Sardinia food related activties

**nathanm** · August 25, 2011

I will be in Sardinia in a couple weeks. I am interested in food related things to do - that could include visiting a traditional cheesemaker, baker or other artisinal food producer. Or, I have read that in the south of Sardinia there are fields of saffron, which may be cool to see.

In other parts of Italy I have done things like this - visiting olive oil producers, a buffalo farm, vinegar makers etc. If there are some interesting things like that in Sardinia that would be great.

Besides visits to producers if there is a great butcher shop, or a great market to visit that would be interesting.

Some agriturismos offer big farm feast type meals. Sa Mandra near Alghero has been recommended to me for that. That would be fun.

I have flexibility on where to go within Sardinia, and I don't need a place to stay.

I am also interested in dining in a more conventional sense, and there is another thread on this forum about Sardina restaurants, but it does not seem to be very active.

**Mjx** · August 25, 2011

For recommendations on this sort of thing, we've got most of our leads by asking restaurant staff (anyone from waitstaff to owner/manager) where they source a given ingredient, which usually leads you right to the source (we toured quite a few places in Emilia Romagna thanks to this). You can do it on the spot (we did), or you may prefer to send out queries in advance, and nail things down.

jmolinari · August 25, 2011

Su Gologone in Oliena is a great stop with some fantastic food, with split pigs on rods roasting in front of open fires and other delicious dishes.

Edited August 25, 2011 by jmolinari (log)

teonzo · August 25, 2011

First thing that comes to mind is going to Carloforte (a little island on the south west) for the tuna "mattanza" (fishing and killing).

Second thing to try, if you like weird stuff, is a traditional cheese called "casu marzu", it contains a lot of larvae that change the texture and taste of the cheese, so it is a unique produce because of its taste, and because you eat the larvae too. Now Italian law forbids to sell it, but with some luck it's possible to find a cheese maker that continues to produce it.

I'll ask to a couple of friends and will try to answer in the next days with a list of places to visits.

Teo

**nathanm** · August 26, 2011

I have had casu marzu before... it is definitely an experience and makes for quite a story too...

What time of year is the mattanza?

&roid · August 26, 2011

I have had casu marzu before... it is definitely an experience and makes for quite a story too...
What time of year is the mattanza?

It certainly does! was it nice?? We may be going there next year and I wonder if I should start building myself up to trying some of this...

**nathanm** · August 26, 2011

It was a very strong, salty cheese, with a liquid texture - as runny as St Marcellin. It is not so fabulous that I would go out of my way to eat it regularly, but as a one time experience it is interesting.

JBailey · August 26, 2011

Bourdain had his Sardinia show and they replayed it this last Monday. He gave the name of a couple agriturismos, but alas I do not recall them.

A funny story of caution for you. When I was in Sardinia in June, we were in Porto Cervo. A friend and his wife wanted to take a break and get something to drink at about 10 in the morning before we departed. At the small plaza overlooking the harbor, there was a small hotel on the upper levels and a bar/restaurant on the plaza level. Not a person other than the bartender was there. We sat down and David ordered a Perrier, his wife ordered a white wine and I thought I might have coffee. The bartender protested that would be too difficult because their coffee had not been set up, so I said just bring me a Coke. The drinks were served and the bartender brought the obligatory little bowl of olives, the macadamia nuts and some pretzels. When finished about 20 minutes later, I asked for the check. Our bill was 75 euros - 30 euros for the wine, 15 euros for the Perrier and 30 euros for my Coke!

Nathan, my suggestion is that even you will need to take a deep wallet with you while in Sardinia - buyer be ware!!!

JBailey · August 26, 2011

Just looked it up...one place Bourdain went was Agriturismo Roccas, the other was Agriturismo Predas Rujas and he had high praise for the hotel/restaurant Su Gologone. The travel guide on his site gives further details and addresses.

teonzo · August 27, 2011

First of all I must state that I've never been in Sardinia (yes, I'm Italian and never been there, shame on me), so all the informations I have are collected from friends.

And I must correct myself about casu marzu. I've just been told that last year it came back to be legal, now it's protected as a "typical product".

What time of year is the mattanza?

The traditional festival is at the beginning of June, but now it's mainly a folkloristics tourist trap.

As far as I know, if you have a good contact with the fishers there (working to get this), you can be their guest and attend while they fish tuna in the other days of the year. It's not the historical mattanza of the festival made with old boats and so on, but it's still a mattanza and interesting (of course if you can stand cruel visions). Plus you can get the chance to eat some parts of the tuna that is quite difficult to find in restaurants, just like raw marrow (my favourite), eyes, cheeks, heart, and so on. I'm pretty sure you already tasted them, but who knows. Plus personally I'm mad about those parts, so as I have the chance to eat them then I'm in first line.

A funny story of caution for you. When I was in Sardinia in June, we were in Porto Cervo. A friend and his wife wanted to take a break and get something to drink at about 10 in the morning before we departed. At the small plaza overlooking the harbor, there was a small hotel on the upper levels and a bar/restaurant on the plaza level. Not a person other than the bartender was there. We sat down and David ordered a Perrier, his wife ordered a white wine and I thought I might have coffee. The bartender protested that would be too difficult because their coffee had not been set up, so I said just bring me a Coke. The drinks were served and the bartender brought the obligatory little bowl of olives, the macadamia nuts and some pretzels. When finished about 20 minutes later, I asked for the check. Our bill was 75 euros - 30 euros for the wine, 15 euros for the Perrier and 30 euros for my Coke!

When I read these stories I really got angry (not with you). I really hate when restaurateurs, bartenders and so on try to screw tourists, so as you can understand I hate a huge amount of Venetians, since Venice is probably the worst case of tourist screwing (just for example, one time I went in a Venetian bar with a Japanese friend and was talking with my bad English, the bartender tried to pump up the check, I had to tell him in Venetian dialect that he had better to try to screw his family members). People like them are ruining this country, we could live just with tourism if we could be able to value all the art we have to offer, but no, those idiots just think that it's better to treat the tourist like dumbs with big money to milk. I hope things will change in the future, but it seems almost impossible, there's a huge lack of culture of hospitality and honesty.

If you are a foreigner in Italy and face a similar case, the best thing to do is to call the number 117 with the phone. It's the number of Guardia di Finanza, the public force that supervise on economical frauds, and denounce what happened. Do this in front of the owner of the place, and don't fear to be heard by the other customers. In most cases the owner will try to accomodate, asking to apologize and reducing the bill. But please be firm and wait for the arrival of the Guardia di Finanza, so he will have to pay a nice penalty. This way he will learn better he must not screw anyone.

Now the first suggestions I got:

http://www.corbula.it/

a good store with typical products

http://www.santulussurgiuproduce.it/formaggi.asp

a list of the producers of the typical cheese in Santu Lussurgiu

http://www.ristorante-ilcaminetto.com/

http://www.darenzo.it/

http://www.hotelraffael.com/

http://www.sugologone.it/

http://www.sacorte.it/

http://www.ristoranteilcorsaronero.it/

http://www.appenaprima.it/

http://www.ristoranteilrubino.com/

http://www.sasbenas.it/

http://www.agnata.it/

Ristorante La Meridiana, Via Littorio 1, 09073 Cuglieri (OR)

Bar Quintilio, località Calabona Grotte di Costa, Alghero (SS)

traditional restaurants

Mos Tapas , Via Carducci 3, Alghero

tapas restaurant

http://www.sapposentu.it/

http://www.laghinghetta.com/

http://www.ristoranteandreini.it/

http://www.luigipomata.com/nicolo/default.asp

high end restaurants

http://www.capichera.it/en

http://www.vignesurrau.it/

http://www.vinimura.it/

http://www.malvasiacolumbu.com/

http://www.vinicontini.it/

http://www.giuseppesedilesu.com/en/

http://www.sellaemosca.it/en/legal.php?r=/en/index.php

Gabbas Giuseppe Winery, Via Trieste 65, 08100 Nuoro

http://www.agripunica.it/

http://www.cantinesarduspater.it/

http://www.feudidellamedusa.it/

http://www.argiolas.it/

http://www.cantinapedres.it/

http://www.vernacciaserra.it/

winemakers

I'm asking for suggestions about charcuteries, cheesemakers and pastry shops (there are typical pastries like "amaretti sardi" and "torrone sardo").

If you need help with translating some pages, since most of them are only in Italian, just ask.

Teo

**nathanm** · August 28, 2011

This is very helpful, thanks!!

teonzo · August 31, 2011

If you are a foreigner in Italy and face a similar case, the best thing to do is to call the number 117 with the phone. It's the number of Guardia di Finanza, the public force that supervise on economical frauds, and denounce what happened.

Re-reading what I wrote, I must clarify something. The law states that each restaurant, bar and so on need to have a list of prices, it must be printed and put in clear view of the customers.

There are cases (like Cafè Florian in Venice) where the list is printed and is really easy to see for everyone (in that case it's at the entry), and all prices are really really high (something like 15 euro for an espresso). If you go in a place like this, you can't complain if you have to pay a huge amount of money for the bill, since you've been warned by the price list and you had to know you were going to pay that much before ordering it.

If the price list is not there, or if the restaurateur/bartender/whatever is pumping up the bill (a despicable thing, but a lot of people do so with foreigners), then he is committing an infraction and it's better to denounce him to Guardia di Finanza.

Now some other suggestions I received.

A couple of places where to buy "bottarga di muggine" at Cabras:

http://www.spanubottarga.com/index.aspx?m=53&did=1

http://www.orodicabras.it/

A nice agristurismo:

http://www.mutodigallura.com/

an agriturismo is a farm where you can eat and sometimes even sleep. It has a familiar style, nothing high end, just for example in most agritursmi the customers eat all at the same table, together with the owners. What you eat must produced by the farm.

Some cheesemakers:

http://www.thiesilat.com/

Fogu Casearia, Zona Artigianale S'Utturu Snc, 07027 Oschiri (OT)

Luigi Pulinas, Località Pittone, 07033 Osilo (SS)

Gavinuccio Turra, Località Monte Luiu, 07033 Osilo (SS)

Quirico Antonio e Luigi Altea, località Lizzos, 07033 Osilo (SS)

Giovanni Borrode, Viale Domenico Alberto Azuni 121, Santu Lussurgiu (OR)

Giampaolo Piu, Viale Domenico Alberto Azuni 199, Santu Lussurgiu (OR)

Giuseppe Sanna, Via Merella 17, Paulilatino (OR)

Salvatore Bussu, Località Bara, Macomer (NU)

Simone Cualbu, Località Serradellu, Macomer (NU)

Roberto Logias, Località Spasulei, Sorgono (NU)

Baked goods (pane carasau, pane pistoccu, savoiardi):

F.lli Moro Srl, via Gramsci, 08023 Fonni (NU)

About pasta, there are various traditional types made in various zones, mainly dried pasta:

"lorighittas" in Morgongiori (OR)

http://www.pastificioporru.com/

Pastificio Polese, via Vittorio Emanuele III, Morgongiori (OR)

"filindeu" in the province of Nuoro

Paola Abraini, via Gramsci 49 , Nuoro

"maccarrones de busa" in the province of Nuoro

http://www.pastificiosale.com/

Other dried pasta makers:

http://www.tandaespada.it/

Pastificio Andarinos, Via Mazzini 20, 07049 Usini (SS)

Fresh pasta makers:

http://www.coronaemanca.com/

Laboratorio Artigianale di Marci Richard, nazionale S.S. 125 Km. 124,00 snc, 08040 Cardedu (OG)

La Vera Pasta Fresca, Via Monsignor Virgilio 35, 08048 Tortolì (OG)

A torrone producer (torrone is something similar to nougat):

http://www.pruneddu.it/

In Siniscola (a village) you can find a particolar citrus fruit called "pompia", which is grown only there. It is used to be candied, or in a traditional cake called "s'aranzata". Here is a list of producers, where you can find other stuff too:

http://www.dolcisardimulargia.com/

http://www.panecarasau.org/

Stefania Cotza, Località Santa Lucia, Siniscola (NU)

Maria Cristina Contu, Via Nazario Sauro 5, Località La Caletta, Siniscola (NU)

Nicolina Frau, Via Roma 68, Siniscola (Nu)

About saffron (we are in late season now, last days for the harvest, then they will plant the new flowers for the next year), there are various producers in San Gavino Monreale:

http://www.zafferanodisangavino.it/

http://www.zafferanosangavinomonreale.it/

http://www.zafferanosargidda.com/

Leonardo Figus, Via G. Cesare 12, San Gavino Monreale (Vs)

Gavino Inconis e Chiara Meloni, Via S. Croce 52, San Gavino Monreale (Vs)

Rossana Orrù, Via Matteotti 55, San Gavino Monreale (Vs)

There is a particular breed of cows called "sardo modicana". The breeders are united in a consortium:

Consorzio Il Bue Rosso, Via Aragona 7, Seneghe (OR)

The official butcher is:

Giovanni Catzeddu, Piazza Mannu, Seneghe (OR)

other butchers where you can find this meat:

Aldo Manca, Via De Castro 61, Cabras (OR)