When I visited Como three years ago, I took a funicular car up the nearest mountain to Brunate, but could not even make a few steps before a huge thunderstorm started. Since Brunate was supposed to be the starting point for different hikes, revisiting it was obviously a priority for me this time. I did not realize that the funicular was under maintenance for a month, however. Instead of using the replacement bus, I braved walking up the mountain by foot and soon recalled how brutal Italian hiking paths could be. It was like walking up neverending stairs.
Acqua Ciara does not count as a mountain hut, but its terrace looked pleasant enough, despite a strong wind that was constantly blowing napkins off the tables and most of the time, down to the lake. There was a young spectacled waiter standing next to the railing and looking down at the disappearing napkins with a very thoughtful look on his face, as if he was devising an intricate strategy for bringing them back.
A different waiter approached me, however. He was overactive, had a very hoarse voice (think of Doskozil, if you are familiar with Austrian politics), and constantly tried to joke. I sincerely hope the stuff he told me sounds funny in Italian, because in English it did not. He did a fairly good job explaining me the different ingredients on my Tagliere, however, pointing out one sausage containing liver and one type of cheese that he apparently liked best. The sausage, which I decided to get rid of first, was very extensively spiced, but now that I knew it contained liver, ignoring the liver-y taste was impossible. It also featured an annoying skin and tended to fall apart when hit with the fork. The cheese, which I ate last, was indeed special – soft and strong, but much more refined than gorgonzola (which was also included).
While expensive at 20 euros, Acqua Ciara’s Brettljause was nevertheless very good. The quality of the meats was excellent, and having five different types of cheese with honey, custard and marmalade is something you will rarely find with a Brettljause outside of Italy. I even enjoyed the picked onion, which was a nice diversion from Austria’s cucumbers.
If you do not want to spend 20 euros (or if the waiter’s familiarity will start driving you crazy), Baita Carla in a 30-minute walking distance provides much more of a mountain hut feeling while offering very cheap and good wine. It has a Brettljause on its menu, too, and I have a strong suspicion it will be good.
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