Italian Culinary Adventure 2003 ~ Days Ten & Eleven ~ Taormina, Sicily

View Of Taormina, Sicily

Day Ten

After yet another day spent by the pool, we were getting ready to catch the 6pm shuttle into the center when the hotel desk called us to let us know that traffic from the sea into town was horrendous, and that in fact they were urging us to head to Letojanni, a small beach town situated at the base of the road you need to take to wind your way up to Taormina which sits high above the sea. Our driver from the airport had in fact recommended a great seafood restaurant in Letojanni, so we gladly agreed, and set off to the sea. Walking along the beach, we located Da Nino, the seafood restaurant and made reservations for later.

We explored the town for an hour or so, before heading back to the restaurant which was set right on the beach. Our waiter was extremely proud of the various dishes they served, and went into great detail about many of the menu choices. He finally led us to a large display case which held the fresh catch of the day, and while we admired the selection, he named each of the fish for us. Our waiter convinced us to try the house antipasto special, which consisted of an amazing plate of mussels au gratin, tender shrimps served in an orange, scampi filled with a seasoned bread filling which was lightly grilled, deep fried baby squid, and small sautéed local fish. It was all delicious, but quite filling, so for my second course I order grilled scampi. The scampi were sweet, moist and fresh, and thankfully not too filling. My husband chose a whole, fresh orata (sea bass) lightly grilled which came to the table intact. It was as fresh as was promised, and we both finished off our main course with a salad of wild rucola and pomodorini. Neither of us was interested in dessert until our waiter started listing the many options of fresh fruit. We both decided to enjoy a cup of wild strawberries, or fragolini, served simply with a drizzle of lemon. An espresso completed our dining experience and we made our way back to the edge of town to catch the shuttle back to the hotel.

Ristorante Da Nino
Via L.Rizzo 29
Letojanni (ME)
+039-0942- 36147
My Impressions: If you enjoy seafood, then you should try and make the trip down to Letojanni if you are staying in Taormina. The food was delicious and fairly priced, and the serving staff very friendly and accommodating, even to other tourists not speaking Italian.

Day Eleven

Our last evening in Taormina, we decided to dine at a restaurant we had seen on our explorations a few days before which was a little more expensive than some of the other local restaurants, but had an intriguing menu. Once we arrived in the center, we went over and made reservations, and then spent our last evening browsing through the stores and buying a few of the local specialties to take home with us. As well as packages of almond and pistachio paste, I bought candied citrus fruit, some fresh bottarga (salted and dried tuna eggs), and a few miniature bottles of liqueurs I would like to replicate at home. We spent some time browsing through a few of the upscale clothing and shoe stores which carried all the top Italian designers, and then made our way to the main piazza for our usual pre-dinner aperitivo. We sat and watched the people stroll by, including an interesting mix of tourists from across the world as well as local residents who stopped to chat with friends along their walk. Finally it was time to head over to Casa Grugno, the restaurant we had chosen for our last meal in Sicily.

Although it was 8:30pm, we were the first to arrive at the restaurant that evening, and we were greeted by the owner, a portly yet very dignified man wearing a long white linen robe. He walked us through the restaurant which was decorated similar to a restaurant you might find in Las Vegas with canopied ceilings, vibrant colors, and intriguing architectural pieces to the outside patio. The patio was enclosed, and surrounded by lush greenery and flowering bushes. Candles were lit at every table, and the serving staff was dressed to match the elegant setting. The menu included a few tasting menus, and the seafood menu we felt looked the most appealing so that is what we both chose that evening, which included the sommelier's choice of wines for each course. Soon other patrons started to filter in as darkness fell and we enjoyed the wonderful evening dining al fresco in the glorious garden.

To begin the meal, the chef sent out a small dish containing one large shrimp wrapped in vermicelli pasta which was then deep fried. It sat on a drizzle of a vibrant orange sauce, and the moist, tender shrimp was a delicious contrast to it's crisp outer shell. The first course of the menu was a simple seafood carpaccio which was drizzled with olive oil that was very full flavored. We never did find out what type of fish was used in the raw seafood plate, but the thin slices were fresh, mild tasting and complemented nicely with the olive oil.

The next course we were served was a creamy crustacean soup which was pink, thick, and presented with a small garnish of fresh herbs. Although it was light, the soup had a really nice flavor that seemed to build as you ate. My husband had the pasta dish on the menu which was fusili pasta with lemon and fresh anchovies, but not being a big fan of anchovies, I chose another pasta and had the homemade tortellini stuffed with chicken which was topped with a sauce made with fresh, sautéed artichokes and shaved cheese. The anchovy pasta was actually very flavorful, and the anchovies so fresh that even I thought they were delicious! My tortellini were very full flavored despite having a chicken filling which can be a bit bland, and the topping of fresh artichokes was perfect.

The main course unfortunately did follow the pattern of the previous courses, and it is in fact one I would never order again. We were served a dish of smoked fish topped with a mango relish and accompanied with wild rice. Although the sweet mango relish and wild rice contrasted nicely, we both found the fish overcooked and quite chewy. Thankfully we finished the meal with a small slice of buttery apple tart served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream which was very tasty, and cleaned our palates of the smoked fish from the previous course. We completed our meal with an espresso, and then wandered through town enjoying the peaceful evening, fresh sea air and memories of a trip we both thoroughly enjoyed.

Ristorante Casa Grugno
Via S. Maria De Greci
98039 Taormina
+39 0942 21208
My Impressions:If you do not mind spending a little more for a memorable meal, than I would recommend that you seek out Casa Grugno for a meal while you are staying in Taormina. The elegance of the atmosphere, the professionalism of the serving staff, and quality of the food was remarkable.

From Sicily, we made our way to Beaune, France in the Burgundy region for 3 nights after an overnight stay in Paris for a business meeting. From France, we returned home to Canada, after spending 16 days away, 11 of those in Italy. We brought back a few trinkets, a lot of wonderful memories, and the yearing to return back to Italy as soon as we can.

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Buon Appetito!
By Deborah Mele 2003
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