TRENT. The historic building had been closed and abandoned for almost twenty years Osteria Ai Frati della Cervararight next to the Capuchin church. Until he took it over chef Valter (Rensi), together with Sabina Marchetto. A reopening that has been staged several times, and which today sees an absolute novelty: given that in the Cappuccini area there is no parking space to die, the Osteria offers free taxis to customers.
«Let’s say that it happened that some customers who had booked, when they arrived here and saw that there was no parking, gave up. And so we thought about this service: we made an agreement with the Taxi Trento cooperative.”
In Trento the Osteria has no parking, and pays for taxis for customers from Port’Aquila to the Cappuccini
The historic Osteria Ai Frati della Cervara, right next to the Capuchin church, had been closed and abandoned for almost twenty years. Until chef Valter (Rensi) took it over, together with Sabina Marchetto. A reopening that has been staged several times, and which today sees an absolute novelty: given that in the Cappuccini area there is no parking space to die for, the Osteria offers free taxis to customers.
How does it work? «We advise the customer to park in Piazza Fiera, and take a short walk to Port’Aquila. From there – Valter explains to us – he calls us and we provide the code which is valid for half an hour, with which he can call a taxi and be taken to us. And if necessary, at the end of the meal, return to the valley.”
A way to relaunch the place, which had a troubled start: «We took it over immediately before the lockdown, and found ourselves closed after a few days. But let’s say it was a springboard, because we were able to get to know each other through takeaway food, it went well.”
Valter Rensi, on the other hand, has a very respectable past: a career in Val Badia, then at the popular Café Nol in Vattaro, and then owner of the Rebuffo restaurant at Parco delle Coste in Cognola. Today Ai Frati, where he intends to offer simple but “tailor-made” and “handmade” cuisine.
«At the entrance to the kitchen, I wrote very large “Here we don’t cook, we cook”. Which means that we do everything ourselves, starting from the raw materials.” In an age of pre-cooked and reheated, this is not trivial. «We have big plans for the summer, when we will be able to open our outdoor garden: overlooking the city, view of the Bondone and the Paganella, al fresco…»
And the taxi idea, does it work? «Some people think that by offering taxis we are a luxury restaurant. It’s not like that: we are an Osteria, that’s the spirit. But we tried a couple of times to do the climb on foot from Port’Aquila, I must say that if you’re not trained, you’ll get there a little troubled…”
