Ristorante Local- Chef Salvatore Sodano, Venice, Italy

Chef Salvatore Sodano

Last week I was in Venice. I decided to treat myself to a foodie vacation and my first stop was the Michelin starred restaurant, Ristorante Local. Was it a coincidence that the chef is a close friend, Salvatore Sodano?

Maybe.

I chose Sodano's 9 dish tasting menu which was a journey that blended his Campania roots, techniques that he has learned throughout his career, and flavors and customs of Venetian cuisine.

That means that his menu began with a series of 'cicchetti' which are little bites to open up your stomach. I also tried his appetizer of tuna, cucumber and nervetti. Nervetti are the cartilaginous parts found in calves' legs. In Venice you may find them served with onions in a salad and in Campania in a favorite street food called 'o per e 'o muss.

Chef Sodano is a staunch protector of the environment and believes deeply in sustainability. That is why it was important to include a blue crab appetizer on his menu. This particular crab which originated in the American Atlantic has, well, let's say-invaded the Adriatic. How? By feeding on local fish and crabs and damaging fishermen's nets as well as seaweed beds.

His menu also included one of my favorite dishes of 2023- a spicy pasta dish called pellusiello, red pepper, black lemon. Another first course - risone, mantis shrimp, xo and chicory. Sodano used schie which is a small grey shrimp to make his xo sauce, taking advantage of a surplus of this particular species which can be found at the bottom of the nearby lagoon.

Sodano's tasting menu continued with two second course dishes- one featuring the catch of the day using dry aged fish and the other was lamb )aged in beeswax), onion, tofu and medlars. It was interesting to learn that not only was the lamb aged in beeswax, but cooked in it as well.

The meal wound down with Sodano's dessert which featured venere rice, oxidized banana and amaro.

I enjoyed my time at Ristorante Local. I enjoyed the casual atmosphere. I enjoyed the wines chosen for me by sommelier Manuel Trevisan. I enjoyed the little cards that accompanied me throughout the meal with little tidbits of info about each course.

And...I really enjoyed the polaroid picture of Chef Sodano and I given to me at the end of the evening.

Fantasticaaa!

A Taste of Neapolitan Culture a Tavola- Chef Giovanni Erculanese -Casa a Tre Pizzi (Na)

 

One Friday afternoon I stopped by Casa A Tre Pizzi for a chat with Chef Giovanni Erculanese. I had just visited an archaeological site in nearby Posillipo. I was quite excited about that particular visit because I learned so much about the history of that particular section of Naples and thus that particular history of the Campania region. The chef and I discussed how important it is to understand the history and culture of a region or area to help us also understand and appreciate the evolution or creation of a particular dish or recipe in a restaurant. 

That is why I was so excited when I sat down a week later for dinner just a couple of metres from the pass to try some of the chef’s dishes for the new season.  

Casa a Tre Pizzi is a restaurant located where Mergellina meets Posillipo.   The restaurant is run by the Notaro family – Andrea, Mirko and their father Salvatore- from Somma Vesuviana, a town near Naples.   Why is this important you may ask? Well, Somma Vesuviana is a town famous for cod fish. 

During that dinner,  I had the chance to try cod fish in two different dishes.  The first dish was a linguine with cod fish/Romano cheese and pepper.   Let's examine, if  just lightly the idea behind this dish.   Cacio e pepe is a popular Roman pasta dish often made with linguine or spaghetti.   The chef gave it a Campania swing by using cod fish. 

 A touch of mullet bottarga and lime...then.  A fantastic first!   Chef Erculanese explained that he gave the dish a boost of flavour by using a  stock fish broth.  

The second dish that once again focused on the territory is one that was quite exciting for me, to be honest.   This dish was called Baccalà a Mergellina -translated as Cod fish in Mergellina. 

There is a section of Mergellina that is quite exciting vibrant full of life.   In this part of Mergellina, you will find food stands, food trucks,  chalets, bright lights,  traffic,  cars,  motorcycles,  vespas,  et cetera et cetera.   But you will also find small tables, plastic tables, plastic chairs.   A bottle – an  ice cold bottle of beer, taralli---maybe some lupini beans, green olives, salt and pepper.  That is what the chef sees as he walks out of work  night after night after  night before heading home.  That was the inspiration for his  dish.  His cod fish is embraced by taralli crumbs,  then we have a foam made with  beer which represents the top of the beer glass - you know when you pour your beer you have that top that's all foamy?  To the side - we have a clear gel. In this clear gel we see our lupini, our  green olives a little bit of salt and pepper.

 

So two dishes that are able to stand strong by themselves, are given that extra push when you understand the idea their culture that territory behind the dish.

Complimenti, Chef Erculanese...Complimenti, Casa a Tre Pizzi...

A Presto!

Tasting Campi Flegrei

Fried anchovies on the beach-Lido Turistico

Campi Flegrei aka the Phlegrean Fields has been my home for the last 30 years. How much do you know about this coastal area near Naples which houses the largest volcanic area in Europe?  

Besides offering some amazing archaeological sites, coastal lakes, beaches, thermal springs, and nature reserves, it also has some great spots to eat...and yes, drink wine. Here is my list of some not to miss spots.

Restaurants

From traditional cuisine to Michelin starred fine dining- the area is packed. It wasn't easy to choose, believe me.

1 .Caracol

2.Bothanica

3. Turistico Beach Park

4. HomePiccola Osteria Alternativa

5. Hosteria Bugiarda

6. Kuma65

7. TribusRestaurant

9.Ristorante La Bifora

10. IlTestardo- Locanda Atipica

11. SudRistorante

12. AbraxasOsteria

Caracol with chef Angelo Carannante and Maitre Ciro Sannino

 Wineries

Thanks to the vulcanic soil and their proximity to the ocean, the flavor and aromas of the wines of the area are unique.  Falanghina (white) and Piedirosso/Per'o palumm (red) are the top 2 varieties.  If looking to visit, I highly recommend to call in advance. 

1.LaSibilla

2. Agnanum

3.Cantine degli Astroni

4. Tenuta Matilde Zasso

5.  Cantine Del Mare

6. Contrada Salandra

I invite you to take a look at my link on Wanderlog...follow me, and maybe set up an itinerary to include a winery in the morning with a restaurant at lunch or dinner. I invite you , as always, to experience...

Places mapped by Wanderlog, an itinerary planner on iOS and Android

Fantasticaaa Ischia

 

View of Sant Angelo

One of my favorite places in Campania has to be Ischia.  The big green island has a special place in my heart. There is sooo much to do here- from lounging around the beach, hiking, thermal spas, or visiting historical gardens or castles.

Recently, I created a list of some of my top places to visit on the island.

It is by no means a 'Top 10' or any other type of classification. In fact, the list is in a random order. Check out the interactive map below!

Bar Ristorante Ida

Restaurants

1.Ristorante La Grotte Del Fiore

2. Corbaro Park Restaurant

3. Azienda Agricola U'Scilatur

4. Il Monastero

5. Ristorante Bar Da Cocò

6. Trattoria Il Focolare

7. Chalet Ferdinando a Mare

8. Ischia Salumi

9. Garden Fruit Ischia

10.Dani Maison

11.Ristorante Indaco

12. Bar Ristorante Ida

13. Porto 51

14. HotelVilla Sirena

Negombo

Thermal Spas

1. Negombo

2. Parco Termale Giardini Poseidon

3. Parco Castiglione Resort & Spa

Antonio Mazzella during the harvest

Wineries

1. Cantine Antonio Mazzella

2. Cenatiempo Vini D'Ischia

3. D'Ambra Vini D'Ischia

Places mapped by Wanderlog, a trip planner on iOS and Android

Pizza, Churches, and Passeggiate #mynapoli

 

I spent my Saturday on a walk through the heart of Naples - focusing on a passeggiata (stroll) beginning at the Montesanto metro stop just around the corner from the Pignasecca market, to Piazza del Gesù, Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, Via San Gregorio Armeno and finally to Via Tribunali before heading home.  What did I do along the way?  I visited a few churches, ate a pizza or two, and soaked in the sun and that caldo Neapolitan spirit.

Here's a quick look -

So what do you think?  There's more on my andiamotrips fb page as well as instagram profile.  

Back to Dani' - Dani' Maison Restaurant, Ischia (Na)

If you ask me, 'Karen, how was your lunch with Chef Nino Di Costanzo/Dani'Maison Retsuarant ? What was your favorite dish?' I'd pause a bit, because it is a question that has an answer, or answers, that may or may not make sense to you. Because my answer takes into account an evolution, if you will, of the dishes/moments/ experiences that I have shared with the chef since I met him nearly 7 years ago.

My answer takes into account the excitement of arriving at the gate, the garden, the breeze on those cool afternoons, the heat on those hot Ischitano summer days.

It takes into account the music in the dining room ( the chef loves Pino Daniele ) the artwork on the wall, the changes over the years of his mise en place, etc. So- I usually don't answer - at least not right away. and pics? Well, maybe later.

BTW, towards the end of yesterday's lunch service, I managed to catch the chef's attention. 'Nino, look at this pic.. it's from2016,

your first season, my first visit...'

'2016...' he whispered. I think he also smiled...hard to tell with the mask, but I'd like to believe that he did...

Karen, Come Va la Dieta???

It started off as a comment- a hashtag, if you will. 'Karen, come va la dieta? translated as 'Karen, how is the diet going?'

I was kidding, making jokes about myself on various social networks.  Then, after a couple of posts, I examined that hashtag and realized it was my mantra for this last period of my life...

Karen, how is the diet going?  First of all, let's be clear.  Since I've lived in Italy (next month makes 29 years-yikes!!!) , the word diet for me has meant more of how how I live my life- not trying to lose weight.  

So how have I been living my life since my last blog post last November?  Focusing on my new mantra- which may mean going out...staying in...ordering take out...cooking myself.  And maybe this new ride has taken time away from the blog- but if you check out my social media pages such as Instagram  and Facebook, you will see what I mean.

In the meantime - stay tuned, because...well...just stay tuned!

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Un post condiviso da karenp (@andiamotrips)