I won't lie and say I intended to eat at Enoclub. In my indecision, I hadn't booked anything, expecting that on a Friday night in Alba there wouldn't be so many people as to book out most of the town's restaurants. I admit having the White Truffle fair on the Saturday may have skewed it against me, but nonetheless I thought I was unlucky as I walked around from place to place being rejected over and over, oftentimes because I was a sole diner and they didn't want me to take up a whole table. Bastards.
Just for the record, the places of note were Piazza Duomo (2 Michelin star, TA #1, be careful this is NOT the pizzeria of the same name), Osteria dell Arco, Osteria La Libera and Osteria Nuova.
Enoclub was actually suggested to me by two of my rejectors - I would otherwise not have found it or considered it. The venue is actually quite nice, and I happily sat at the empty bar section enjoying the more informal setting. The specials of the night obviously revolved around the white truffle and I selected two dishes which I hadn't tried with truffle yet:
- Uovo in Tegame all'occhio con Tartufo Bianco d'Alba - fried egg with sliced white truffle. Often thought the best way to enjoy white truffle with the scent and flavour accentuated by egg yolk. Not bad at all, but it feels painful paying €30 for fried eggs;
- Carne Cruda di Vitello Fassone con Tartufo Bianco d'Alba - Fassone veal tartare topped with white truffle to mix through. Good quality tartare with the occasional hint of white truffle flavour, although not enough truffle for €40.
Next time I would order something more standard from their basic menu of salad, ragout, pasta, burger. Alternatively book one of the other places who seem to have more extravagant regular dishes.