Lunch at the hidden Enoteca Segreta in Verona

I wanted to try the Enoteca Segreta (Secret Winehouse) after reading the reviews on Tripadvisor. We booked for a Sunday lunch. Pay attention: It is open only for dinner except on Sundays!

The Enoteca Segreta is located at the end of a narrow street in the centre of Verona, a few steps away from Juliet’s house. If you want to read my report, here is my post about Juliet’s House.

On the outside there is a small space for a couple of tables, but it was still too cold to sit there.

The menu is displayed outside so you can get sense of their cooking.

After you enter there’s a small room with three tables. Not the best in my opinion… not very cosy. Then there’s the main room, not big, with the counter at the bottom right. We were escorted to the room below, the cellar where the wines are kept. It had only 4 tables and a very intimate atmosphere.

My lunch at the Enoteca Segreta

Appetizers

I ordered a selection of goose and duck cold cuts with soft cheese and pears (€ 14)
I particularly enjoyed the goose speck and the paté.

My husband had the Slow Food Association starter, a salami and cheese assortment (€ 15)
My husband and I (yes, I tried a little it of everything) have particularly enjoyed the cheeses, paired with exquisite sauces (the prickly pear jam was sublime).

Main courses

I ordered a speciality of Verona, the pastissada de caval with polenta (slow cooked horse meat) (€ 16). I know many of you will be disgusted by the fact that we eat horse meat. But here it’s a normal thing. It was delicious: soft, tasty, spicy. I read on Tripadvisor some reviews complaining about the small portions. Honestly my pastissada was so abundant, that my husband had to finished it for me, I was full (leaving a spot for the dessert, obviously!!!).

My husband had the soft pork filet with old style mustard and bread crumbs (€ 16). This was the little “slip” of the meal. Some parts of the meat were not very tender, and the mustard flavour was too dominating.

Dessert

Desserts are not in the menu but are listed verbally by the waiters, who were all smiling, friendly but not intrusive, ready to provide explanations and advice. When they bring a dish, they explain all the ingredients that compose it (perhaps a bit too fast… in fact after two minutes I honestly did not remember any of the ingredients)

I took the coconut cupcake with hazelnut heart accompanied by vanilla ice cream (delicious, soft, not too sweet). I would have appreciated a bigger scoop of ice cream.

My husband took the meringue with fruit and cream. Very good, delicate, with the right amount of crispness and softness. Unfortunately some of the fruit pieces inside were still too frozen.

With a glass of good wine (only one because I do not drink alcohol) and a bottle of water we paid €83. The toilet was quite clean (only one for men and women).