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Eating Lecce – Gimmi

Apr28

Restaurant: Gimmi

Location: Via S. Pietro in Lama, 23, 73100 Lecce LE, Italy. +39 0832 700920

Date: August 8, 2024

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Unusual format, but very nice meal

The location was unusual.

We were told there was a concert going on in the cloisters here, which led to a brief confusion about where to enter the ancient structure.

Gimmi is the gourmet restaurant at the Chiostro dei Domenicani in Lecce open to hotel guests and the public. The cuisine, led by executive chef Donato Episcopo, is a tribute to Salento, not without intriguing contaminations: each course is a discovery, where you can sense that many experiences and many emotions have passed through Episcopo’s hands. The wine list offers a rich and refined selection of regional, Italian and international labels.

And a lovely dining room.

Tree of amuses.

Veggies on bread.

Bite of tuna.

Tamborine of breads — very salty and very delicious

More breads inside.

MARINATED SALMON. with jasmine tea, tuna-fish, ginger, aubergine and apple.

Orecchiette pomodoro.

POTATO DUMPLINGS AND CHERRY TOMATOES CONCENTRATE. buttery cheese from Andria, sweet peppers, basil pesto and amberjack fish ceviche. This seemed weird, but was actually quite awesome.

CARNAROLI RISOTTO SOAKED RESERVE. with 25 years aged balsamic vineagar, saffran, and vegis. Classic!

FILET OF SEA BREAM “BOCCADORO”. beetroot, green beans, black olives crumble.

More bread.

PAVLOVA. chantilly meringue maracuja and black mulberry ice cream.

Petite Fours.

And more.

There was a concert!

I was actually worried when we booked because they locked us into a smaller tasting menu that was almost the same for all of us — and I eat very differently than my companions — but the food turned out to be quite excellent here.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Lecce, eating-italy, Gimmi, Lecce

Eating Lecce – Varius

Apr25

Restaurant: Varius

Location: Via Giovanni Presta, 5, 73100 Lecce LE, Italy. +39 320 263 4936

Date: August 7, 2024

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Modernizing local classics

Due to a combination of factors, we ran out of Michelin’s that were open on this particular night or were willing to deal with the complexity of our Gluten Free guest’s “rules.” It’s noticable how much less flexible top places have become post pandemic.

In any case, I picked this as it was the #1 place in Trip Advisor — yes, giving that lame site one last chance to fail. Plus it was named after one of the consuls who lost at Cannae.

The Varius Restaurant in Lecce was born from the owner’s ten-year experience in the restaurant business and from her dream: to open an intimate and elegant restaurant, furnished and managed with care and attention to detail, from the dining room to the kitchen.
Varius Food is therefore the realization of a dream, of a passion that takes shape in a few tables and 35 seats, in traditional and at the same time modern cuisine and in the warm welcome in the dining room.

The menu.

Fish fritter.

Ricotta and candied something.

Tuna cubes with tsuyu and lime, gazpacho. Marinated cucumbers and crispy rice nest* (Allergens: tuna, soy)

Fried anchovies Salento style accompanied by our aioli and spicy sauces (Allergens: gluten, fish, eggs, garlic)

Fried fish and mayo, just like the east coast shore places.

Frisella crumble with ricotta mousse, marinated anchovies, caramelized red onion and caper flowers (Allergens: gluten. Lactose, fish)

Orecchiette pomodoro.

Shellfish risotto with raw scampi in the mistral contrada li vecchi (Allergens: shellfish, sulphites). Sometimes it’s tough to chose between pasta and risotto!

Grilled or Gallipoli-style tuna fillet with flavoured breading (Allergens: gluten, fish)

Martinesi Bombette au gratin with caciocavallo fondue and toasted hazelnuts (Allergens: gluten, lactose, nuts). These cheese coated/filled beef rolls with hazelnuts were quite interesting.

TA didn’t fail. Sure, the food here was in the bottom third of our dinners this trip, but our standards were high and it was pretty solid — not to mention being quite fast.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Lecce, eating-italy, Italy, Lecce, Varius

Eating Lecce – Duo

Apr24

Restaurant: Duo

Location: via Giuseppe Garibaldi 11, Lecce, 73100, Italy

Date: August 6, 2024

Cuisine: Modern Apulian Italian

Rating: Great and creative

For dinner, another Michelin restaurant.

Duo Restaurant offers elegant and versatile spaces, in order to adapt to the needs of your small events. Whether you’re planning an intimate dinner for a few guests or a special event for a larger group, we can provide bespoke solutions to create the perfect atmosphere.

Fabiano Viva: I am 46 years old, I have two sons and a wife who I love and I own two restaurants. My life is passion, efforts and big changes, so it has been inevitable to work behind the stove. In fact, there is no cooking without passion, without fire and without changes. In the past, I worked as a radio host and a sport journalist, and then I worked for Mixer Media Management group. For this reason, I like being with my clients and tell them the beauty of our local products and how fantastic was to work them to create my dishes. My idea of cooking is simple: my leading guide is my land, my sea and my memory… nothing else. I have been lucky to work next to great experts who taught me first how to live. I must thank, above all, Enrico Crippa and Antonio Zaccardi of the Piazza Duomo Restaurant, 3 Michelin stars at Alba, for making me understand the importance of ingredients, the respect for the territory, and the art of cooking. Then, I must thank Enrico Bartolini, chef in the same name restaurant at Mudec in Milan, 2 Michelin stars, where I learnt the elegance and the aesthetic of the dish. But I owe a thank to all farmers, enologists, winemakers, fishermen, bakers, pastry chefs, pasta producers, dairymen, agronomists I met during the years and that I keep on meeting day by day more as a pleasure than as a duty. Finally, I thank my father and my mother, just because they exist.

Welcome cocktail of “apple juice” (really delicious)

Amuse of toasted legumes.

Artichoke.

Another amuse.

Another amuse.

An amuse of crispy rice cracker.

A mini pizza-like amuse.

A puffy “bread” amuse.

A cannoli amuse.

Meat and fish “olive” amuse.

Grisini.

Bread.

A salad to start. Salad composed of a number of ingredients that can vary from 40 to 50.

Amberjack marinated with Sichuan pepper and crystal grass.

Orecchiette pomodoro.

Pasta with cheese, pepper, mussels and sea urchins… Mezzemaniche rigate, Apulian pecorino, pepper and sea urchins. Mussels and pecorino have always been a perfect combination.

Orecchiette with tomato confit. Homemade semolina orecchiette from Paola and cooked in tomato water, seasoned with confit piccadilly cherry tomato sauce.

GF version.

Roasted fish fillet, white butter sauce and Beluga cod and lentils. Fillet of croaker (or similar fish) grilled and accompanied by a very tasty sauce made with fresh cod and butter.

Smoked lobster, albufera sauce and green leaves.

Almond ice cream with cupeta brittle and caramel. 100% Salento. A tribute to the cupeta, a brittle of almonds, honey and caramel that immediately refers to moments of celebration, to those moments of joy shared by the entire community on the most important day of the year: “The feast of the patron saint”!

My sea I don’t know you. The chef’s true iconic dish. All the Mediterranean in a single dessert. “Lemon mousse with caper meringue, anchovies and lemon peel”

Also a very nice meal. The Michelin stars and recommended have been consistently good. The chef came by for a while and was super friendly.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Duo, Eating Lecce, eating-italy, Italy, Lecce, pasta

Eating Lecce – Doppiozero

Apr23

Restaurant: Doppiozero

Location: Via Guglielmo Paladini 2 Centro Storico, 73100, Lecce Italy. +39 0832 521052

Date: August 6, 2024

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great bright flavors

We were sent to this place by our hotel and it turned out to be just what I was looking for: authentic casual food from Puglia.

They had a huge interior but we (and nearly everyone else) sat outside.

Interesting.

Piazza patio.

The menu.

Bread. This wouldn’t be Puglia without breads.

Acciughe del Cantabrico e stracciatella su pane tostato carciofi e scorzette di limone. The stracciatella cheese is so good!

Burrata artiginale, gran misto d’insalta, pomodorini e noci.

Orecchiette pomodoro — of course.

Gargati con pesto di pistacchio, burrata e tartare di tonno. Pistachio pesto, burrata, and tuna. Sounds weird but it was totally awesome.

Spaghettoni con caponata di verdre uvetto passa, olive nere, pinoli e stracciatella. And putting the straciatella cheese in pasta with the strong sauces is also incredible.

Really tasty local place!

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Doppiozero, Eating Lecce, eating-italy, Lecce, pasta, Salad

Eating Torre Canne – Autentico

Feb18

Restaurant: Autentico Wine & Restaurant

Location: Via Appia Antica, 32, 72015 Torre Canne BR, Italy. +39 338 265 0233

Date: August 5, 2024

Cuisine: Southern Italian

Rating: Decent for a this kind of hotel resteraunt

My wife likes to eat at the hotel at least once at beach hotels. I’m not always such a fan as this kind of hotel, while great as a hotel, doesn’t usually have the best resteraunts.

We had drinks and snacks first.

Spritz bianci.

Pimms cup.

Aperol Spritz.

These were SO ADDICTIVE with their hint of fennel.

The menu.

The hotel restaurant itself is named Autentico.

Live music.

Tonno rosso marinato alla camomilla con cialledda al barattiere. Red tuna marinated with camomile, served with barattiere cialledda salad.

Plateau di frutti di mare con ostriche, noci, scampi, gamberi rossi. Seafood plateau with oysters, cockles, scampi and red shrimps.

Orecchiette pomodoro.

Pacchero ai tre crostacei con datterino giallo e rosso in infusione al basilico. Three shellfish paccheri pasta
with yellow and red datterini tomatoes infused in basil

Catch of the day: branzino — grilled.

With grilled vegetables.

Chocolate gelato.

Puzzle semifreddo al cioccolato bianco, mango e lampone. Puzzle of white chocolate, mango and raspberry semifreddo.

Namelaka al cioccolato vegan, frolla di pistacchio e sorbetto all’albicocca cafona di Rotondella. Vegan chocolate namelaka, pistachio shortcrust and Rotondella apricot sorbet.

Lingotto di crema al mascarpone con terra di mandorle al cioccolato e gelato al caffè. Mascarpone cheese ingot,
almond and dark chocolate crumble and flavoured gelato.

While not as good as our outside restaurants, this was definitely solid for a regular hotel restaurant.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Autentico, Eating Torre Canne, eating-italy, pasta, Torre Canne, Wine

Eating Torre Canne – Beach

Feb14

Restaurant: Beach Club

Location: Torre Canne BR, Italy

Date: August 5, 2024

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Not bad for the beach

We caught this meal at our “local” beach club.

Packaged, but these are still delicious.

Octopus.

Salmon Carpaccio.

Orecchiette Pomodoro.

Seafood pasta.

Weird cute packaged desserts.

Had the freezer taste.

Not bad for the beach.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Beach, Eating Torre Canne, eating-italy, Torre Canne

Eating Monopoli – Orto

Feb10

Restaurant: Orto Ristorante Naturale

Location: Contrada Tortorella, 520, 70043 Monopoli BA, Italy. +39 080 222 6831

Date: August 4, 2024

Cuisine: Southern Italian

Rating: Lovely

Orto is a “Naturale” restaurant attached to a Trulli hotel. For those not in the know, Trulli are ancient stone beehive buildings constructed without mortar.

“An important element in enriching one’s gastronomic experiences is certainly the knowledge of places: of the water, of the earth, of the air that retain the memory of the character of the territory, giving substance and taste to fruits and animals.
The ability of a cook rests on two pillars: the knowledge of the matter and of the ways of treating it in respect of its nature.
One of the tasks that do honor to the good cook is to spread and increase the gastronomic culture, on the one hand by teaching how to eat well and correctly with the food offered on the table, on the other hand by educating young people and passing the baton to those who deserve it, introducing him to gastronomic Culture, that, when it is real, is a conscious experience, applied research in continuous improvement and adaptation to life.
And finally, memento! Creating is not copying. Without pursuing the new, the “never seen” as a qualifying attribute in itself: we can recognize the novelty both in the known and in the unknown, it is important that it draws on the truth.
Art is the putting into action of truth. “
— Gualtiero Marchesi

Orto is located at a Trulli hotel up in the hills. It’s also Michelin recomended.

Lovely place.

We ate in the garden.

The regular menu.

I had a very slightly “expanded” menu.

Amuses.

Bread.

ORTO CIRCOLARE 2021. couscous of courgettes, almonds, pistachios, herbs and seasonal vegetables. This was actually fabulous. Very herby and refreshing.

AUBERGINES TARTELLET. carob flour tartlet, aubergine mustard, sour aubergines. This “bonus” course was tiny, albiet delicious.

Orecchiette pomodoro.

SPAGHETTO, OLIVE, ALMOND AND LEMON. spaghetti, Cellina olives, almonds and salted lemon. Perhaps the best lemon pasta I have every tried. Really good!

TUBETTI RIGATI. tubetti rigati, red turnip, lemon balm strawberries, karkadè and smoked stracciatella cheese. Bright, slightly sour, and a perfect pairing with the cheese.

EGG COOKED UNDER THE ASH. farm egg, potato cream, olive powder.

FREE RANGE CHICKEN. free-range chicken, aromatic herbs, salad. Tasty.

THE FALDACCHEA. black cherries in pomegranate vinegar, almonds, lemon, almond mousse, meringue, cinnamon.

The cherry almond stuff was under the meringue and the overall tasty was INCREDIBLE. Really good.

Almond paste (and delicious).

Old fashioned.

Biscotti.

Orto had less courses and certainly less options but the atmosphere was amazing and the food was very very fresh and really delicious. We really enjoyed it. Plus they were fast as 1 stars go.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Monopoli, eating-italy, Italian Cusiine, Mich, Michelin, Orto, pasta

Eating Trani – Gallo

Feb06

Restaurant: Gallo

Location: Via Statuti Marittimi, 48/50, 76125 Trani BT, Italy. +39 0883 487255

Date: August 4, 2024

Cuisine: Southern Italian

Rating: Fancy for touring lunch

We were in Trani visiting and chose this place (after a bit of surfing).

Outside was booked.

Pomodoro.

A kind of pistachio pesto.

A different kind of blossom pesto.

An interesting “ball of pasta” seafood pasta.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Trani, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, pasta

Eating Savelletri – Due Camini

Feb04

Restaurant: Due Camini

Location: Strada Comunale Egnazia, 72015 Savelletri BR, Italy. +39 080 225 5351

Date: August 3, 2024

Cuisine: Southern Italian

Rating: Great, if a little performative

Another night, another Michelin star. Due Camini is located inside the very swank Hotel Borgo Egnazia in Savelletri.

We actually had a bit of a time finding it — not a lot of signage.

It’s a very elegant chic design. The white objects surrounding the “tree” in the lobby, however, are sort of an “OF chic.”

CHEF DOMingo schingaro

Puglia is his motherland. The sea, his father.
The kitchen is his home.
The brigade, his family.
Domingo Schingaro is a concrete Chef of few words and a thousand dishes that disclose ancient stories.
His recipes reflect the robustness of this region, a fertile land of ingredients and inspirations.
Small producers are his great passion.
Puglia is his heritage.

The dining room.

There were lots of amuses, including this pre-wave.

A bread with ham on top.

And a selection of smaller amuses.

A cannoli.

Sphereized something, maybe eggplant.

More amuses.

Puffed potatoes.

Great breads including this brioche and pizza bread.

Crispy breads.

Super good.

And very nice as well. Southern Italians know their breads.

This was a creamy ricotta-like dip for the breads.

And this special buttery cheese, which was also excellent.

The menu.

Orecchiette pomodoro. First of my son’s pomodoro tasting.

Ricotta cheese, roots, medlars and walnuts. I think.

Seafood caprese. This was awesome and I don’t even love tomatoes.

Grilled lettuce, almonds and agresto.

Podolica beef tartare, barbecue sauce, sea urchins and mussels. In taco form.

More excellent breads.

With a tasting of various local olive oils.

I got the super intense one.

Pomodoro 2.

Rice, bread, olive oil and tomato.

Raviolo pasta, basil and acqua sale.

Ravioli pasta, fish soup and monkfish liver. Strong flavors but delicious.

Risotto.

Whey and citrus fruit pasta. These were simple but truly excellent. Super al dente with a lemon pepper vibe.

More bread!

And pomodoro 3!

Aubergine, black garlic and bergamot.

I think a GF replacement for the aubergine.

Eel, chard and dill. Like a sword!

Beef and aubergine parmigiana. Delicious.

Then we got a kitchen tour.

A dessert intermezzo (delicious).

And a very herbal cold tea (which I also liked).

The wines were nice, and all Italian, but I would have preferred all local.

Chocolate gelato.

Another dessert (GF).

Apricot, seaweed, and buffalo cheese.

Mirabolano. This was incredible actually. Very much like a deconstructed fruit pavlova or something.

Petite Fours.

“Ice cream cone”

Mini sandwich.

Frozen pistachio thingy.

Another mini dessert.

And a gel.

I think it was also the most expensive meal of the trip.

It actually rained while we were at dinner. But overall Due Camini was also a fabulous meal. It had some length, but the pacing was very good and there wasn’t a notciable stall, which is much appreciated. The food was very tasty and quite inventive. The service was superb, but there was a slight air of “trying really really hard” in this high end way — like at one of those over-the-top super high end hotel spas. The staff all had these matched “shabby chic” tunics and quite performace.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Due Camini, Eating Savelletri, eating-italy, italian, Michelin 1 Star, pasta, Wine

Eating Ostuni – Cielo

Jan02

Restaurant: Cielo Restaurant

Location: Vico Pergola, 9, 72017 Ostuni BR, Italy. +39 0831 305925

Date: July 1, 2024

Cuisine: Southern Italian

Rating: Wonderful and interesting

Cielo was our first dinner in Puglia. It’s located in the lovely town of Ostuni, inside a nice hotel and has a Michelin recomendation.

The 5-star Relais La Sommità will make your stay an enchanted one with stylish menus featuring seasonal offerings in our elegant Cielo restaurant.

It is a perfect balance between new and ancient, in an unreal atmosphere, told as if it were a century-old fairy tale set in the rocks that characterize the building.
The Chef offers sensorial journeys between tradition and experimentation, through dishes that play with shapes and colors, using local excellences and preciousness from all over the world.

We give you the opportunity to order à la carte or choose the 4 or 7 course tasting menu. To complete our dishes, a we choosed Apulian, Italian and international wines.

When you book, please view our menu and inform us of any intolerances or allergies, just to guarantee an experience that meets your needs.

From the restaurant of the Relais La Sommità, on the highest point of Ostuni, you have a suggestive view of the alleys and the dazzling Lime of the city walls which frame pictures of clear skies.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is one of sober elegance, even the background music can become a pleasant moment of personal silence.

During the summer period the scent of the citrus fruits of the Spanish Garden make the aperitifs of Relais La Sommità unforgettable at sunset.
They have a beautiful garden, but it was so hot (95F perhaps) that we ate inside the cellar dining room.

As usual for this trip, I wasn’t “allowed” to get the tasting menu because the “entire table” had to use the same format.

As amuse of fresh tomato pizza. I think this one was a gluten free bread.

This may have been the “real” (non GF) pizza. The red blob on the right was tomato jam.

Spherized puffs.

Leaf tacos.

A kind of cucumber like fruit.

The local bread was very good with an ultra crispy crust.

CABBAGE. in cold sauce, soft egg, lentil miso and yuzu.

COD. marinated and fried, caroselle of fennel in vinegar and parsley.

RABBIT. in porchetta, apple and green peppers.

Spaghetti Pomodoro.

SPAGHETTONE. smoked, garlic, oil and chilli pepper, green beans, strong
ricotta fondue and anchovies. This had a strong smoky flavor that was fabulous.

BRANZINO. marinated and grilled, helichrysum, zucchini and sweet garlic.

BEEF DIAPHRAGM. with padre peppe liquor, spinach, savory and black truffle butter. This sounded scary but was very tender and tasted great.

An amuse, I think plum flavored.

ARAGUANI CHOCOLATE. spicy, osmosis watermelon and liquorice parfait.

PEACH. three wines, liquid celery and lemon soda.

FIG. iced and creamy, crusco pepper compote and herbal cheese.

Petite Four.

Petite Four.

Petite Four (fabulous, actually).

Petite Four.

This was a very nice meal, certainly better than our first two in Venice. Quite elegant.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Ostuni, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Michelin, Ostuni, Puglia, Wine

Eating Venice – Quadri

Dec31

Restaurant: Quadri

Location: za San Marco, 123, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy. +39 041 522 2105

Date: July 31, 2024

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great meal

Our final meal in Venice was at Michelin 1 Star Quadri.

Quadri is actually located directly ON the Piaza san Marco. Seems like too touristy a location but it did have that Michelin star.

Interior is elegant without being stuffy. There is a decorative theme of stuffed (real) animals with angel wings.

They had lots of wine, of course.

The menu. They actually let me order the tasting menu while my wife went ala carte — only time this trip anywhere did — yay!

The amuses. Sadly I don’t remember exactly what they were, there were so many amuses this trip, and I wasn’t taking notes.

Lots of bread.

And even more bread.

Pomodoro.

AROMATIC HERB SALAD, BEET JUICE AND YELLOW DATTERINO TOMATO SORBETTO.

ITALIAN GARDEN. Red and green tomatoes, green beans, fava beans, ricotta and basil.

FRESHLY SALTED COD WITH MEDITERRANEAN SAUCE

GRILLED MACKEREL WITH GREEN TOMATO JUICE GREEN BEANS AND SEAWEED TARTAR SAUCE

ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH ZUCCHINI SORBETTO AND BASIL.

The first course of my tasting menu.

SOFT BRUSCHETTA WITH TUNA CRUDO BELUGA STURGEON SAUCE AND CAVIAR.

AROMATIC HERB SALAD, BEET JUICE AND YELLOW DATTERINO TOMATO SORBETTO. I really like these “salads with sorbetto”. Wonderful little combo.

LAGOON MURRINA CAPPUCCINO. This was awesome. Thick and creamy.

BEEF CARPACCIO DI MANZO WITH QUADRI SAUCE.

The second course.

FRIED RICE RAVIOLI WITH SMOKED EGGPLANT AND SPICY TOMATO SAUCE.

PACCHERI WITH RABBIT RAGU RICOTTA AND TARRAGON.

COLD SPAGHETTINI WITH RAW FISH AND SHELLFISH AND SEASHELL CREAM. Delicious pasta.

CUTTLEFISH INK RISOTTO WITH ITS LIVERS AND GINGER. Pasta AND risotto — living the dream.

ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH ZUCCHINI SORBETTO AND BASIL.

GRILLED MACKEREL WITH GREEN TOMATO JUICE, GREEN BEANS AND SEAWEED TARTAR SAUCE. I like mackerel.

GUINEA HEN WITH PLUM JUICE AND CHICKEN LIVER PATE WITH LARDO. Pork fat makes everything better.

VEAL SWEETBREAD WITH LIGHT SAFFRON BERNAISE SAUCE AND INCENSE RESIN SPRAY.

Chocolate Sorbetto.

DOGE’S CHOCOLATE LAYER DELIGHT.

PLUM PUREE WITH GORGONZOLA AND SESAME GELATO. Interesting.

WATERMELON WITH WHITE BALSAMIC VINEGAR HERBS AND MINT GRANITA. This was super refreshing and enjoyable.

COFFEE CANNOLO.

CHOCOLATE AND PISTACHIO PIPE. Neat format and delicious to boot.

Petite Fours.

This was a great meal, in no small part because I was allowed to get the “big” tasting menu — and because the 16 courses served as 4 courses format is a really good compromise. Serial 16 courses is too long with non food and wine people at the table. Huge kudos to the staff for being flexible. Additionally, the food was great. As usual, I particularly liked the primi, but this format helped offset the “blah Italian mains” factor that can really happen in a traditional Italian format.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Dinner, Eating Venice, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Michelin 1 Star, Quadri, Venice, Wine

Eating Venice – La Colombina

Dec29

Restaurant: La Colombina

Location: Sestiere Cannaregio, 1828, 30131 Venice VE, Italy. +39 041 522 2616

Date: July 30, 2024

Cuisine: Venetian Italian

Rating: Interesting, good with flaws

Night 2 in Venice. The name means “The Dove” — hence the iconography.

la Colombina was further up the Grand Canal and a bit more casual than the other Venice dinners.

They had a cute courtyard, although the inside was occupied by some kind of raccous birthday party.

The menu.

More menu.

Our “local” white.

Amuse of Bruschetta.

Venetian Tapas. Salmon with a mango sauce.

Eggplant and pesto.

Fennel and Cheese.

Zucchini and Humus.

Yellowtail and veggie puree.

Artichoke.

Cheese and fruit.

Ravioli.

Il nostro “cassopipa”: spaghetti alla chitarra con veraci, cozze, fasolari, cape longhe e calamari. Our style: square-cut spaghetti served with clams, mussels, smooth clams, razor clams, and calamari. Very much tasted of the sea in a good way.

Raviolotti alla ricotta di bufala, spinacine, pomodoro e basilico e mousse di melanzane. Ravioli filled with buffalo’s ricotta cheese, spinach, tomatoes, basil, and eggplant mousse.

Penne Pomodoro for the boy.

Side salad.

Filetto di branzino, in crosta di zucchine su vellutata di crostacei e insalatina di rinforzo. Sea Bass fillet, in zucchini crust served on a crustacean sauce and served with side salad.

Stinco di agnello fondente con patata schiacciata al vapore al profumo di limone. Lamb shank “fondant” served with steamed mashed potato with lemon scent.

Food was pretty bright and tasty here. The tapas were interesting and I particularly liked the seafood pasta. Atmosphere was a bit “tepid” with the party noise and a lot of mosquitos (a Venitian peril).

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Dinner, Eating Venice, eating-italy, Italian Cusiine, Venice, Wine

Eating Venice – Rossopomodoro

Dec27

Restaurant: Rossopomodoro

Location: Calle Larga San Marco, 404/408, 30124 Venice Italy. +39 041 243 8949

Date: July 30, 2024

Cuisine: Neapolitan Pizza

Rating: Best pizza I’ve had in years

We were wandering around Venice and happened to pass this pizza place while looking for lunch. It just caught my eye. Later I discovered it’s a smallish (15-20 branches) chain. The name means “Red Tomato.”

This branch is just off Piazza San Marco. My son and I stopped in for some quick lunch.

The interior was huge.

Margarita. My son liked it — although he had a bit of trouble with the “cut it yourself” factor.

Mortadella and Pistachio. Wow, this was a great pizza. crust filled with buffalo ricotta and pistachio pesto, mozzarella Fior di Latte and out of the oven, mortadella Bologna IGP Casa Modena, crumbled toasted pistachios, Grana Padano DOP wafer and lemon zest. Really fabulous. Best new pizza combo I’ve had in a long long time and probably the best pizza I’ve had in a couple of years.

Great pizza and not too bad for a tourist zone. Turns out they are a bit of an international chain.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Eating Venice, eating-italy, Italian Cusine, Pizza, Venice

Eating Venice – Alle Corone

Dec25

Restaurant: Alle Corone

Location: Hotel Ai Reali, Calle Seconda de la Fava, 5527, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy. +39 041 523 2222

Date: July 29, 2024

Cuisine: Venetian Italian

Rating: Good, but slightly stiff

This is the start of our late summer 2024 Italy trip which includes two weeks of meals in Venice, Puglia, and Naples.

First night in Venice. Because my work has grown quite intense again this year, I didn’t have a lot of time for research. Ferreting out the best less formal restaurants can be quite time consuming, so I leaned heavily on Michelin recommended and starred places.

Alle Corone is Michelin recommended and located inside a lovely hotel.

The menu.

Amuse. Fritter.

Amuse. Mozzarella and Tomato.

Amuse. Cabbage puree.

Amuse. Fried Mackerel.

Amuse. Crispy goat cheese and more chips.

They have so much good bread in Italy.

Raw Amberjack marinated with sour cream and raspberries.

Pasta Pomodoro – you will see a lot of these.

Risotto cheese and pepper, raw red prawns and green apple sauce. Fabulous risotto with nice mix of textures.

Zoom!

Turbot Grilled, zucchini in bloom, and its mayonnaise.

Monkfish Carlina style with eggplant and friggitello pepper. Very nice. Monkfish itself had those big bones.

Great selection of Petite Fours.

And the gluten free versions.

Alle Corone was quite nice. It was a touch “old school” in atmosphere — white tablecloths and all — but the food was very good.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Alle Corone, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Venice, Wine

Eating Baja – Somu

Feb01

Restaurant: Somu Ristorante

Location: Piazza Ventaglio, 07021 Baja Sardinia SS, Italy. +39 349 120 0682

Date: July 4, 2022

Cuisine: Italian 1 Star

Rating: Very nice

For second Sardinian 1 Star and final meal in Italy we trekked 20-30 minutes to the town of Baja Sardinia.

The restaurant was a touch difficult to find, as it was tucked away down at the harbor piazza (where there was no parking).

Finally we located it.

The have this gorgeous sea-side patio.

So we had this table looking over the bay/cove.

Amuses. Crunchy rice crisps with tomato and basil. Delicious and looked like jellyfish.

Rice crisps with steak tartare.

Veggie “tartare.”

Rice crisps in various flavors like saffron and squid ink and tomato.

Pork Jellies. Cute little piggies.

Vegetarian bites.

Refreshing fruit and wine “soup” (cold).

Brioche like bread.

Butter and lard.

Mushroom butter.

The menus. We had a bit of an issue at first where they really wanted us to all have the same menu — and since some people were vegetarian/pescatarian that really wasn’t going to work. This was unusual for a Michelin starred restaurant. I think it was the particular person we had as a manager came over and completely changed the tune and was very accomodating.

Amuse of oyster with various flavors.

Vegetable creams with basil oil.

Crispy Sardinian Bread.

Grisini.

Bread.

Carne Salata. Strong meaty and briny flavors with sesame.

Tomato terrine.

Black Garlic Ravioli. Lovely pillow-like texture, nice pasta bite, and great flavor.

Egg yolk.

Gluten free version.

Green tomato risotto. Very interesting flavor and perfect creamy texture.

Spaghetti.

Kid pasta 1. Was almost sweet.

Kid pasta 2.

Red Mullet. No hint of fishiness.

Risotto with sweet and sour peppers (from identity menu)

Suckling Pig. Great texture.

Stuffed vegetable.

Pre-dessert.

Pecan.

Beans, oat milk, and citrus.

petite fours.

Gluten free petite fours.

Chocolate cannelés.

Liqueur soaked pastry balls.

Passionfruit jelly.

Chocolates.

Overall, a fabulous fancy Italian meal. Not quite as approachable as ConFusion, as Somu was slightly more complex and cerebral, but really good. Lovely setting too.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Baja, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Sardinia, Somu, Wine

Eating Porto Cervo – Pergola

Jan30

Restaurant: La Pergola in Giardino

Location: Costa SMERALDA, 07020 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 0789 931620

Date: July 3, 2022

Cuisine: Sardinian Italy

Rating: Lovely

Sigh, for our second to last night in Sardinia, we headed back to the Porto Cervo marina to a place we had scoped out last time we were there.

The marina is quite pretty.

Pergola is attached to a snazzy boutique hotel.

The menu.

Breads.

2021 Capichera Vermentino di Gallura Vign’ Angena. 91 points.

Amberjack marinated with raspberries and glasswort. Nice soft crudo texture. Interesting sweet and herbal notes.

Plain pasta for the boy.

Spagheti all’oro. Not too different than the plain.

(Gluten free) Burrata filled ravioli.

Seafood fregola. Little chopped pasta bits. Really delicious, like a classic risotto marinara but pasta.

Filet of sea bass with squash blossoms.

Turbo filet with Sichuan Peppercorn. Very light numbing flavor, but very good.

Biscotti.

Overall, this was a nice place. It’s a touch more modern/international than a few of the others while remaining solidly Italian. I tend to like my food updated and they had a tight kitchen as everything was very tasty.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Porto Cervo, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, pasta, Risotto, Travel, Wine

Eating Porta Cervo – Renato Pedrinelli

Jan28

Restaurant: Renato Pedrinelli

Location: Piazza degli Ulivi, snc, 07021 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 339 649 5114

Date: July 2, 2022

Cuisine: Sardinian Italian

Rating: Tasty

Another night in Sardinia, another Italian restaurant.

Renato Pedrinelli was well rated and conveniently located only a mile or two away from our hotel in a large ritzy shopping plaza near the Porto Cervo marina.

As usual for summer dining in Italy we ate al fresco, coperto be damned!

The menu.

They bring by a selection of barely or recently living sea creatures for your perusal.

Sardinia usually features crispy breads.

2018 Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna Cerdeña. Gotta drink local.

Burrata pugliese e pomodorini. Burrata with cherry tomatoes.

Half lobster Catalan style. I was a bit apprehensive given all those raw tomatoes, but somehow with the acidity and the onions it was pretty awesome.

Classic penne pomodoro.

Paccheri with fish ragu, bottarga and courgettes. Cheesy and a bit fishy. Nice bite.

Sea Bream with tomatoes, olives, and capers.

Filleted.

Overall, while nothing spectacular, this was a solid meal. Everything in Porto Cervo is a bit focused on a tourist set — not necessarily American tourists (we didn’t see many of those) but mostly mainland Italians or other Europeans.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Eating Porta Cervo, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, fish, Italian cuisine, Italy, pasta, Porta Cervo, Sardinia, Wine

Eating Alghero – Macchiavello

Jan26

Restaurant: Ristorante Osteria Macchiavello

Location: Bastioni Marco Polo, 57, 07041 Alghero SS, Italy. +39 079 980628

Date: July 2, 2022

Cuisine: Sardinian Italian

Rating: Tasty

We drove across Sardinia to visit the lovely town of Alghero.

Picked this attractive lunch spot just by feel and menu.

The menu.

They always have solid bread in Italy.

Burratini con petali di pomodori marinati, basilico e zenzero. Burrata cheese with marinated tomatoes, basil and ginger. As you can see, Sardinians, like other southern Italians, love their tomatoes (and they are some of the best tomatoes in the world)!

Simple pasta with the obligatory pomodoro sauce.

Culurgionnes di Oliena con pomodoro e basilico. Home made Sardinian egg pasta filled with potatoes, pecorino cheese, and mint served with basil and tomato sauce.

Spaghetti lla chitarra neri. Home made cuttlefish ink pasta cooked in parchment paper with mussels, clams, red prawns, scampi, small crab, octopus, squids, in a sauce of basil, cherry tomatoes, and a dash of chili infused olive oil.

Delicious with a strong briny flavor, a bit of sweetness, a hint of heat, and lots of seafood. Crab and shrimp shells were soft enough that they could be chewed through. Pasta was very thick and al dente. The shellfish stock cooks down with the tomatoes into a wonderful blend.

Overall a nice local meal in a great setting.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Alghero, Eating Alghero, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Italy, Macchiavello, pasta, Sardinia

Eating Porto Cervo – Clipper

Jan24

Restaurant: Clipper Ristorante

Location: Via della Marina, 10, 07021 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 0789 91644

Date: July 1, 2022

Cuisine: Seafood Italian

Rating: Solid (this is Italy) but nothing amazing

Online various people seemed to insist that Clipper was the best restaurant in Porto Cervo and “quite a scene.” Not sure I trust “those people” too much anymore.

The outside was cute enough.

They specialize in fresh seafood like many restaurants all over the coast of the Mediterranean basin.

Inside is cute but casual. They had a fairly bustling bar.

The menu.

Something fishy about these plates.

2020 Capichera Isola dei Nuraghi IGT. We ordered it again. After I tried some other Vermentinos I went back to ordering Capichera!

Crispy Sardinian bread.

They had gluten free bread (and crackers) but it was all packaged. A far cry from Confusion, but still they had it.

DOP Buffalo Mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and EVOO.

Plate of Sardinian cheeses.

Antipasto of fresh seafood, including various shrimp-like creatures, clams, oysters, etc.

Sauces for the crudo.

Simple Spaghetti pomodoro.

Linguine all’astice with half a live local lobster. Very fresh tomato sauce. I was to have this basic dish a bunch of times in Sardinia and it was delicious every time. Really nice straightforward Italian pasta.

Spaghetti with tomatoes, fior di latte.

The other half of the lobster grilled with potatoes and beans.

Random packed cookies and candies.

A free degistivo.

Confusion was a much better “deal” at 2x the price of Clipper. But Clipper was enjoyable enough. Just basic good local Sardinian food done for the higher end tourist audience. Not fancy exactly, but perhaps a bit International. Like most decent kitchens in Italy it was totally enjoyable, if not exactly exciting. Not totally sure why this place was considered by so many online as “the best” though.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Eating Porto Cervo, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Italy, pasta, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Seafood, Wine

Eating Positano – La Cambusa

Aug14

Restaurant: La Cambusa

Location: Piazza Amerigo Vespucci, 4, 84017 Positano, Italy. +39 089 875432

Date: June 28, 2015

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Excellent, and right by the beach

You’d think that restaurants right by the port and the main beach wouldn’t be up to snuff — but far from it.

Located right next to the main church at the edge of the beach.

The extra story gives it a nice view and a great atmosphere. Of course up the hill are far better views, but who wants to hike up there in the middle of a beach day?

Caprese. Fresh local buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes.

Fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta cheese.

Crudo. Italian sashimi. Certainly a bit of Japanese influence (soy sauce, wasabi), but with Italian touches too like the fruit and olive oil. Very nice fish with bright flavors.

Penne pomodoro.

Spaghetti pomodoro.

Seafood ravioli. Housemade ravioli stuffed with fish and covered with shrimps in a gauzetto sauce. I love this tomato, garlic, white wine reduction sauce.

We didn’t have an extensive meal at La Cambusa, but everything we did try had a really nice polish to it, above average for sure. If I get back anytime soon I’ll have to go for dinner. Or if I finish inventing my Star Trek Transporter, then I’m all over it.