May 17, 2017 – Positano, Italy Heading to Siena
Hello there everyone. Today is a cause for celebration. A milestone was passed. This was their first night that I was able to sleep throughout the night! Unfortunately, my good night’s sleep came at the expense of our travel blog. Having been plagued with a balky internet here at the Hotel Alcione (pronounced Al-chee-own-ay) I am so far behind. I still owe you all posts on the “Great Tomato Incident of Positano” and a report on our amazing visit of Pompeii and Capri. But first I want to get started on the dinner we were able to enjoy this past evening. I’m happy to do that because we were celebrating out last evening here in Positano and the meal that we had was absolutely amazing.
If you ever are in Positano, I urge you to brave a “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” up the mountain to visit La Tagliata – translated this means “the Cut” as in a cut of meat. Clearly, it gets its name from the fact that amazing and beautiful cuts of meat will be a feature part of your meal. But if you happen to be a vegetarian or gluten sensitive, not to worry, there will be plenty for you to eat.
When we were last in Positano it was about 10+ years ago. We were here with our children, Krista and Brandon then. We stayed at the Hotel California, which coincidentally is immediately next door to us. When we were there, we got to know the owners very well and they took great care of us and they were partial to the kids. On our final evening here that last time they referred us to a restaurant that was also high in the hills above Positano. Our meal then was fantastic and this time around we were determined to find it so we could share the amazing experience with Trent and Carolyn.
We asked our hotel attendant if she knew which restaurant it might be, because our memories were a bit foggy. Unfortunately, that seems to happen as we get older. They say forgetfulness is one of the signs of aging – but I cant remember what the other signs are. Our hotel attendant said there are many and asked us if it was a fixed menu, which we believed that it was. She suggested that it may have been La Tagliata. As we were on that winding road going up the mountain we were transported back all those years and we were certain this would be the same place. When I say winding road – that is being too generous. This is a very narrow lane that can only accommodate one vehicle at a time in most spots. That wouldn’t be so bad but it is meant for 2 way traffic. Plus, now it is 8:00 in the evening and there are many cars parked on the curbs of the road making it even narrower. We are being transported by a large passenger van. All 12 passengers are terrified as we make our way up the mountain. Several times we encounter traffic coming down the hill. As the vehicles meet, there is a bit of a stand-off with neither vehicle being able to make their way. It would seem that the vehicles coming down hill would give deference to the vehicles going up the hill, either that or they concede to the larger vehicle. All I know is that our bus driver did not give way. He would compel the downhill traffic to go in reverse back up the hill until they found the tiniest of spaces where they could move aside and leave room for our bus to pass. Often times it was with the merest of inches to spare.
We finally arrived and were dropped off at our restaurant. Elisa and I were immediately disappointed because this was not the same restaurant from all those years ago. There was another restaurant next to La Tagliata named La Terre, which may have been the one we visited last. In any case, we needn’t have been concerned, because what we didn’t know then was that we would be having one of the best dining experiences of our lives.
First I have to describe what you see when you first get to la Tagliata. When you first arrive at the top of the hill where the restaurant resides, all you see is a small stone portico. That is because the restaurant has been cut into the cliff side and it sits below street level. After taking a small elevator – (spacious by comparison to our elevator in Rome), whom descend 2 levels. On one level is a private dining room where they seem to be having a party for one of the many tour groups that make their way to the Amalfi. We were on the next level down where they have their main restaurant dining room. It is very charming in an old world rustic sort of way. One wall is entirely stone and it could very well be the actual cliff-side for all we know. On the opposite side is a wall of windows that opens to the spectacular view below. The beautiful town of Positano sits below with all of its lights shimmering like jewels in the moonlight. Once we recover from the stunning view, we are introduced to Vicenza. The seats us and explains that this is a family restaurant and all the food we are to have is prepared by family. The recipes have been handed down and the cooking will be done by Mama and Papa tonight. Tucked in one corner of the restaurant is a large open grill. A bed of wood coals glows and we can sense the heat the chef attending to the grill must feel. The grill is covered with all manner of meats, giving us a clue as to what the evening meal might entail.
Once we are seated, we are quickly served bottled mineral water and the house red wine. After the hair-raising ride up the hill the drink to wine is welcomed by us all. Shortly there after – food just begins appearing. We will be having a traditional and rustic meal in true Italian style. Our meal is preceded with the antipasto, followed by pasta, then the “prima” or main course and then desert. We are first served four amazing antipasto dishes – 1) traditional grilled vegetables of zucchini, carrots, cauliflower and olives. Some were grilled and some were pickled but all were delicious, 2) a dish of brown, pinto like beans that had seemingly been stewing for days with hearty chunks of ham and sausage – this one was a favorite of everyone in our group, 3) a dish of spinach with these fluffy, cheesy and eggy slices from a casserole dish (these were heavenly and something I’v never had before, and 4) a traditional plate of prosciutto served with some of the best buffalo mozzarella we’ve ever had. Each dish was so beautifully prepared on some of the amazing ceramic ware that is made here in the region.
So taken were we with the presentation we took the requisite Facebook photos of the food – as was everyone else in the place. Once we were done being “food paparazzi we descended on it like a hungry pack of wolves. The ride up the hill seemed to trigger a primordial instinct to eat – because we made quick work of the antipasto. After that we all looked at each other and said, “hey let’s slow down and enjoy this”. now you would think with 4 different antipasto dishes portioned in sizes to take care for all four of us, leaving room for seconds for some of us, we would be done with the antipasto. Noooo, next would come four more antipasto dishes. This would include 5) a dish of Italian meat balls served atop sweet peas, 6) zucchini fritters served atop a bed of chickpeas, 7) a pasta like casserole with cheese and mushrooms and 8) eggplant parmigiana. The eggplant was amazing and different from what I was accustomed to. It didn’t feature a red marinara sauce, and while it was still breaded, covered with mozzarella cheese the sauce was more savory. This too was another of our favorites. Each of the 8 antipasto dishes were amazing and by themselves could take up pages being describe in a blog but the combination of all 8 was simply amazing.
See Part 2
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