IL CUCULO
At 234 Via Roma, under those polished granite arcades, is a display of delicacies and a whiff of enticing odors which proclaim another citadel of good food, II Cuculo—and quite a bird it is. in the window are immense langoustes, stuffed mussels, galantines, stuffed peppers, foie gras, smoked salmon, and other tested temptations, if these aren't enough to entice the dining trade, the lista del giorno is. It is a menu rich with regional specialties. There are a number of fish dishes, but most of the marine life seems to be on exhibition only. There is an illuminated aquarium of guppies at each table, and birds chirp away spasmodically around the cashier's desk. By such devices the owners of II Cuculo have transformed a long, low, upstairs room into a most attractive restaurant. Smiling lasses in the peasant costume of the Piedmont hills help the atmosphere, and so do the live nasturtiums which hang down from the cornices. The eye is afforded additional pleasure by trays of antipasto, cheese, and glistening Italian pastry on rolling carts. We think that an erudite diner will have an enjoye evening at II Cuculo, especially if he orders agnetllotti or risotto con vongole as a beginning course, and follows it with petti di pollo buongustaia or a particularly fragrant fritto misto italiana.
'L CAVAL 'D BRONS
This is the gayest, smartest, most picturesque and sophisticated restaurant in Turin, and it has the best location too. Its complex name means The Bronze Horse in local dialect, and it refers to the dashing equestrian statue in the middle of the Piazza San Carlo. During the summer months patrons of The Bronze Horse have their dinner under the stars in this piazza, secure behind green hedges, with never a mosquito to disturb them.
This restaurant is owned by a brewery, and we suspect that the dining public benefits thereby. The menu is large and fantastically ambitious. It is difficult to believe that this small group of Italian chefs can produce the wide array of international dishes—French, Chinese, Greek, English, Spanish, American, and Malayan — indicated on the menu, but there they are, all down in black and white. This menu, by the way, took up eight pages and was by far the most elaborate we encountered in our Italian travels. Beautifully printed in several colors, it is a collector's item worth seeking, especially if it is a numbered copy, autographed by Signor Franceschi himself.
This restaurant has a smart little bar, crowded with young people drinking nothing stronger than vermouth, but Otherwise quite reminiscent of Fifty-second Street. The interior décor is amusing, with Tyrolean woodwork to harmonize with the costumes of the waiters. The principal novelty is a set of line color prints, beautifully framed and set securely—in the ceiling. Very effective, but tough on the engraver. A good print maker deserves better than this!
This gustatory expedition comes up with a split verdict on the subject of the food at The Bronze Horse. At his own suggestion, a hurried waiter brought one of us a thick, disconsolate, tepid minestrone—and she'll never take his advice again! On top of this, the grilled chicken was too salty and the peas were hard. The other side of the family basked in better luck, beginning with antipasto which included fish salads, rice and saffron, foie gras, stuffed peppers and mussels. sausage and paper-thin ham. These were followed by beautiful, robust scampi roasted on a skewer and bathed in a rich, piquant sauce. We both liked the pastry, which was a rich, four-story affair abounding in calories, and ended the evening in the best of spirits with an excellent caffè espresso and Cognac.
SESTRIERE
Before leaving Turin for the Lakes, we must mention this man-made Sun Valley of the Italian Alps. You've proby seen pictures of Scstrière. an ultra-modern paradise for winter sportsmen, set in a wilderness of snow-clad hills. It is one of the most famous skiing resorts in Europe, with a multiplicity of trails and lifts, jumps and skating areas. It also has fine hotels, including two extraordinary cylindrical skyscrapers, the PRINCIPI DI PIEMONTE and the DUCHI D' AOSTA, A stay with either the Princes of Piedmont or the Dukes of Aosta is certain to be memorable, and you don't have to be a skier. Sestrière is popular with summer visitors, too. It is a distinct adventure to discover such total comfort in such remote surroundings.
STRESA
The Italian Lakes, jewels that they are, have been divided up among Switzerland, Lombardy, and Piedmont. The latter's share of the booty is the best shore of Lake Maggiore (the western) and idyllic little Lake Orta. The lower part of Lake Maggiore is a trifle disappointing to the motorist. He is rebuffed by the high walls of summer estates on one side of the road, and obtains only rare glimpses of the lake on the other. But the vista opens invitingly as one approaches Stresa, and in the neighborhood of the famous Borromean Islands the scene is completely lovely. Strcsa itself is the Cannes, the Biarritz, the Deauville of the Italian Lakes, with palm-sheltered promenades, inviting cafés and restaurants, and eager shop-keepers who keep their places open until ten at night.
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