Thursday, October 13, 2011

Trabucco al Mimi

This summer we had the pleasure to enjoy french and italian cuisine. I have not had time to write about it so I try to amend that.

There are restaurants where you go for the food. Some, where you go for the atmosphere. Some others, where the location is suitable and then there are some, that are fully booked each evening as you go there for the view and the sunset...well, and a little bit for the food too. I am talking about Al Trabucco da Mimi, in Italy, Peschici. (Website)

It is located in an amazing national park in south of Italy, called Gargano. Granted, it is not so easy to get there as the highway stops around 2 hours before getting to any seaside location but the drive on the small roads it well worth choosing this as your vacation spot. Most people stay in camping grounds either with their caravans or in little rented houses. You usually spend your day on the beach and the evening outside and you cook yourself. But there are some very good restaurants also in the area. One of these is Trabucco. 

10 years ago, when I first went to Trabucco (during my first vacation with my now husband, then boyfriend) it was a small booth selling 'catch of the day'. You stayed in line, paid for your meal and then sat at home-made wooden tables and enjoyed the view and the food. Because the food is good, but the view... well, that is just amazing. You can see why. It is on a tip of a peninsula and on top of a cliff. Does is get any better than that?


Now, 10 years later, you go to the booth, you order your food and you sit at wooden tables and enjoy the food and the view. However, sadly, instead of 10 tables you have 25 tables and 2 settings during the evening. They are immensely popular and completely booked for most nights, so call ahead! The view is still the same and even with the popularity they have maintained an unbeatable atmosphere. With the two settings now, you should be careful to choose the time when you can see the sunset. Because it is worth going there to see the sunset. It is just magical. Perfect place to propose, for example...

View to nearby beach



The restaurant

Now, the FOOD. Well, to tell you the truth...it is good. But not excellent. You must be really bad to ruin fresh fish and the restaurant has the freshest of the fish. They used to do their own fishing. Now I do not know. With the amount of visitors I doubt they can only survive on their own catch. 

But the seafood is fresh and well prepared and true to any real italian restaurant run by italians, you will not be disappointed, if you have reasonable expectations. Would I return there just for the food? I doubt. There are so many so good seafood restaurants in Italy that I have yet to try. But combine the food with the atmosphere and the view (and the fact that it is very child friendly, being outdoors) then at the moment, it is one of my top restaurants.

Choosing the food - only daily menu





My starter. ricci! Delish!

My main. Good but a bit bland.

Resto inside

Complimentary digestif. I think it was orange and lychee liquor.
Not limoncello, as one might expect.

My dessert. Very good 'home made' style

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