Pear raviolis of our battle Coquinarius (LEFT) and 4Leoni (RIGHT).
Italian cuisine is a crowd pleaser. Whenever you ask someone if they can eat any type of food for the rest of their lives, there is always one person that replies, “easy, Italian!” But taking all the famous and popular dishes into account, there is no crowd pleaser like pear ravioli. It is rare enough that you haven’t gotten bored of it (like spaghetti with ragu), and if you haven’t tried it the first time is something you will never forget. It seems like no portion is too big. There is no person I have met that has yet to fall in love with pear ravioli at first bite. It is no secret that Italy is laden with delicious gourmet restaurants with handmade pasta and sauces made into new and innovative dishes. But pear ravioli stands apart from the rest, probably because it so perfectly combines the taste of savory pasta with sweet pears. It is a real treat. So now is the time where the best of the best face off in the battle of the pear raviolis. Only the best, most exquisite pasta dish will win.
The first contestant is 4leoni which features pear parmesan tortellini with an asparagus sauce. The restaurant is located on Via de' Vellutini, 1 on the south side of the Arno. The atmosphere is beautiful with a vine covered outdoor seating area in the front overlooking the small, quaint plaza. 4leoni does charge a coperto charge of 3 euros per person in addition to your meal, so do not be alarmed when you see the bill, this is very typical of Italian resturaunts (pro tip: you also need to pay for water in Italian restaurants, and ask the waiter for the bill when you are done eating). The service was wonderful and the pasta was obviously delicious. The pear ravioli was in the shape of small “purses” and filled with a sweet pear and parmesan puree. The sauce is cream based with pieces of asparagus mixed in. The flavors between the sweetness of the pears played well and were not overpowering to the savory flavors brought by the cream sauce and cheese. It was definitely the handmade pasta craved when visiting Italy, and definitely something that is hard to come by in America. It does not disappoint. However, the menu does take a bit to decipher due to the fact that it is all in Italian. Just remember the word “pear” translates to “pera” in Italian. If you want to order something different, find an Italian to English dictionary and good luck!
Coquinarus Exterior
Our second contestant is Coquinarius, located at Via delle Oche, 11 just a couple minute walk from the Duomo. This menu features a “cheese and pear ravioli.” While the actual pasta was similar in shape and flavor, the sauce choice was quite different. Coquinarius opted for a simpler sauce, consisting mostly of butter. The dish was finished with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top and black pepper. The flavors were much more balanced and the dish seemed lighter with the choice of a different sauce. As for the dining experience, it was less than expected. Reservations are necessary, not encouraged. You will be turned away unless you arrive within the first 30 minutes of opening (opening time is 6:30 PM). After that the restaurant is packed and every table is occupied. If you arrive early and are one of the few dining at the restaurant, service is fantastic. However, if you are there at peak hours (7-9PM) expect to wait 15 minutes for a waiter to take your order, and an hour to receive your entre from the moment you are seated. The staff seemed overwhelmed and forgetful of who was there.
Now, the moment we have waited for, the results. Both restaurants and pear ravioli dishes were evaluated based on four categories: dish, atmosphere, price, and service on a scale of 1-5 (1=worst, 5=best). The results are as followed:
4leoni:
Dish: 3
Atmosphere: 3
Price: 4
Service: 4
TOTAL: 14
Coquinarius:
Dish: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Price: 4
Service: 2
TOTAL: 15
It was a close call, but Coquinarius won with a photo finish. Although the portions, prices, and flavor of the actual pasta were all quite similar or probably exactly the same, the composition of the dish and atmosphere really put Coquinarius over the edge. The butter sauce played much more nicely with the sweetness of the pears and its simplicity really made the pears the star of the dish. The cream sauce at 4leoni with asparagus was too heavy and took away from the pear which was really the innovate draw to the dish. Furthermore, the atmosphere was much nicer in Coquinarius with art pieces and bottles of wine decorating the walls. After your meal, you could even swing by the Duomo and sit by the plaza eating your choice of gelato or cannoli from the many shops close by. 4Leoni was near no appetizing dessert options and you need to wander a bit until you find someplace to walk and enjoy the setting sun or something to satisfy your sweet tooth.
But the deal breaker in atmosphere at 4leoni was the Italian menu. Unless you speak Italian, the menu is impossible to read and unless you do your research as to what you want, your dinner is a guessing game. This is a complete deal breaker. While this may have indicated a more authentic atmosphere or made the impression that it’s a favorite of the locals, it was frustrating not knowing what else the menu included. The one overwhelming of Coquinarius was the service issues and the fact it was a bit crowded. However, this can easily be solved by making a reservation for early in the evening, or stopping by at opening hour (6:30PM). Even if you do wait a while to receive your dish, the meal is worth the wait, and the menu is English friendly and has plenty of delicious options, you’ll actually want to come back to try something different.