June and I had a most memorable lunch today in Montalcino. June and I had lunch at II Giardino. The waiter was from Sir Lanka.
We had a table in back of the ristorante. The waiter was very helpful in helping to pick the wine which was perfect. We started with sharing a caprice salad which was perfect. June then had a soup which she said was one of the best she had ever had but could not describe what was the base. It turned out to be beet. I had a pasta which was excellent. We then had mains. I had the lamb which was again excellent , June had the quinea fowl which she had never had but wanted to try something different. Both were excellent.
One of the treats to the lunch was seeing a table hidden in the back by us that had an elderly couple that were joined by a teenage girl. It turned out that they were the parents of the manager and the girl was the granddaughter. At one point during our time there the teenage girl got up and went to the toilet area and came back with some tissues. They had never set up proper place settings for the family. I saw this and got up and went to a near by table and took the napkins off the table and took them to the family. It was a big hit and created a relationship between the two tables that his impossible to describe.
As June and I say to one and another this was not a meal but turned into an EVENT. We so enjoyed our three hour lunch at this restaurant. I understand many of you reading this may not understand but I had to share this EVENT with someone.
If you are ever in Montalcino have a meal at II Giardino.
Life is not good it is EXCELLENT.

Just wanted to endorse Ralph’s comments about the lovely restaurant we had lunch in today which had a beautiful ambience, superb service and scrumptious food!
Since Montalcino is in the heart of the Brunello and Sangiovese grape growing area, there are wine shops everywhere all offering tastings morning, noon and might!!!
Tuscany is a beautiful area of Italy which we always enjoy visiting. For anyone remotely interested in the soup Ralph referred to, it was actually chickpea soup in the middle with a red-purplish ring of beet soup around the outside of the plate. I had no idea it was a beet concoction until I asked the waiter, since I couldn’t identify the taste.
The family in the adjacent table couldn’t speak English and we couldn’t speak Italian, but with gesticulations, we all understood one another amidst much fun and laughter!
Life couldn’t be better!

Great posts one of those experiences you will always remember. Any pictures? I can post them if you t email them to me. .

One of alley ways that are so beautiful in Tuscany.

What a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing it with us.

I guess June and Ralph are on a weight gaining tour in Tuscany.
Breakfast looks fabulous.