Da Gigino
Where? Da Gigino (Sorrento, Italy) Map Menu
When? Monday April 17, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
It's my last night in Sorrento and I'm at another unassuming alleyway restaurant. I think one thing I appreciate about many Italian menus is that they detail allergens for each meal, as well as what products are frozen. This definitely influences what I order. I've chosen a caponata for antipasto and a mixed platter for secondi. The house white is a very generous pour of a crisp dry wine and I have no idea what kind of grape it is.
Antipasto
Caponata Sorrentina - "frisella", eggplant, cherry tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, olives, tuna and capers
I don't actually know what a caponata is, but here is one done Sorrento style. It looks like a giant bruschetta but it's full of delicious cherry tomatoes, olives, capers and tuna, with a mozzarella ball on top. I can detect some fennel seeds which I'm not really a fan of, but they're not overpowering. I think it would have been nicer to serve the tuna raw or seared in thin slices, just so it doesn't look like it's come from a can. It's not a bad dish. The bread has maintained crispiness despite all the oil and liquid on top of it, and the cherry tomatoes are my favourite thing on the plate.
Secondo Piatto
Misto di Carne alla Griglia - mix of grilled meat
The mixed grill is exactly what it is: a plate of grilled meats with no sauce. It does have a nice smokiness to it though, so I can probably make do with adding my own olive oil, balsamic and salt. The chicken is a bit dry, but the beef is quite good. The pork has questionable texture. Again, it's just another okay dish, possibly even below average. I'm not sticking around for dessert at this restaurant.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:28am on Saturday April 29, 2017 :: 0 comments :: 
Ristorante Fuoro
Where? Ristorante Fuoro (Sorrento, Italy) Map
When? Sunday April 16, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
Back in Sorrento, I'm at another recommendation by Yelp, which says the Caprese salad is excellent here, so that's a definite, especially since I didn't get one on Capri Island itself. I'm also intrigued by this bacon wrapped pork in red wine with hazelnuts, so that will be my secondo piatto; otherwise I would have probably gone for the seared tuna. The restaurant is in one of Sorrento's little alleyways that runs parallel to the main road, and there's an accordionist playing, of all songs, That's Amore, at the back of the room.
Antipasto
Insalata Caprese - tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad
Oh boy. The salad is good. The tomatoes have a great flavour, they don't have that gross water taste. It's such a simple dish but it's done very well. It goes to show what a big difference the addition of salt, black pepper, olive oil and mixed herbs can do to enhance a basic salad.
Secondo Piatto
Maialino Lardellato - bacon-wrapped prok with red wine and chopped hazelnuts
The pork is here and the bacon smells wonderful. I'm not sold on the lukewarm greens in the corner, nor on the hazelnuts sprinkled on the top, but the pork is thick and meaty, and there's lots of rich red wine sauce. The bacon is the clear winner on the plate. The pork is maybe a smidgen overdone but it's got flavour, the wine balancing the saltiness of the bacon perfectly.
Dessert
Tiramisu
I feel like it's been a while since I've had tiramisu and I'd like a break from all the citrus desserts. The sponge is a bit soggy from the rum but the flavour is there. Certainly not the best tiramisu I've had but it's good enough.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:24am on Saturday April 29, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
L'Osteria Del Buonconvento
Where? L'Osteria Del Buonconvento (Sorrento, Italy) Map
When? Saturday April 15, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
I'm here at the recommendation of some Australians I met yesterday on the Amalfi Coast tour, who are incidentally also here tonight, so I hope this is good. As tempting as their secondi menu looks, I'm going with an antipasto of the house and a primo - a seafood linguine. I've been given an apertivo as a welcome drink, and welcomed I definitely feel. The only Italian song I know, Grande Amore by Il Volo, third place at Eurovision 2015, is currently playing.
Amuse Bouche
A plate with food arrives. I think it is my antipasto. I don't actually know but I eat it anyway. It's fried dough with herbs on rocket and Parmesan and it's quite good.
Antipasto
Antipasto del Buonconvento - mixed starter from Buonconvento
Oh my god. A huge platter arrives. This is the antipasto. It's filled with grilled vegetables, cured meats and cheese. I can't believe it. This looks amazing. It has some wonderful Mediterranean flavours, the tomato, eggplant and spicy sausage being the outstanding items on the plate. I'm so happy taking bits of everything, trying every combination with the herbed bread in the basket. It feels as close as I can get to a true Italian experience without being adopted by a Nonna and having a 6 hour meal.
Primo Piatto
Linguine ai Fruitti di Mare - linguine pasta with seafood, cherry tomatoes
The seafood linguine is here and the smell is so heartwarming. The pasta is probably a bit undercooked but the freshness of the seafood is evident, it's sweet and tasty. The portion size is excellent and thanks to the double antipasto, I am totally stuffed. There is no room for dessert.
Dessert
Easter Cake
I lied. I stuck around the restaurant talking to all the people I met at the Amalfi Coast tour and two hours later, I'm ready to have dessert. I got the Easter special, a lovely moist cake with lemon and strawberries. I am absolutely stuffed now. For real. There is a tiny bit of room for the complimentary limoncello, for which I am extremely excited. It's almost 11pm and it's time for a food coma.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:15am on Saturday April 29, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
Inn Bufalito
Where? Inn Bufalito (Sorrento, Italy) Map Menu
When? Friday April 14, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
It's quite late after my tour of the Amalfi Coast, so I'm at the closest decent place to my accommodation recommended by Yelp. I can't help but choose the buffalo steak, especially given the name of the restaurant.
Secondo Piatto
Bistecca di Bufalo - grilled buffalo steak
Yuss. The steak smells great and cuts smoothly. It's missing seasoning but it has that wonderful smokey aroma to it. A bit of salt and pepper and we are all good to go. The potatoes are nice and fluffy but the salad is plain; again adding my own olive oil and balsamic fixes it up and gives it a great Mediterranean feel. Not bad! Much better than last night. It hits the spot and I feel like my appetite is back to normal, so I'm going to celebrate with dessert, even though I have been having sweet things all day. The region is famous for its lemons, so I'm going to go with the almond and lemon tart.
Dessert
Torta Caprese al Limone - almond and lemon tart
It takes a while to arrive, but it's warm and homely, very much like a Nonna has baked this. I love the candied lemon peel and the lemon sauce, the lemon is clearly the most prominent ingredient, and so it should be. For €6, I was expecting a larger slice, but at least it was enjoyable.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:07am on Saturday April 29, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
ReFood al Vicoletto
Where? ReFood al Vicoletto (Sorrento, Italy) Map Menu
When? Thursday April 13, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
I've left the chaos of Rome and I'm in the delightfully peaceful resort town of Sorrento. I expect most places to be quite touristy as a result, so I'm no longer looking for authenticity per se, but quality. This little restaurant caught my eye as I was walking from the port to my accommodation; they had a large display of seafood outside and I was immediately interested. So, I've ordered a trilogy of seafood to start with, and lamb shanks for mains. I wanted the boar cheek but unfortunately it was out of stock.
Amuse Bouche
A free glass of prosecco has appeared in front of me, as well as some bread with balsamic reduction. Goodie!
Antipasto
Trilogy Refood - octopus carpaccio, smoked swordfish and cuttlefish salad
A massive plate of seafood arrives. I try a bit of everything and come to a quick conclusion; the smoked swordfish is the best, really tasty and full of flavour, then the cuttlefish with walnuts, which is good but I think it needed some acidity or other flavour to compliment it, especially as I'm in Sorrento, which is famous for their lemons. Finally there is the octopus carpaccio, which is still very good but nothing special. I will say that texturally the octopus is quite exquisite, it's not rubbery at all and it's sliced extremely thinly. It almost doesn't taste like octopus. I wish there was a way of asking without sounding like a dick. The salad needed some dressing, at least some olive oil. It's an okay dish, it could have been much better with a little bit more attention to the finer details.
Secondo Piatto
Stinco di Agnello - lamb shank glazed with walnuts and thyme
My eyes widen as the lamb shank is placed in front of me. I find it odd that there are chopped peanuts - definitely not walnuts - placed everywhere, but they add texture. I'm not completely sold on them. The meat is not quite falling off the bone, maybe even slightly dry, but it is tender and well seasoned. I like the potatoes. Again, like the previous night, I wish there was more sauce! I am struggling to finish though, there is a lot of meat on the plate and I guess my appetite still isn't at 100% normality.
There's no way I can fit dessert in so I'll leave it at that. All in all, slightly subpar for my first meal in Sorrento.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:02am on Saturday April 29, 2017 :: 0 comments ::