As you swing into the long drive of Villa Umberto just outside Villa Val Vomano that sits south of Teramo, you do have a feeling that you’re about to enter a glam weekend retreat health camp. However, once seated inside the restaurant that feeling soon wears off, instead something more akin perhaps to a 1980s version of the camp in Dirty Dancing, with a healthy dose of chiffon curtains and plastic exercise pool as a view. However we’ve come here to eat not get nostalgic over interior design so let’s move on!
We had some particularly good Cerasuolo rose wine, by Villa Medoro, the perfect accompanient to Villa Umberto house antipasti. Happily this antipasti included the traditional Teramo strudel-like savoury slices, which I still don’t have a name for as everyone calls them something different! The cold meats and cheeses were all excellent, particularly the younger pecorino cheese.
My pumpkin risotto with shavings of truffle was wonderful. I must admit to being a little dubious about the texture of the rice and the shavings, I think I was expecting slithers of fresh truffle, but it worked almost too well and was nearly too rich to the point of not being able to finish it, but that truly would have been a waste! My partner’s Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli came with truffle too. The ravioli itself was excellent but he thought the truffle overpowered the delicate flavours of the ravioli filling.
We were initially a little surprised by some of the unusual lack of seasonality to aspects of the menu, it was strange on the cusp of Spring & Summer to be offered pumpkin risotto, when it’s not pumpkin time… However, we were put right on this when discussed with our friends at La Grande Quercia B&B. There is a pumpkin like squash grown in Abruzzo called zucca invernale, which grows at this time of year. I had always assumed they were ornamentation squash, but they are eaten here.
The ever so pleasant waiter was fab and food good enough to make us want to come back again.
Price – €49 including 1 bottle of wine
Value for money – 8.5/10
Quality of food – 9/10
Contact Details
Address: Villa Umberto sas | CTR. Sardinara 79 | Villa Vomano | 64100 | Teramo
Tel: 0861 242991 | No email or working website
Author: Sam Dunham
Sam is a very lucky midlife 'mamma' to A who is 11 and juggles her work as a self-employed freelance travel and food web content manager and copywriter and EFL teacher - she is the founder of English in the Woods. She is the co-founder of the social enterprises: The Abruzzo Blogger Community and Let's Blog Abruzzo. She is currently writing the book 'Abruzzo: Folk and Food.