BARI (Puglia) Four nights 10/25

[erica1]

Arrived yesterday after flight from JFK-FCO, connection to BRI.
Staying at the “boutique (10 rooms)” Hotel Bra. Entire interior sheathed in black marble and white marble, even the front off the doors to the rooms–accents are shiny gold.

Great breakfast featuring all the pastries from the various Pugliese towns. (I had, among other treats, pasticciotto from Lecce and a “biscuit” from Bisceglie). Must take photos tomorrow. Hotel in a perfect location two blocks walk from Bari Vecchia and one block from main pedestrian shopping street.

This morning, walk to the narrow Strada Arco Bello to see the famous “orechiette ladies,” Jammed with tourists; some of the nonnas (most of the sellers were young women, though) are a tad grumpy. Fun to see, though!!

Next stop, PANEFICIO SANTA RITA, recommended by our taxi driver ( (we talked about food the entire drive from the airport. (28 euro) ). Take your ticket and stand nearby, or on the long line (my ticket was #16, around 12 noon. ) They have several types; I had the traditional mozzarella and fresh tomato. Total for two slices=1.50 euro. (Whole, round focaccia costs 5 euro)

I give the ( handsome, silver-haired) man a 2-euro coin and wait for my change. But my change wasn’t coming. He looked at me, made a palms up gesture, smiled, handed me the paper bag with the paper-wrapped focaccia, and looked to the next customer. Glad I did not hand over a 5–euro note!!! Was I going to make a fuss about my $.50? I told him this was ok now, but not on my next visit.

Anyway=delicious…slightly crispy crust, just the right amount of oil, melty cheese and fresh tomato…ate this on some steps. Weather is clear and sunny but windy…glorious blue skies. This looks like a great city to rent an apartment, maybe take Italian classes, take day trips…

ARC0 BELLO:

SANTA RITA

[medgirl]

Barricades in Bari: why the city’s ‘pasta grannies’ are under scrutiny

[JenKalb (Jennifer Kalb)]

Im going to thoroughly enjoy this trip! I noticed last summer that for the most part no small coins are forthcoming in change in italy these days. Id try with credit cards when you can it seems like pretty much everyone took them. Also you are in southern italy

[erica1]

Jen you must be right about the small change. Never thought of that. I should have looked at how others were paying. But somehow I can’t see them taking credit cards..

[erica1]

AL SORSO PREFERITO

The legendary innovator of the famous Bari pasta dish: spaghetti all’ assassina.
(The dried pasta is cooked in a sauce pan filled with tomato sauce . Some of the strands are black from burning.). There are videos online that show how it’s made.

This restaurant looks like a typical trattoria–nothing fancy. Our hotel had booked for us and that’s good because the place was full and people were turned away at 9pm.

Service kind but maybe a tad brusque. Some basic English spoken by a few of the staff. Mostly locals with a few tourists (Germany and the US).

Neither of us was very hungry and both of us are jet lagged, so the meal was small.

Mixed antipasti (mozzarella (wow!!); fried green peppers; meatballs in a tomato sauce; stuffed mussels; a SPECTACULAR calzone stuffed with onions: fried panelle-type squares (tasty!); three shrimp which almost surely had been frozen; these were served cold and were not very good; fried dough (will find out the name–on the plate with the fried peppers, below);; delicious lightly fried olives.

Kindly, they allow half portions of pasta, so I took that amount of the Assassinate, which partner had spaghetti in tomato sauce. (full portion) I forgot to take a pic of the pasta page on the menu so do not have the name of this. He was very happy.

Neither of us could finish our pasta.

SO: The spaghetti all’assassinata: For me it was more of a curiosity than a stellar dish. Sauce is tomato, with garlic and peperoncino and for the life of me I could not imagine how anyone would call this dish 'spicy!!" And then my partner took a bite and immediately pushed the plate back to me–“too spicy!”
Trust me, it’s such mild spice I could barely taste it. Some of the pasta was black from the fire and so, crunchy, but did not taste “burned” as some reviews call it. . I liked it well enough; it’s comfort food, and I could see how some might get a little addicted.

We had water only, and the bill was 44 euro.

There are many dishes which would not be familiar if you’ve not been to Puglia before, so brush up before your trip. Some dishes are spelled out in dialect (many, many people speak that here).

Finally, this is a moderately priced trattoria that I’d recommend, if only to try this famous dish. Decent range of other Barese dishes, nicely done. Of course we sampled only a few of these but I would give this a thumbs up.

Many restaurants in the city offer this dish, including URBAN, shown on the Stanley Tucci show. But that restaurant got thumbs down from the friendly female staff at the hotel…it’s a modern take on the classics and they offer the famous spaghetti with various sauces that my friends here called “fake.”

We got home and what do you know? The entire meal ended up in the sink!!! But this was not any faultt of the restaurant, I’m pretty sure. Partner felt fine.

I forgot to mention something I did not know until arrival: Our hotel offers a complimentary dinner with the room. We ate here the night of arrival and had some exceptionally good guancia de manzo (beef cheek), a cold seafood starter, paccheri with tomato sauce and seafood, and for dessert: Sorbet of Gelso (mulberry–in season now; not not miss) and some little cones filled with delicious cream that was dipped in chocolate. (The hotel is the BRA–ideal location, lots of marble and gold, lots of tech in the rooms, very friendly staff. expensive)

[Annegrace]

We went to a very similar place in Martina Franca on our visit to Puglia. It was recommended by our Masseria and I loved that we were probably the only tourists or Americans in the place. When we walked in the restaurant almost everyone fell silent probably because son and husband are 6’6 and 6’4 and very noticeable! I was also amazed at the families with kids eating dinner after 9pm on a school night!

Have a great trip and hope tummy issues were part of jet lag.

[erica1]

Thanks, AnneGrace!
This morning, I spoke for a long time with the young woman who served breakfast at our hotel. I think she is about 5’10" and she comes from Lithuania.
She shared with me that here in Bari, she often has people commenting about her height. One guest of the hotel (Italian) told her, s he said, that she was “too tall!”

Breakfast here is a groaning buffet of the various Pugliese cakes and pastries. Imagine if the typical dessert of New Rochelle (to use New York examples) was different from that of Peekskill! But here, so many towns have their own typical pastry, with the most beloved probably being the pasitcuitto, from Lecce but served here as well.

Is that chickpea puree in your photo! Looks wonderful!!

[Annegrace]

That’s funny. We used to have people asking my husband if he was Clint Eastwood (in his younger days) all over Europe although Sweden and Denmark seemed to have more tall people. Yes I think that was a chickpea purée that was excellent. Masseria Iazzo Scagno, where we stayed, also had a delightful breakfast although most had been eaten in this photo.

[JenKalb (Jennifer Kalb)]

Ive been shocked at how many small market vendors and shops now accept cards. There is a little food shop in the town we stay in on lake garda that doesnt - he also does not make change very readily so I try not to go there.

[Annegrace]

On our last trip to London and Paris in 2023 we ended up never getting pounds or euros. London had signs in lots of stores saying cash not accepted and everywhere in Paris I used my Apple Pay on my watch or credit card. I barely use cash at home now and probably write a check a month if that.

[Leely2]

Sounds like Bari is working out well for you. I wonder what made you sick–and hope you feel better soon (if you’re not better already).

Looking forward to more. More bread, in particular.

[erica1]

Yes, thanks! I fell much more perky today.

TERRANIMA

Much better experience last night at this small, homespun restaurant in Murat; adjacent to Bari Vecchia. It’s a pretty small place, maybe 20 tables, divided into two rooms, decorated with old photos and documents focusing on Bari and other Puglian topics. Interesting photos of the tarantella/pizzica dance, lots of old-timey furniture and pottery, a piano—like a replication of a well-to-do Barese grandma’s home. Run by an amiable, distinguished grey-haired man.

Once again, our arrival at 8pm preceded the crush, which came around 8:45 when people were turned away. Fellow diners included a few tourists but most, including the cute, very elderly couple seated nearby, and a couple of young, single males, were obviously locals. Highly recommend booking here in advance, and highly recommend dining here.

Our appetites were very limited so, sadly, we could order only one dish each, but both were fantastic.

Our two dishes were, for me: eggplant parmesan (see menus in photos, below) served in a terra-cotta cazuela----just fabulous, no oil, just clear flavors of the eggplant, tomato, and copious mozzarella. Just wonderful!

Partner was equally happy with his cazuela–IL GRAN SEDUTO IN TERRACOTTA–Khorsan wheat (similar to wheat berries, with mozzarella and tiny meatballs tin tomato sauce. Comfort food at its best.

Excellent bread, and excellent focaccia complimentary. This focaccia was thicker than one from the legendary and packed SANTA RITA but it was outstanding.

The restaurant plays (softly) good, old Italian music and the dining rooms (ask to sit in the back room) are quiet enough to talk.

If I lived here, this might become my neighborhood place.

With a glass of local white wine, and water, the dinner bill was 44 euro. We were overcharged, with the addition to the bill including on dish we had not ordered, but the owner quickly apologized for his mistake, which I felt was genuine. We paid with credit card but I do notice a definite preference for cash around here, with shops and our airport taxi often asking if we could pay in cash. (BTW..Taxi from airport to hotel in Murat cost 28 euro)

Put this one on your list!

Front dining room and bar, with owner in center of pic:

Eggplant, top, with" Il Gran Seduto in Terracotta," below; each cost 18 euro.

Very excited this morning to visit Mola San Nicola "El Chiringuito,: where vendors sell crudi of shrimps, octopus (see sign in photo, below) and (I hope) sea urchin to snack on on the spot. It’s a picturesque scene this clear and sunny morning but, as I approached, I lots of men chattering in dialect, colorful rowboats bobbing in the clear sea, people standing around. And a line of empty wooden tables. (???) Turns out, the police had just raided because many of the vendors are unlicensed, so the crudi had all been stashed away, with some of the iced cartons being taken onto the rowboats bobbing just off the pier, waiting for the “all clear.” The Mezzogiorno!!!

Asking a few guys when the fish might reappear, I was met with shrugs and lots of hand gestures.
Will try again tomorrow morning if I manage to rouse myself early enough on our day of departure from Bari.

To mitigate the disappointment, I did spy “spidermen” on the building across from our hotel:

The pedestrians have stashed their parkas and wooly hats, as weather has turned warmer, with no wind, so it’s t-shirt weather, as is usual for this time of the year.

[ZivBnd (Ziv)]

Same here. I finally dowloaded the Google Pay app before my trip to the UK and used it for all the small stuff like bus fares and bottled waters. I have an envelope at home with money I bring home from my trips and I use them the next time I go to that country. So I have Yen, Baht, Euros and Pounds Sterling in my wallet when I land in each country. I did use an ATM once in 20 days on my last trip to the UK, but I used to use one every week.
Checks? I used to go through 4 or 5 checks a month, now I use 6 or 7 a year. The change is amazing.

[PedroPero (PETER)]

I’m a bit old school, so I carry a bit of local currency, purchased from my bank, whenever I travel abroad. I have Apple pay on my phone, but I ran into problems using it on my last trip to CDMX but that could have been my fault.

[erica1]

AI 2 GHIOTTONI, BARI. (highly recommended)

This is probably Bari’s best seafood restaurant (at least that’s what I read while researching). It’s a restaurant, rather than a trattoria, which means white tablecloths and waiters in proper uniform, etc.

Good looking restaurant–been around for more than 50 years; five minutes walk from our hotel in the MURAT district of the city.

You’re met with the fish/shellfish display, and the lobster tank, at the entrance. All I needed to see was the platter of ricci di mare (sea urchin) to know that I would be happy with this dinner. Now, the collecting of Ricci, I believe, has been banned for the past few years to allow the stock to replenish, but I asked no questions. Perhaps the ban has been lifted, or…

Neither of us has had much of an appetite. (You might guess that reason why mine is diminished) but partner seems to eat much less probably due to his “seniority.”

I asked if I could get the ricci with spaghetti and bread crumbs (might be my favorite pasta dish) but the answer was “no,” so I began with 5 of the “porcupines”. That’s the way Ricci is translated often in English. Each one cost 2 euro; I’m not sure how that price compares to other places but surely I could have had them for less had the vendors at the MOLA SAN NICOLA not been chased away by the police. There were two types of Ricci offered–local Ricci and Ricci from Gallipoli; I chose the local ones (the Galiziani Ricci cost a bit more). II have to try the other variety if I can find them.

I scooped them out with the decent bread and was very, very happy.

We followed only with primi:

Partner had the Spaghetti Poveraccia, his usual tomato sauce. (see full description on menu) These were fresh little ciliegini, what we in the US might call “cherry tomatoes,” but a lot better than the ones I can buy in late summer. He was very happy and could not finish the ample portion.

I asked for a small fish, baked in salt (alle sale,) and was shown two small specimens: spigola or ombra; I chose the ombra–the fish weighed 400 grams @ 8 euro per gram. I believe this is a type of sea bream.

This fish was perfection! Add a bit of olive oil and some salt and it’s just pure white flesh and boy, this was one superb dish. Came with no veg or potato as is typical, and next time I would get the potatoes as contorno. Surely these would be well prepared at this restaurant.

I could barely finish 400 grams, and my partner left a bit of his pasta on the plate and we were stuffed!!! To the gills, as some might say in the US.

There was a very large and very tempting display of dolls and I was sad that we could not even manage to share at least one dessert. Perhaps t he Barese favorite: Sporcamuss, which I’ve yet to try.

Service was not particularly warm, but it certainly was very correct and professional.

Fellow diners were majority Italian, with several groups of males in business attire (many with sneakers!), and a table of Russians. (There seem to be quite a few tourists from Russia here in the city). We arrived at 8pm when many tables were empty, but the place filled up, again, by 8:45 or so.

With water and a glass of Falanghina, the total was 78 euro. Well spent.

Ai 2 Ghiottoni – Da oltre 50 anni una delle espressioni più alte della cucina...

Panzerotti (typical Barese) and focaccia:

Wonderful olives and so pretty in the bowl:

[ZivBnd (Ziv)]

That is a beautiful meal! I have never eaten sea urchins, so you scoop the meat out of the half shell with bread or a spoon? Is there any seafood you would compare them to for taste or texture?
I had espresso just around the corner from this restaurant but I did not know it was there. It is in my Google map list now.
Thank you!

[Annegrace]

Santa Barbara, where I live, has lots of uni and can be bought fresh down at the marina for a large part of the year. I’ve had it a few times and it’s almost creamy tasty but somewhat bland ( for my palate).

[erica1]

I agree; it does not have a strong taste but very creamy and delicious. But, to me, best in spaghetti, topped with bread crumbs. You could eat it with a spoon but I think most locals scoop it out with bread and I like that way as well.
When I was on the coast years ago, we ran into a couple from Bari with a camper who offered us a heaping pile of them and taught me how to eat, with bread. That was the first time I tasted them and was hooked. I do think that there is a ban on harvesting them but as Jen said, way above, it’s Southern Italy. So the ban, like a red traffic light, is just a “suggestion!!”

[Leely2]

More on the overfishing/endangerment and ban on ricci di mare here.

erica, you probably have read this article–I know you look at Italy Segreta.