Dear guests and food-lovers,
For more than twenty years, I have dedicated myself to the cuisine of Locanda Mistral: Genuine comfort food, all homemade and with seasonal products. That’s what I learned in my mother’s kitchen and what I’m practicing every single day. Because using local, seasonal and high-quality products has always been our guiding principle at Locanda Mistral.
Nowadays, I’m the head chef at our restaurant and can still count on my mother’s support when preparing the homemade pasta. Our valued employees contribute by carrying on the old recipes with finesse and creativity. I carefully choose sustainable suppliers and products in order to source locally and support environmentally-friendly production.
Eating well and healthy has always been one of the most important values in my life. That’s why I offer my guests the opportunity to experience the traditions and history of this valley through my dishes. After all, food has a story to tell. The most common herbs and ingredients, such as anchovies, cheese, potatoes, meat, etc., not only speak of sacrifices but also of a determination and rigour that brought education and a certain dignity to the Valle Maira.
All ingredients are carefully chosen. I have had the privilege of living in different Italian regions. I therefore know the importance of using extra virgin olive oil from a small producer, of choosing a family-run charcuterie (that cares about the provenance of its animals), of having Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (from a producer who I’ve known since I was a child), of having Piedmontese meat, of making bread and cakes with whole meal flour from the Cavanna mill in Dronero, of choosing honey from the valley and butter and cheese from local dairies.
Besides, each season holds its own surprises: spring accounts for many herbs and wildflowers, whereas summer creates an explosion of scents and flavours. And then autumn brings us chestnuts, excellent pumpkins carefully chosen by our trusted farmer, truffles and leeks from Cervere... On top of that, our garden, tended by Renato, brings freshness to our dishes all year round.
The menu always offers our in-house hotel guests a vegetarian option and starts with a lovely buffet of seasonal salads and homemade focaccia.
Our restaurant guests benefit from a wide selection, too. For both the tasting menu and the à la carte menu, there is a selection of 5 starters, 3 first courses and 3 main courses. To conclude, we suggest our cheese platters (which consist of extraordinary alpine pasture cheeses that vary according to the season and the cows' feed), our spoon desserts or our daily selection of stunning cakes.
I look forward to welcoming you soon to Restaurant Mistral. If you have any questions, you can always contact me at info [at] locandamistral.com.
Best regards and “buon appetito”,
Manuela Zibana
