Osteria La Libera

Piemonte cuisine with a modern touch

 

Egg, porcini mushrooms with Alba white truffle

Just a stone's throw from the busy Alba old town, Osteria La Libera is a modern Piemonte restaurant that has been a crowd-pleaser since it was launched back in 2009. Unlike many of its neighbor restaurants that stick to true tradition, Osteria La Libera likes to add a touch of a playful element to make it's offering contemporary, but not over the top with creativity. The menu format is your typical 4-course affair with starter, pasta, main, and dessert. As it was the peak of truffle season, I opted for a few dishes with truffle supplements.

Veal tartare, sliced veal with tuna sauce and stuffed pepper

Parmesan tart

Octopus and broccoli pasta 

Tajarin with butter and Alba white truffle

The poached egg with Alba white truffle was heavenly, the egg was cooked to perfection with a runny yolk, while the pan-seared porcini mushrooms offered a soft earthy texture and the cheese sauce combined everything wonderfully together. I wanted a break from Piemonte cuisine so I had a seafood pasta course that was served with octopus, the octopus was well seasoned and very tender, and the umami seafood sauce for the pasta was done expertly. What I really didn't enjoy was the cheese fondue, it was really thick and bold, and the white truffle didn't really add anything on top as the taste of the cheese was so dominating. It was strange to serve as the main course for me too.

Agnolotti stuffed with veal

Finanziera

Roasted guinea fowl and baked potatoes

Cheese fondue with Alba white truffle

Osteria La Libera delivered some really well-executed dishes, but in the end, it was a weak finish for me. Perhaps mainly was the cheese fondue that kind of 'destroyed' me at the end, as it really overwhelmed my palate and made me kind of feel sick toward the end. If I forget about that course, it would be a much better overall experience, but when I paid 40 euros for a failed dish, without a doubt it was a bitter ending. The service was also really rushed at times as it was a busy Saturday evening.

Food 3/5


What I paid: 
£70 pp with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£45

Via Elvio Pertinace, 24, 12051 Alba CN, Italy

http://www.lalibera.com/