Sicily (3) - The Perfect Place for the Perfect Lunch
Spring 2010
Just when you think you’ve found somewhere exceptional, you drive along the coast and find an even better place.
In fairness, our hosts acknowledged that Ristorante da Vittorio is very good but insisted we try a restaurant at the end of a long and windy track by a few tiny weather beaten fishing boats.
"Just keep driving until the road ends. When you think you are lost, you are not”. Those reassuring words, together with the best signage I’ve ever seen for a restaurant, led to a cul-de-sac with the Mediterranean Sea on two sides and Ristorante a Due Passi Dal Mare on the other.
This stretch of the west coast is untouched by the twenty first century – indeed it probably hasn’t seen any developments for many decades. There are derelict properties in stunning positions that you feel if you could snap up would be worth a fortune in the years to come. The only sign of modern life is Ristorante a Due Passi Dal Mare. During the summer months the tourists fight for tables but on this scorching April lunchtime we had the place almost to ourselves.
Most of the fish is fresh although Italian law stipulates that all restaurants must say in the menu if any produce has been frozen, and all the restaurants, even the best, seem to serve some previously frozen seafood.
A welcoming glass of Prosecco was a fine touch that immediately created a warm feeling towards the place. The restaurant is run by two sisters, Sabina and Theresa, with Sabina the boss and Theresa looking after front of house.
The menu is largely fish and seafood.
We started with Degustazione di crostacei e molluschi (€14) – a bowl of shrimps, scampi, scallops, mussels and clams in a fish sauce, and Ne’Coffe – Ne Crudo (€14) – a platter of marinated and smoked fish which was ‘not cooked – not raw’. Both were exceptional.
To follow, Linguini Rais (€14) – Shrimps, clams, cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley and tuna roe.
The showpiece of the lunch was a whole St Pietro, a John Dory, caught a few hours earlier. Don’t let the ugly appearance of this flat fish put you off. When cooked in olive oil with cherry tomatoes and diced olives it was sensational. It literally fell off the bone. At €6 per kilo it came to €48 but it was worth every cent.
Ristorante da Vittorio was excellent but Ristorante a Due Passi Dal Mare just edged it. If you are in this part of Sicily over the coming months, both are essential lunch venues, but make sure you book.
In fairness, our hosts acknowledged that Ristorante da Vittorio is very good but insisted we try a restaurant at the end of a long and windy track by a few tiny weather beaten fishing boats.
"Just keep driving until the road ends. When you think you are lost, you are not”. Those reassuring words, together with the best signage I’ve ever seen for a restaurant, led to a cul-de-sac with the Mediterranean Sea on two sides and Ristorante a Due Passi Dal Mare on the other.
This stretch of the west coast is untouched by the twenty first century – indeed it probably hasn’t seen any developments for many decades. There are derelict properties in stunning positions that you feel if you could snap up would be worth a fortune in the years to come. The only sign of modern life is Ristorante a Due Passi Dal Mare. During the summer months the tourists fight for tables but on this scorching April lunchtime we had the place almost to ourselves.
Most of the fish is fresh although Italian law stipulates that all restaurants must say in the menu if any produce has been frozen, and all the restaurants, even the best, seem to serve some previously frozen seafood.
A welcoming glass of Prosecco was a fine touch that immediately created a warm feeling towards the place. The restaurant is run by two sisters, Sabina and Theresa, with Sabina the boss and Theresa looking after front of house.
The menu is largely fish and seafood.
We started with Degustazione di crostacei e molluschi (€14) – a bowl of shrimps, scampi, scallops, mussels and clams in a fish sauce, and Ne’Coffe – Ne Crudo (€14) – a platter of marinated and smoked fish which was ‘not cooked – not raw’. Both were exceptional.
To follow, Linguini Rais (€14) – Shrimps, clams, cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley and tuna roe.
The showpiece of the lunch was a whole St Pietro, a John Dory, caught a few hours earlier. Don’t let the ugly appearance of this flat fish put you off. When cooked in olive oil with cherry tomatoes and diced olives it was sensational. It literally fell off the bone. At €6 per kilo it came to €48 but it was worth every cent.
Ristorante da Vittorio was excellent but Ristorante a Due Passi Dal Mare just edged it. If you are in this part of Sicily over the coming months, both are essential lunch venues, but make sure you book.
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
