Friday Night at Issimo
Ya got a favorite go-to spot for Friday nights? Sure you do.
Me too. Friday night spots are special, without a lot of planning. Your fav spot dances into your mind; you
invite a couple of friends and order some wine and noshes….hey, what else do
you need? One of my favorite spots is a
small Italian deli in Homburg, Issimo.
You know that Italians are famous for their appreciation for
family. And when you walk through the
door at Issimo, you’re immediately part of the family.
What’s special about it?
Glad you asked because I can tell you what makes any Friday night place
special, yours and mine. Friendly staff
is number one. It’s a place where the
manager and wait staff call you by name and always throw smiles at you as you
walk through the door. Of course, you
also greet them by name!
At Issimo, we know Franco and Vecenzo, Afërdita, Sylvia, and
Leonardo. How come? They’re friendly enough to invite
conversation. Always smiling. The men
shake my hand, the women give me hugs.
It’s only about two minutes before I have a glass of wine in my hand. I don’t get that kind of welcoming service at
home.
Second things that are mandatory for a fav are super food and
wine. At Issimo you can count on every
wine, every cheese, every olive and slice of bread being wonderfully
delicious. Yes, it’s all from Italy and
the staff knows what part of Italy it came from because they picked everything
out and didn’t just order it from a supplier.
For the wine, you tell any of them your taste and it’s as if they know
your taste buds better than you do. It’s
that way with the food as well. Parma
ham is not just a style, it came from Parma and not just any ham from Parma. Issimo’s Parma ham is a tenderly cured and thinly
shaved piece of ham that crosses the palate as a gift from the heavens.
Third requirement is atmosphere. In my case, an Italian deli should feel like
Italy. Issimo is in Germany, but there’s
nothing phony about it. No plastic rounds of cheese or plastic sausages hanging
over the counter. Step through the door
and inhale deeply. Yep, this is the
place.
But, it’s like that with any fav place, right? A hamburger joint should feel comfortable and
welcoming and have the smoky smell of burgers and fries. In a BBQ joint, your nose should lead you
there and your clothes better smell like BBQ when you leave.
At Issimo, with the whole package of staff and food and
atmosphere, this is Friday night as it should be. Great wine and cheese and ham
and even better conversation.
Politics? No way. This is the time to chat about books you’ve
enjoyed, and places you’ve been, and places you want to go, and the fine points
of where this and that wine came from.
At Issimo it’s more than a Friday night, it’s a special
Friday night. Just like yours, right? Saluti!
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