazing flavor!||||Menu 2 -- cream of carrot siup, mixed salad, and panfried "fresh from Lago Maggiore this morning" whitefish (felchen) with rice and tartar sauce. The fish was expertly prepared and seasoned. So yummy that the 3 filets were eaten in a heartbeat! ||||We also tried the veal scaloppini fitness plate. We love how healthier options are available with the restaurant's fitness plates. The veal was accompanied by a delicious seasoned butter, but that was the only unhealthy item, given that 3/5 of the plate was a ginormous salad with tasty individual salads included (like a beet slaw, a carrot slaw, a cabbage slaw, and a pickled cabbage slaw). The house dressing is mayonnaise based and very light and tasty.||||The special menus of the day are a great deal. For Switzerland, the cost was a great value. Again, Iris was very welcoming and helpful, and Pasquale the chef stopping by to ensure everything was great. They speak 4+ languages so you can be assured some comfort in your dining experience! We regret it was so cold because the outside patio dining area overlooking Lake Maggiore looked so peaceful and beautiful. However, that will have to wait for...

We were staying at Casa Barbara from VRBO in Gerra and its owner Lisa recommended Iris and Pasquale's restaurant to us and even made reservations for us. Moreover, we had a birthday and Lisa told us we would be in good hands. ||||As we walked in, Iris immediately recognized us - I guess not many parties of 3 strangers bundled up against 50 degree weather. She showed us to a table that had a very unexpected "happy birthday" sign - super sweet! Iris helped us chose a super nice local Ticinese wine. It was very nice to have her explain the menu and specials in English!||||We had the soup of the day: cream of ramps - so delicious we ordered a second one! The mixed salad course had a yummy dressing and included several individual salads: carrot, cabbage, and pickled cabbage. For entrees we had the saltimboca with risotto special, the pork cordon bleu special, and the homemade lasagna. The specials were tasty but could not compare to the most incredible lasagna ever. This lasagna had the thinest, lightest homemade noodles, incredible meat and cheese sauce, and it stayed piping hot for an hour! ||||We finished the meal with panna cotta fatta in casa. Amazing texture and taste with a strawberry sauce. Not too sweet and you could tell the high quality of cream used!||||Overall, we had a great meal (and the best lasagna of all time) and excellent service: super welcoming Iris, our very nice waitress (who understood some English as well), and Pasquale -- who came out of the kitchen, turned on a happy birthday song on the stereo and shook our hands to say hello! Fantastic...

Recentemente su consigli da un'amica, nota con gusto culinario raffinato, ci siamo recati al ristorante , per provare il loro fritto misto di mare. Siamo andati fiduciosi basandoci sulla sua raccomandazione. Tuttavia, al nostro arrivo, ci siamo sentiti un po' delusi. Le foto online avevano lasciato una buona impressione, ma dal vivo avremmo definito il locale discreto.

Il ristorante ha una bella pergola di uva con scorci sul lago, ma i tavoli sono grandi e pensati per famiglie o gruppi. Eravamo in quattro e ci hanno sistemati a un tavolo a ridosso del muro , che inizialmente ci ha sorpreso: quando hanno tolto la striscia per apparecchiarlo per noi, abbiamo notato che era molto macchiato a causa del materiale poroso. Una volta sistemato il runner, la situazione è migliorata, comunque non è un bel vedere.

Consultando il menu, ci siamo accorti che il fritto misto non era più disponibile, nonostante fosse pubblicizzato online. Abbiamo chiesto spiegazioni e ci è stato detto che non era più in menu, siccome online era ancora quello dell’anno scorso, ma che avrebbero potuto prepararne una versione con pesce, calamari e gamberoni.

Due di noi hanno optato per altre pietanze, che sono risultate accettabili ( spaghetti alle vongole e un altro primo) benché la presentazione fosse lontana dagli standard di un cuoco esperto. Gli altri due hanno chiesto di avere solo frutti di mare nel fritto, che alla fine includeva calamari tagliati molto larghi , alcuni moscardini e due gamberoni giganti a testa, non proprio adatti a questa preparazione. Purtroppo, il piatto non ci ha convinti: era commestibile, ma avrebbe potuto essere molto meglio, anche dal punto di vista della presentazione.

In definitiva, ritengo che i turisti stranieri, con meno esperienza della cucina italiana, possano uscirne soddisfatti, a differenza di chi cerca qualità e autenticità nella cucina italiana. Per noi è stata una delusione e non ci torneremo. Il servizio era nella norma, e forse siamo stati favoriti dall'arrivare dopo l'orario di punta, poiché non abbiamo avuto lunghi...