Tre Cristi Embodies the Soul of Tuscan Food
By Ari Kane, Photographs by Daniella Veras
Tre Cristi exemplifies the true soul of Etruscan food in Siena. It is the oldest restaurant in the city dating back to 1830 — that’s 184 years in business offering fresh and tasty Tuscan cuisine at very reasonable prices. The structure emits a classic, refined and warm vibe. A man and woman comprise a chef team that will take your mouth into the heart of gourmet Tuscan fare.
We love to experience the local cuisine; so naturally, we started our meal with Panzanella. A bread salad that dates back to the 14th century from a historic waste-not-want-not Tuscan tradition. It is comprised of bread, cherry tomatoes cucumbers, olive oil and beautiful prawn and octopus on top. The taste was very comforting and the seafood atop were so fresh and juicy.
 
Tre Cristi is known for their seafood, so we sampled a Selection of Raw Sea Food Specialties. The pretty plate had scampi, sea bass and red prawn with great extra virgin olive oil. One of the great things about Italy is that you can be assured you are eating some of finest and purest olive oil in the world. There are huge scams being perpetuated around the world where olive oil not from Italy is being pawned off as Italian. The second this pure and delectable olive oil touches your lips, you’ll notice the difference and wonder what you’ve really been eating all your life. While the scampi was smooth and delicious, it was the prawn that ruled the plate. The prawn was presented as a deliriously enticing sashimi that was insanely satisfying. We refused to wash the sensational lingering prawn taste out of our mouths until the next course arrived.
Cuttlefish are very common in Italian waters, and play a pertinent role in everything from appetizers through elegant entrees. So we were very excited to try Tre Cristi’s Cuttlefish on Potato and Yellow Pumpkin and it was great. The pumpkin, which was more of a pumpkin sauce, was such a wonderful addition to the plate. The cuttlefish was seasoned and grilled perfectly, leaving us savoring every last bite. The Shedonist is a bit of a cuttlefish addict and could not stop raving about this dish.
The Paccheri Pasta from the tiny renown city Gragnano (population is only 30,000) was exquisite. Gragnano is close to Naples and is known to make some of the best dried pasta in the world. The paccheri was presented with black ink of squid soaked cuttlefish. It also contained a smidgen of tomato sauce, a succulent prawn and fabulous Ricotta atop. The gorgeous dish is a typical Italian dish and was cooked to al dente perfection. The ingredients had such a unique and terrific taste individually but together it was magical. Ask for extra ricotta because that really set the dish off.
For dessert, we had Sorbetto (the Italian word for Sorbet), a frozen dessert made of fruit, fruit juice, and/or fruit puree and ice (and does not contain dairy). Ours was a refreshing banana flavor that sealed our fate as sorbetto fans.
Tre Cristi offers a truly unique, magical and tasty experience. One can really feel the historical energy while sitting in this almost two century old structure. The fare and libations are presented with love and care and are reflected in its superior ingredients and execution. It is one of the many reasons that is included in the Michelin Guide. If one wants to experience the soul of Etruscan food then Tre Cristi will completely immerse you in it.
