A pleasant stroll on a windy summer day on the port of Baia...and then I arrived. My reservation was for 1 pm, and I believe that I was quite punctual, if I must say so myself. As I was getting my bearings, I saw her from a distance.
Her-
Roberta Di Meo- who greeted with a warm handshake and even warmer smile welcoming me to her restaurant-
Riccio Restaurant.This was my first time to Riccio, so Di Meo kindly filled me in on the small ristorante's background story. It was then that I learned that she opened the restaurant back in 2016 with her father, Salvatore. Their intention was to share their passion for Campi Flegrei- not just in the cuisine, but in the local wines as well. So slowly over time- and the addition of Chef Agostino Alboretto the restaurant grew and is a favorite spot in the area.
Di Meo handed me the wine list- which features local wines as well as national/international offerings. I chose a Falanghina from Contrada Salandra - a wine which would pair perfectly with the chef's fish based menu.
Let's talk about the chef's menu. Alboretto is all about no waste, sustainability, seasonality, and of course full on flavor. And not because it is in style- it is part of this young chef's DNA. So that is why I decided to put myself in his hands. The chef did not disappoint. We decided to focus on amazing appetizers and first courses.
Take a look...
Amazing appetizers included a raw seafood platter with tartufi di mare/sea truffles, razor clams, shrimp, and oyster.
Then ...
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| Tuna tartare and guacamole | with citrus sauce |
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| Shrimp and lemon foam |
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| cuttlefish with oil, lemon and cuttlefish ink salt |
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| carpaccio of mahi mahi and basil crumble |
Alboretto thought, that for the next set of appetizers, a trip to the dry ageing refrigerator was necessary. There he was able to pull out some of his seafood salamis that fit in perfectly with Riccio's no waste philosophy...
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| The cured fish : tuna speck, swordfish bresaola and amberjack belly |
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| Riccio's dry ageing refrigerator - with plans to expand |
Time to warm things up-still in the appetizer area-
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| grilled octopus with mushrooms |
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| Cod grenadine and Phlegraean broccoli |
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| Skipjack burger |
lampuga- known as a 'pesce azzuro magro' a light blue fish. this is one of the fish that you'll find in the markets this season, an consequently, on the table in restaurants such as Riccio Restaurant - Baia Porto. chef Agostino Alboretto served me a fillet with escarole and black olives...on the side
razor clams au gratin
Let's go back to the topic of no waste- here is Alboretto's seafood tripe featuring the 'fifth quarter' of amberjack and grouper, a squid ink crumble, potato cream and parsley chlorophyll
Time for a first course or two- the fall season called and Ricco Restaurant answered- with
a pumpkin risotto with cuttlefish and porcini miushrooms....
Spaghetti with razor clams...
Second course- I had to pass. (I'll return)...but I did go for a dessert. Babà with a glass of La Sibilla's Passio 2013 dessert wine made with Falanghina...
A peerfect dessert to top off a perfect afternoon in Baia...Definitely a not to miss spot-not only for the food, location, but also for the spirit of Roberta, Agostino, and Salvatore...
Scusa, but I had to take a selfie!!! A presto!
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| from left to right, me, Salvatore Di Meo, Roberta Di Meo and Agostino Alboretto |
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