Follow the Route - Armatore's La Dispensa, Cetara (Sa)

 

Segui la rotta: 40°38′51″ N 14°42′03″ E 📍 Destinazione: Cetara

Follow the route: 40 ° 38′51 ″ N 14 ° 42′03 ″ E 📍 Destination: Cetara

Those words, provided by Armatore, were a) a suggestion, b) instructions c) an invitation or d) all of the above.

Last Saturday, I chose d - all of the above.  I mean, I was in the mood to go for a drive –since restrictions have been lifted in Campania, the desire to hit the road is understandable, and justified, I must say.  So, I took a trip to Cetara on the Amalfi Coast.   I wanted to pick up some items from Armatore (I wrote about them here) and visit La Dispensa for a quick bite to eat.   

 Aperitivo, Pranzo Cena.I tre momenti magico da vivere vista mare… 

Aperitif, Lunch, Dinner. Three magical moments to experience with a view of the sea ...

I chose pranzo-lunch.

I managed to get a parking space in the town’s parking lot next to the dock.  Perfect, because that is exactly where La Dispensa is located.  La Dispensa means the pantry in English, and this little dispensa is stocked with jars of anchovies, tuna (filets and belly), bottarga, and bottles of colatura di alici riserva 2017- anchovy sauce.  This little dispensa is where Chef Adriano Dentoni Litta goes to get his inspiration to create dishes for diners looking for a tasting menu with a twist. My reservation was for 1230 in the afternoon, and I was offered one of the twelve stools at a long wooden table facing the sea. Luckily for me, that particular day – a light breeze passed through the dining room carved into the rock. 

I ordered sparkling water and a glass of white wine, Puntocroce Costa D'Amalfi Bianco 2013, and snacked on the aperitif as I looked over the choices on the tasting menu. 

Cream puffs with lemon ricotta and bottarga

Tartlet with red tuna mousse and roasted pepper powder

Almond crumble with anchovy butter

Then my choices arrived – I started off with the chef’s Cappuccino.  

A warm appetizer with red tuna belly, creamy peas and basil, a Parmigiano mousse and coffee.

 Next, Litta’s version of the classic spaghetti with colatura di alici. 

Spaghettone with sweet garlic cream, colatura di alici riserva, mussels, and parsley sauce.

Then his fish and chips -

Cod in a panko bread crust, tuber chips, potato mousse and mayonnaise with colatura di alici riserva.

I was then offered an extra…

a dessert which was a gin and tonic: featuring gin cream, cucumber gel, crumble, and tonic water foam.

After lunch, I stepped into the little pantry to chat with the chef briefly as he prepared lunch for the diners who arrived after me. 

Chef Adriano Dentoni Litta

I learned that very shortly La Dispensa would be renovating parts of the kitchen and dining area.  Great!  That would give me a chance to come back and see what’s new.

Aperitivo, Pranzo Cena.I tre momenti magico da vivere vista mare…

The next time I’ll choose…aperitif.

Segui la rotta: 40°38′51″ N 14°42′03″ E - Destinazione: Cetara