Doney’s was, however, in full swing. The polite
man who stands at the door leading in from the street
Doney’s, Via takes ofF his hat to any customer, as
Tornabuoni though that customer were a prince of
the royal blood. A little flattered by the obeisance,
one goes upstairs, where one has a choice of two
dining-rooms in which to take a meal. One has its
walls adorned with paintings, and the other has a
paper of dead gold with a pattern on it in bright gold.
Everything at Doney’s is just a trifle too gorgeous,
and the decorations are a little overdone. An old
waiter, bald-headed, with two great wisps of grey hair
brushed up on either side of his head, and with a good-
natured, fat face, acts as usher, and presents one with
some ceremony to the maitre cT hotel. When last I
Italy 253
had experience of Doney’s the maitre d'hotel was one
who spoke excellent French, but who showed that
individuality which is a trait of the typical Italian
waiter by wearing a silk dress-coat and by having
postponed his shave till the evening. The carte de
jour of Doney’s, as also of Giacosa’s, is that of a good
French restaurant. Riz Piedmontese was the only
Italian dish I found in the ample breakfast of the day
when last I lunched at Doney’s, but the meal was an
excellent one, and its price was 1. 4.50. The price of
the dinner of the day, which is served between six
and nine, is 1. 6. The people who go to Doney’s and
to Giacosa’s are all very comme il faut , and the old
gentlemen who lunch at Doney’s are as well groomed
and as particular concerning what they eat and drink
as are the veterans who frequent the Cafe Anglais in
Paris. Doney et Nipote are also the lessees of the
little pavilion by the gate leading into the Cascine.
Melini’s, in the Via de’ Calzaioli, is probably the
most popular of all the restaurants of Florence. The
first impression of the house one ob- Melini’s, Via
tains is of spotless cleanliness, for it is de Calzaioli
all white and gold outside. One of its windows is
generally filled with silver-foiled bottles of Italian
champagne and flasks of Chianti, with a cake or two
in the background to remind passers-by that Melini’s
is a pastry-cook’s as well as a wine merchant’s store
and a restaurant. On entering, on one side is a long
counter with the usual bottles of wine and liqueurs at
one end of it. Going through the shop, which is
also a room of the restaurant, one enters the first of
three other rooms which run the full depth of the
block of buildings. The first room of the suite is the
favourite one, for the windows look out on to the
Via de’ Calzaioli. The big room at the back, the
windows1 of which look on to another street, comes
next in favour. In this big room at the back one
254 The Gourmets Guide to Europe
Page 139
Presented as published in 1903. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Doney’s was, however, in full swing. The polite man who stands at the door leading in from the street Doney’s, Via takes ofF his hat to any customer, as Tornabuoni though that customer were a prince of the royal blood. A little flattered by the obeisance, one goes upstairs, where one has a choice of two dining-rooms in which to take a meal. One has its walls adorned with paintings, and the other has a paper of dead gold with a pattern on it in bright gold. Everything at Doney’s is just a trifle too gorgeous, and the decorations are a little overdone. An old waiter, bald-headed, with two great wisps of grey hair brushed up on either side of his head, and with a goodnatured, fat face, acts as usher, and presents one with some ceremony to the maitre cT hotel. When last I
Italy 253
had experience of Doney’s the maitre d'hotel was one who spoke excellent French, but who showed that individuality which is a trait of the typical Italian waiter by wearing a silk dress-coat and by having postponed his shave till the evening. The carte de jour of Doney’s, as also of Giacosa’s, is that of a good French restaurant. Riz Piedmontese was the only Italian dish I found in the ample breakfast of the day when last I lunched at Doney’s, but the meal was an excellent one, and its price was 1. 4.50. The price of the dinner of the day, which is served between six and nine, is 1. 6. The people who go to Doney’s and to Giacosa’s are all very comme il faut , and the old gentlemen who lunch at Doney’s are as well groomed and as particular concerning what they eat and drink as are the veterans who frequent the Cafe Anglais in Paris. Doney et Nipote are also the lessees of the little pavilion by the gate leading into the Cascine.
Melini’s, in the Via de’ Calzaioli, is probably the most popular of all the restaurants of Florence. The first impression of the house one ob- Melini’s, Via tains is of spotless cleanliness, for it is de Calzaioli all white and gold outside. One of its windows is generally filled with silver-foiled bottles of Italian champagne and flasks of Chianti, with a cake or two in the background to remind passers-by that Melini’s is a pastry-cook’s as well as a wine merchant’s store and a restaurant. On entering, on one side is a long counter with the usual bottles of wine and liqueurs at one end of it. Going through the shop, which is also a room of the restaurant, one enters the first of three other rooms which run the full depth of the block of buildings. The first room of the suite is the favourite one, for the windows look out on to the Via de’ Calzaioli. The big room at the back, the windows of which look on to another street, comes next in favour. In this big room at the back one
254 The Gourmets Guide to Europe