Links in text: Tiare shopping center; Trinum cafe; Coop; La Piadineria; Palmanova Outlet Village; Lindt; Dall´Ava; Caffè Point Grosmi; Orsone; Agli Amici; Gnocchi Kitchen Bar; Trattoria Da Majda; Lokanda Devetak
This day is dedicated to "easy" shopping, enjoying Italian coffee, marmalade croissants, snacks and drinks at Italian bars, in evening sipping cocktail Americano with a view of the vineyards ... Life is one, so enjoy it!
After breakfast we are headed towards Villesse to Tiare shopping center. Many different nations can be found in shopping centers through Italy, specially at the time of discounts. Italians are historically trade nation and they find the way to motivate buyers. They don’t see any point in keeping "old" stock, that’s why the prices are greatly reduced at the end of the season, so regardless of money spent, we are always satisfied with our purchases.
TIARE SHOPPING CENTER
The motorway leads us through Vipava Valley (Slovenia) and after an hour drive we arrive at Tiare shopping center. Impatient is growing, because it’s time for a coffee, freshly backed delicious marmalade croissants, squeezed pomegranate juice, hot chocolate or cream coffee.
Trinum cafe is located at the corner of IKEA entrance and it’s a convenient place for a morning stop.
Italians usually eat croissants and drink cappuccinos in bars for breakfast, they just quickly consume their breakfast and they are on their way. In the afternoon, they have other desserts and coffee sips in offer.
Tiare shopping center was created as an extension of IKEA, and from the very beginning, there were quite a few controversies about the negative impact on a small local shop. Time has shown that the center is also fighting for it’s existence, since it’s difficult to rent out such a large space. Only the market economy determines who will survive, so they constantly improve the offer with adding new content, offering additional benefits and discounts to customers. We always find a good deal there, no matter if it’s about Kitchen Accessories, Food or Clothes, ...
Coop is an Italian food chain supermarket with very good stock of everything you can imagine in food industry. Here we usually buy pasta (fresh or dried), flour, coffee, olive oil, delicacies, parmesan, alcoholic beverages, chocolate…Be careful, we usually go to buy just a couple of things,, which ends up with a full shopping cart.
After all this food bought we are hungry, so on the first floor of the center you can find interesting little snack point called La Piadineria. It’s an Italian food chain with an interesting concept of preparing various Piadinas, just right for a quick snack.
PALMANOVA OUTLET VILLAGE
Our second stop is Palmanova Outlet Village. From Villesse to Palmanova you can use local road, it’s easy to find and you can also observe local activities. Opinions very over this Outlet, many like it, others don’t find that kind of store concept appealing, for some it’s too expensive, ... We usually come here for coffee, prosciutto ham, hot chocolate... if we can find cosmetics, kitchen accessories, shoes or clothes on good deals, even better!
In Italy, prices are changing a lot over the year, so it's important to know when it's actually fine period for shopping. For "Black Friday" weekend, almost all items are additionally reduced, despite the already lower outlet prices. For the upcoming season and December gifts, you can buy everything you need, since the stores are heavily stocked. At the beginning of seasonal sales (winter/summer) those Outlets are overcrowded and if there is no rush, visit the Italian Outlets few days or weeks later. You will still find lots of interesting things at incredibly good prices, since they decrease weekly. Various discounts are maintained throughout the year, it’s best to subscribe to their newsletters and by e-mail you will be notified about additional price reductions. It's worth to do that, because the savings are incredible.
Lindt store is perfect for testing chocolate sweeties. There you can find manly products of Italian Lindt factory, located in Varese, near Milan. Prices of chocolates here are higher than elsewhere, but there is a noticeable difference in quality, whether you want to admit it or not. Italians simply know how to work with chocolate better than anyone else and this is also reflected in price, so take less with better quality. Ice creams in summer and hot chocolates in winter are remarkable, chocolate candies and creminis are out of this world.
You also need to taste the prosciutto at Dall´Ava restaurant. Prosciutteria where drying and ripening of their prosciutto is happening, is located near Udine, which is also the area of San Daniele Prosciutto brand, whose characteristics are that the animal must be born and raised in Italy with the usage of sea salt alone and maintaining the highest quality of the product. The restaurant is well-known for its prosciutto, which they proudly present. They have sandwiches, croissants with prosciutto, they cut it on a plate, you can order it for take-away ... We usually take one or two portions of prosciutto with bread and grissini (app. 15,00 €), a glass of wine or some other drink, but always finishing with fine espresso coffee.
UDINE
If time allows us, we usually go to Udine for a walk through the town. Udine is considered something as a weekend destination for Austrians. It’s one of the richest parts of Friuli, what is immediately noticed by the activities and events in the city.
Our favorite point for the afternoon coffee is Caffè Point Grosmi, located in the very center of the town, on the corner of Giacomo Matteotti main square. They have more than 50 years of tradition in the selection of coffee beans, roasting and blending to achieve the highest quality and typical taste of Italian coffee. Commitment to quality brought them to the top and they were selected as one of the 20 best Italian coffee bars in the year 2016. You can also buy their coffee blends for home, but you can’t leave this place without trying their macrons, they are the best!
There are quite a few options for dinner, but if you have children along, I suggest to drive back home. After such a busy day, they are probably tired and sitting in a restaurant can be a stressful experience for everyone. On the other hand, the trunk is full with delicacies from Coop, so you can prepare fast and delicious dinner at home and eat in peace!
Otherwise, you should try the Orsone Restaurant, located in little village called Cividale del Friuli, near Udine. It’s the property of American TV chef Joe Bastianich, who has Croatian roots, since his parents are from Istria. The estate with a restaurant, rooms and vineyard is idyllic, the whole place is very nicely decorated and perfect for relaxing in garden watching vineyards. Cocktail Americano is made with perfection, orange peel has so much flavor that your thoughts are immediately in Sicily. They are also known for their hamburgers, which are made from Piedmontese cattle, one of the most prestigious meat. Such a hamburger with fries costs € 15.00, total cost for two people with drinks is app. 40,00 €. The kitchen was developing its identity at the beginning. First they tried with Italian cuisine made in American way, with big chef name hoping for a Michelin star, but that didn’t convince locals, so they chose a different approach, a casual, relaxed environment, where food is made for people, not for stars, and that approach is working very well now.
Agli Amici Restaurant in Godia (northern part of Udine) has two well-deserved Michelin stars. The Restaurant is run by brother and sister, he is in charge of the kitchen, she is responsible for the catering part. That kind of restaurant isn't just for eating but mostly to observe, try and taste the originality of chef Emanuel. When it comes to dishes, it’s almost like surgical precision and discipline needed to achieve such a perfection on the plate. Every bite is unforgettable and unique experience. Of course, that is expensive so consider it for a special occasion. I was there with my husband a couple of years ago, when they had one Michelin star. At that time medium degustation menu with drinks for two was app. € 190.00 now, when they have two stars, it's probably even more expensive.
For all foodies out there, it's good to know that in addition to this prestigious, classical restaurant, a more relaxed and wallet-friendly facility is nearby, called Gnocchi Kitchen Bar. It's still chef Emanuel's kitchen, but it's more simple food for fast lunch or dinner. You will need to have a reservation.
If you go back to Slovenia through Vipava Valley, there are two restaurants with typical local cuisine that you need to try. One is Trattoria Da Majda, located in Gorizia, where the three-course meal with drinks for two cost app. 80,00 €. I would suggest to use Google maps application, if Trattoria Da Majda is still possible to find, I can’t say that for Lokanda Devetak, without navigation we are completely lost there!
Lokanda Devetak is a family-run restaurant, with their own food, mostly produced by themselves. They have also an impressive wine cellar. The owner is one of the friendliest hosts I've ever met. If you have no time limitation and it’s a special occasion, you should try their 6-course degustation menu, which is seasonally changed and it's more prestigious version of local cuisine. The price for two people with all drinks included is app. € 130.00, but it’s a maximum pleasure. Every single dish is accompanied by another wine, even desserts have their own dessert wines, all provided by host, you are there just to enjoy.
Conclusion - this part of Friuli-Venezia Giulia is not only a shopping destination, it has also a very impressive gastronomic richness, as well as interesting social events and an idyllic landscape. You will not be disappointed.