 |
| Piccola Palermo |
A taste of exceptionally good food
The food in Sicily (indeed, in all of Italy) is reason enough to visit, offering a gourmet mecca for dedicated gastronomes. The enjoyment of eating good food, taken together with equally good wine (see Wine section at end of page) is something Sicilians take very seriously. Nothing but the best of eating is acceptable to Sicilians (indeed, by all Italians).
For a few specialties to taste when you're in Sicily, see www.bestofsicily.com.
Imagine
Imagine sitting down to eat fresh bucatini pasta (al dente) with mushrooms and melanzane in tastefully-rich pomodoro (tomato) cooked with a little garlic (if preferred), basil and sage, salt and pepper, and finally sprinkled with parmigiano as you like it. (“Pasta con funghi e melanzane”).
Or try a salad of rucola (rocket) with parmesan, shrimp and balsamic vinegar, followed by thinly sliced swordfish wrapped around cheese and herbs.
RESTAURANTS
Excellent restaurants are in abundance throughout Sicily. They range from those that offer gourmet dining to those called a "trattoria" where locals (who always know best) eat every day. Whichever of these you choose, they all share one thing in common, “a taste of exceptionally good food”.
There are many restaurants that we recommend within a short travel from our Villa and, of course, many more further away. To list them all is not possible. Therefore, we provide a sample (in alphabetical order) for consideration in addition to those that our guests find for themselves while exploring Sicily. Note travel time from the village of Balestrate (La Residence) by car unless otherwise indicated:-
Al Gabbiano (55 minutes)
Via Piano Gallo 1
Mondello. Tel: 091 450313
Restaurant & pizzeria - traditional; fine dining a few feet from water's edge
Arabesque (15 minutes)
Via Madonia 104
Terrasini. Tel: 091 8682490
Restaurant - gourmet fine dining
Arabesque (10 minutes)
Localita Manostalla
Partinico. Tel: 091 8787755
Restaurant & pizzeria - traditional
Baglio Carta (10 minutes)
Contrada Bosco Falconeria SP17
Balestrate. Tel: 091 8789279
Restaurant – gastronomy fine dining; classical prominent villa setting
Bar del Golfo (1 minute walk)
Via Madonna Del Ponte 111
Balestrate. Tel: 091 8987465
Bar & Café - pastry/desserts, ice cream & some trattoria meals
Blue Sky (1 minute walk)
Via Madonna Del Ponte 84
Balestrate. Tel: 091 8786304
American Style Bar & Pub - specialises in quality ham-burgers, panini, cocktails and ice-cream; some traditional trattoria meals & dessert pastry; music entertainment including karaoke
Da Nonna (1 minute walk)
Via Madonna Del Ponte 82
Balestrate. Tel: 091 8786574
Restaurant - traditional Sicilian & Venezuelan gastronomy cuisine
Frutti di Mare Da Giovanni (1 minute walk)
Via Madonna del Ponte 100
Balestrate. Tel: 091 8786605
Restaurant – spaghetti & fish
Hotel Centrale (20 minutes)
Via G. Amendola 24
Alcamo. Tel: 0924 507845
Restaurant - gourmet fine dining
Il Ristorantino (55 minutes)
Piazza Giovanni Paolo II 19
Palermo. Tel: 091 6702999 / 091 512861
Restaurant – traditional Palermo gourmet cuisine; intimate setting
Kursaal Tonnara - Vergine Maria (55 minutes)
Via Bordonaro 9
Palermo. Tel: 091 6372267
Restaurant - fine gourmet dining; including lively cocktail bar and occasional live music
La Cambusa (15 minutes)
Via Zangara Don L. 67
Castellammare del Golfo. Tel: 0924 30155
Restaurant – traditional spaghetti & fish; dining a few feet from water's edge
La Sirenella (10 minutes)
Via 24 Giugno 109
Trappeto. Tel: 091 8788356
Restaurant & pizzeria - traditional
Monte San Giuliano (55 minutes)
Vicolo San Rocco 7
Erice. Tel: 0923 869595
Restaurant – gourmet fine dining; short walk from castle offering breath-taking views (especially at night)
Paradise Bar (1 minute walk)
Via Madonna Del Ponte 119
Balestrate. Tel: 091 8787387
Bar & Café - specialises in traditional fine dessert pastry, ice-cream & trattoria meals
Piccola Palermo (5 minutes walk)
Via Paolino Gesu Grande 22
Balestrate. Tel: 091 8787271
Trattoria (gastronomy) - traditional family every-day eating
SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION
|
|
Wine
Sicilian wines have an important presence on the international stage. There are good vintages emerging from wineries not previously known outside of Sicily. These form part of the continuing Sicilian tradition of excellence in winemaking, including the more recent development in the blending together of local Sicilian and international grapes.
Among white wines for example, we now encounter an Insolia, Damaschino or Grillo blended with Chardonnay. For red wines, you might want to try the distinctive Nero d'Avola. If fortified dessert wines are preferred then perhaps you might consider a Marsala, Passito or Moscato.
|
