tupac17616

A long-overdue update on things here in Italia.... Napoli & Campania I spent 6 nights / 7 days in the area. It felt so different than Palermo in so many ways. I look forward to uncovering these same kinds of differences in the areas I am still yet to check out. I spent about 3-4 days in the city of Naples itself, and then used it as home base to explore Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento, Capri, Vesuvius, and Pompei. The city is probably not for everyone. During the day it's great, but at night the dark alleyways and deserted areas of the city aren't the most desired companions for an after-dinner passeggiata. This is a big city, the third largest in Italy, if I'm not mistaken, and there is definite signs of urban decay -- loud, dirty, trash on the streets. With my love of NYC (which, I must admit, is not the cleanest city around), I quickly grew attached. I liked the energy that Napoli had, and I certainly plan to visit again sometime. The Amalfi coast didn't really do much for me. The scenery was incredible, don't get me wrong. Absolutely breathtaking, in fact. But all the places on the coast and nearby that I visited -- Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento, and Capri -- you know the names. I know the names. And, unfortunately, so does everyone else. They are absolutely overrun with tourists, and the ridiculously inflated prices that follow. Lots of natural beauty to be found, but not easy getting away from the crowds (and the English language!). Once I actually managed to in Capri (a trek to the arco naturale and the nearby belvedere), I really apprecaited the beauty of the place. And the same could be said for Pompei and Vesuvius. The moments you appreciate it those places are not the moments when you're in line to check out the next "must-see" attraction, but the moments when you pull off to the side of the path, rest on an out-of-the-way tree stump, or hike up to the highest point you can see and just sit there and appreciate what is around you. Ah, and of course I enjoyed the food. I'll try to recap all that below. Here goes...

The Napoli/Campania wrap-up will be coming soon. So much pizza, so little time.

Dear Pizza Napoletana, Your list was delicious. Thanks for all the recommendations. Sincerely, tupac17616

Doh! I was afraid of that. I might be able to go to the newer one in the next few days. I can't claim any sort of pizza expertise to pick up the nuances in how the dough is produced. The crust at both Salvo and Da Michele were really wonderful though. Irregular in shape, thickness, consistency. Thicker spots and thinner spots, huge air bubbles and denser, chewier sections, great char at both places. Very good stuff. I was actually in the Vomero area for a bit this afternoon, but I ended up coming back down the funicolare and going to Brandi (a wet mess of a pizza) and later heading to Trianon da Ciro (which I quite liked) across from Da Michele. Trianon is apparently a chain? I saw another one near the funicolare station today and the box said something about salerno if I recall correctly.

I can't seem to find the exact location, or even a phone number for this place. I know near Porta Capuana, but anyone have any idea where it is? I'd like to check it out in the next several days. ← It is in a particularly dangerous area right now... I am not sure if it will work, try this link Costa ← Grazie. So far I've checked out Sorbillo (the smaller, four-table one...what is the difference between the two?), Da Michele, Di Matteo, Il Pizzaiolo del Presidente (di Cacialli?), and Salvo in Portici. Where else I'll go remains to be determined. Regardless of what Alan Richman has to say on the subject, there is no shortage of quality among the pizzerie and friggitorie of Napoli as far as I'm concerned.

I can't seem to find the exact location, or even a phone number for this place. I know near Porta Capuana, but anyone have any idea where it is? I'd like to check it out in the next several days.

Oh, and one more thought... The sweets here are aboslutely amazing. Cassta siciliana, cannoli, gelato, cartoccio di crema, cartoccio di nutella, granita, sfogliatella, pasta reale, ecc, ecc. Heaven.

A few more thoughts before I move on to Napoli. The dinners: Sant'Andrea Piazza Sant'Andrea 4, 091/334999 Dinner the first night was at this place recommended on Mario Batali's website. I stumbled on it during the day as I was wandering around, and I thought the name sounded familiar from some of the research I'd been doing before the trip. So I planned to return for dinner. Easier said than done, since Piazza Sant'Andrea was so small that it was on neither of the two maps I had. No worries, though, as I just trusted my sense of direction and ability to remember landmarks to guide me there. Five minutes late, but it worked. (It's just off Piazza San Domenico, for those who are curious.) I started with a selection of typical antipasti siciliani: olive, panelle, melanzana, and I can't even remember what else. It was okay, but not the least bit, well, memorable. My primo, though, was quite good - tagliatelle con triglie, mandorle rostate, pomodorini, e pesto di tenerumi. Tenerumi was a new food to me - the leaves of zucchini lunghi, a vegetable one can find at all the markets here. This was quite tasty. I enjoyed the pasta with a glass of white wine, the name of which I can't seem to remember. Dessert was a decent semifreddo di moscato e uve. Things were off to a pretty good start here in Palermo. The damage: €30. Not bad. Ai Cascinari Via D'Ossuna 43-45, 091/6519804 Thanks, DocSconz, for the recommendation! This was a very solid meal, one of the best I had in Palermo for sure. I started with a phenomenal selection of antipasti siciliani: panelle, bollite di carne con olive, pomodorini e acciughe, zucchini fritti, melazane fritte, polpetta con sugo di pomodoro, a quenelle-shaped potato fritter, and an incredible piece of fried dough stuffed with fresh ricotta e acciughe (I asked the owner what it was called, and his reply sounded like "cazzo in cina", but somehow I doubt that's it! ). I also ordered a primo of bavette dal pescatore, long fresh noodles tossed with gamberi e pesce spada. A glass of Moscato di Pantelleria to finish the meal, and I was out the door. An absolute steal at €16. Osteria dei Vespri Piazza Croce dei Vespri 6, 091/6171631 This place was recommended both in my Fodor's guidebook and I think elsewhere online. More modern rather than traditional Sicilian cuisine, this place was quite different than the other places I sampled here in Palermo. An amuse bouche (come si dice questo in Italiano?) came first - zuppa di pomodorm e arancia and millefoglie di melone con bottarga. Nothing special, though I enjoyed the soup. I don't know what they were going for with the millefoglie. For my antipasto, I started with 6 Variazioni di Crudi di Mare, a selection of six different raw fish preparations: calamari, pesce spada affuimicato, tonno, gamberi, tartare di tonno, e ricci con patate. Most of these fell flat, with the exceptions of the tartare di tonno, which was served with a nicely aged aceto balsamico, and the gamberi, which was flat-out amazing, and rivaled the best sashimi I've ever had. My primo was some kinf of ring-shaped pasta al nero di seppia con pomodoro. This was okay, but the flavor got old as I ate the dish. The tomato was not enough of a counter-point to keep me interested in competing with the richness of the squid ink. As far as wine goes, though, this meal yielded a nice discovery. The white wine I had with the fish was unmemorable, but I really liked the red they gave me with the pasta. Nero d'Avola, a Sicilian wine which is new to me, was quite delicious, and I'll certainly be looking for it on wine lists from now on. This place is not cheap, and in my opinion, not really worth it either. €45. Casa del Brodo Corso Vittorio Emanuele 175, 091/321655 Another recommendation from my guidebook, this place is right on the edge of Vucciria, on one of the main streets of the city. The restaurant dates all the way back to 1890, and they've got pictures of various Italian celebrities scattered all over the wall. I passed up the unappealing buffet of antipasti, and instead, opted for two primi (probably marking myself distinctly as a tourist in the process! ). There were two important traditional Sicilian dishes which I had still yet to try. I started with maccu, a very tasty soup of fava beans and wild fennel. I also had their rendition of bucatini con le sarde, wonderfully toothsome strands of housemade pasta with sardines, fennel, currants and pine nuts. Nothing amazing, but it certainly hit the spot. No wine tonight. Total for the meal was €17.

Before I move on, let me devote this entire post to one place that certainly deserves a special mention... Pasticceria Alba Piazza Don Bosco 7/c, Libertà, Palermo 091/309016 Website I cannot say enough good things about this place. Possibly the best bakery/gelateria/bar I've ever been to. Granted, one visit doesn't provide the largest sample set for such a bold claim, but this place really blew me away. I started with a fresh, hot arancina con spinaci e besciamella, far and away the best I've had thus far on the trip. Then it was time for a slice of cassata siciliana, which was clearly very fresh and quite tasty. This traditional Sicilian treat certainly caters to those with larger sweet tooths, so I certainly enjoyed it. Next, I saw a sign advertising another distinctly Sicilian treat, latte di mandorla, almond milk, which was a cold, sweet, and refreshing way to wash down the cassata. Then, the gelato. A moment of silence, please, for this incredible treat. I can say, without ANY hesitation, that this is the finest gelato I've tasted in my life. Un cono with two ridiculously delicious flavors, pistacchio di Bronte and Il Siciliano (mandorle siciliane e pistacchi di Bronte). Words cannot describe the flavor, but I'll try. The pistacchio had a distinctly roasted flavor, tasting of the purest natural essence of the nut, rather than any color or flavor additives. Il Siciliano was a wonderful symphony of flavors and textures. The slight bitterness of the Sicilian mandorle, countered by the sweetness of the tiniest shards of candied almonds and pistachios. The perfectly creamy texture of the gelato, countered by the tiny intermittent crunches from chunks of roasted almond and pistachio. I was practically brought to tears it was so good. If you ever find yourself in Palermo, or anywhere near it for that matter, this place undoubtedly warrants a special trip. It was only quickly mentioned in passing through my old Fodor's guidebook, but this place is now bolded, underlined, and starred in my book, that's for sure. Hands-down, the best food experience of a week spent eating quite well here in Palermo.

Ah. A break. Time for some more detailed thoughts on Palermo. Getting here was not easy. My flight out of JFK was delayed 7 1/2 hours, by far the longest delay I've ever endured. This made me miss my connection in Milano, so I had 5+ more hours to kill there. Not fun, though the bo ssam I ate at the airport leftover from the night before at Momofuku Ssam Bar in NYC, and the time perusing the Ferrari store in Milano almost made it bearable. I've been here since late Tuesday night now, and I'll be taking an overnight ferry later to Napoli, where I'll arrive (not so) bright and (very) early tomorrow morning. It was kind of a last-minute decision to add Palermo to my itenerary. Originally, I'd thought of starting in Napoli. In retrospect, I'm quite glad I was able to get a taste of Sicilia, as it's been quite enjoyable. For the most part, I've explored the city on foot. At one point, I considered renting a moto to drive up to Monte Pellegrino, but decided against it. I've taken the time to see many of the sights in and around the city, and it's all been quite beautiful. A quick bus ride to Monreale led me to the beautiful mosaics at the Duomo there, as well as a phenomenal view of the city from its terrace. The Cattedrale here in Palermo is also quite nice, if a little less extravagant than the one in Monreale. A little off the beaten path, I also checked out the Convento dei Cappuccini, a 16th century catacomb housing more than 8,000 corpses. I'd never seen anything like it. And more place that really sticks out in my mind is Chiesa Santa Caterina in Piazza Bellini, a beautiful baroque church. There is amazing diversity apparent everywhere here - in the architecture, the language, the people, and the food. Norman and Arab influences are everywhere. As expected, I was bit shaky trying to communicate at first, but I'm getting the hang of it and feeling more and more comfortable with the language by the day. The Sicilian dialect, at least here in Palermo, is not as difficult to comprehend as I had been told it might be. Getting around the city has not been a problem at all. The bus system here is quite reliable, and thankfully, air-conditioned. But enough about all that stuff for now, let's talk about the food! I've gone to both markets, the Ballaro and the Vucciria, every single day. For someone who has never experienced a European outdoor market before, they are amazing and eye-opening. They put any farmer's market I've ever been to in the US to absolute shame. I prefer the Ballaro, which I find to have much more selection in general. Breakfast the first day was a basket of tiny, sweet fragoline and two wonderfully ripe fichi from the Ballaro market. Return trips on other days yielded more fragoline, a warm square of foccacia con acciughe, caciocavallo and primo sale cheeses, and a panino di polmoni. Yes, a lung sandwich, bought from one of many gentleman at the markets and all around the city which I endearingly refer to as the "Offal Men". Greasy and tasty, though I preferred the spleen sandwiches I had other days. At the Vucciria market, I bought some pulpa di riccio di mare, apparently some kind of sea urchin paste in brine that is used to make the local specialty spaghetti con ricci. Though I've not seen any ricci here this trip (they must not be in season, perhaps?), I'm still excited to be able to try this out at home in my own kitchen. Later that first day, I also had a mid-afternoon snack of pane cu' meusa (€1.50), at the eponymous small shack at Via Cala 62 near Porta Felice. Very much a local specialty, this calf's spleen sandwich is served by gruff old men from massive vats the size of half a trash can full of boiled meat. Often served on sesame rolls, simply sprinkled with salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and sometimes with grated caciocavallo added, they are quite tasty. Not for everyone, perhaps, but I certainly enjoyed it. It's a very rich flavor that, to me, seems reminiscent of liver. Not very fatty, but quite greasy, if that makes any sense. But the acidity of the lemon and the salty top-note of the caciocavallo cut right through the grease. And the bread acts as a tasty sponge for all of that flavor. I much preferred this sandwich at Pane cu' Meusa to the one at the older, bigger, and more well-known Antica Focacceria San Francesco (Via Paternostro 58). The bread there was fairly fresh, but lacked much flavor or character. Kind of lifeless, if that makes any sense. The spleen was flavorful, but a bit dryer than that of Pane cu' Meusa. In addition to the pane cu' meusa at Antica Focacceria San Francesco, I also had a nice, fat arancina con sugo di carne (€1.50), and a briosce con gelati di pistacchio e fior di latte (€1.70), which was good but not great. Wait a minute...did somebody say gelato? Man, oh man, the gelato here is just PHENOMENAL. The first place I tried was Gelateria Lucchese, right off the Vucciria market near Piazza San Domenico. Pistacchio is the base flavor on which I rate gelato places, and this one did not disappoint. Very creamy, and served neither too cold nor too warm, this was a great intro to gelato in Sicilia. The next day I returned for granita alle mandorle, the very Sicilian summertime treat of almond granita. It was delicious, and a far cry from the rock-hard sno-cone imitations I'd had before. I also quite enjoyed the gelato from Spinnato. This place is clearly an institution here in Palermo. Open since 1860, they now have five locations in the city. Having had something from four of those five locations nice, I can vouch for their consistency. And, as far as I can tell, it is consistently good. From the various locations, I've had briosce con gelati di pistacchio e cassata (€2), a disappointing chunk of caramella di pistacchio (€2.60), a very tasty arancina con sugo di carne (€1.30), a good but not great arancina al burro (€1.30), a tasty small cassatina siciliana (€1.60), and a slice of a larger cassata siciliana (€2.50) which is still yet to be eaten ( ).

wow wow wow. palermo is amazing. the achitecture. the mosaics. the food! ricci, sarde, milza, cassata siciliana, cannoli, gelato, tonno, pesce spada, granita di mandorle, ecc will add more when there is time!

after many visits to ssam, finally did the bo ssam tonight. i am a full (and happy) man.

Once again, thanks Pontormo. Incredibly helpful stuff! With all the great help you and the other eG'er have been providing already, I'm becoming less confused and more excited!

Thanks, Kevin. Very good to know. Maybe the easiest way to access the smaller towns will be to take trains between the major cities and rent a car to drive to the smaller ones. I imagine there will be a lot of trial and error trying to figure out transportation on the trip. I'll certainly do my best to keep up! And thank you for the Sicily recommendation! Wow, I owe you one! Thank you very much for taking the time to do that. I really appreciate it. Yes, indeed! I've been to the one in NYC a couple of times, and I enjoyed it (not, perhaps, as much as Il Laboratorio del Gelato, but that's another thread...). But that certainly won't stop me from trying it again if I run across them in different cities this summer. For research and comparison purposes only, of course. As far as gelato goes, I'm still kind of ignorant about which places I should be seeking out. So far all I know is Vivoli in Florence and Corrado Cosenza in Noto, Sicily. I also read some good things about a place called La Sorbetteria in Bologna today, so I may check that out. I foresee a lot of gelato in the coming weeks.

Thanks, Kevin, for all the recs! I am definitely thinking of renting a car when the need presents itself (which I think it may in Sicily, for example). Even more so than trains/buses, I figure its the best way for me to get to the random, out of the way places that I'd like to explore. It may be kind of hard to get to off-the-tourist-beaten-path places without one. And for all I know, the train and bus systems could be ridiculously slow. It will definitely be a lot of learning as I go!

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it. Leaving home tomorrow, but stopping over in NYC for several days, so I won't be leaving to Italy until next Monday.

Whoops! Answered my own question. In the legend, it specifies the symbol to look for to distinguish the "Oscar for Quality and Price" places. It's too bad the restaurant search function seems to be a bit inaccurate, making it impossible to search directly for such places, or even to search for restaurants in a particular score range correctly for that matter. ETA: But at least I found the Tre Forchette 2007 list. Sweet!

Thanks for the tip. I registered with the Gambero Rosso site, and have been checking out the Italian part a bit. I see where they do the ratings from 1-100 and the 1/2/3 fork(s) thing, along with the restaurant details and description. But is there someplace I can see a list of these "Oscar for Quality and Price" places? Something like that would be very good to know.

A post I ran across on Chowhound confirms it: Il Mulinazzo is no more Villafrati seemed so accessible, too. Gah. Maybe I can trek to Ragusa for Il Duomo somehow. Or maybe save the Michelin star restaurant pilgrimages for later in the trip. There is, of course, the lure of gelato in Noto luring me eastward anyway. Hmm...

THanks, Rona! I'd spotted it on Amazon (B&N didn't have it), but I'm actually leaving this Wednesday to NYC for a few days, so no place to mail it to! Maybe I can get a store there in the city to order it for me, though. That's a good thought. Thanks for the Il Vigneto and Siracusa recommendations. And I'm very glad to hear Corrado Costanza and Caffe Sicilia are worth the trek! Thanks for the warning on Il Mulinazzo. I'll certainly check into that, and maybe another eG'er can confirm. Wouldn't it be terrible to get all the way there to find a closed restaurant!

Oh, and instead of trying to tackle recommendations for all of the places I'm planning on checking out, I'm gonna do this thing one place at a time I think. So, for Palermo/Sicily in general, some thoughts so far: Vucciria market Antica Focacceria San Francesco Pani ca Meusa I Peccatucci di Mamma Andrea Osteria dei Vespri Il Mulinazzo (Villafrati) Corrado Costanzo (Noto) Ristorante Duomo (Ragusa) Ai Cascinari

Thanks, everyone. You've led me to some really great stuff, both on this site and on others! Now if only I could find a store that actually carries Italy for the Gourmet Traveler, I'd be in business. Maybe I can check a few places in NYC when I stop there for several days on the way to Italia...

First things first: gelato in Sicily Where can the good stuff be found? (A search through the eGullet Italian forum yielded great stuff for Florence and Rome, among other places, but I couldn't find much on Sicily)

I've never encountered a wait for weekday breakfast (which is wonderful...mmm pancakes...), but admittedly, I've never been any other time. I notice the pancakes are also on the dinner menu. If I lived in the area, I would have definitely given that a shot by now, too! What did you dislike so much about Eleven Madison? I think Chef Humm is among the best young culinary talent in the city. While I'm not such a fan of their croissants or the brioche, I do love their sticky buns. The corn muffin isn't bad, either.

Oh, and if you've got time for one meal at a fine dining establishment, I'd recommend either Jean Georges lunch or Eleven Madison Park dinner.