MARINA DI RAGUSA and around SE SICILY

[erica1]

I erred in auditing RISTORANTE SCALA in PORTOPALO DI CAPO PASSERO to the CATANIA thread.
It should be in this chapter because we drove there from near Marina di Ragusa. From there, we drove to Marzamemi to buy tuna and other local foods at ADELFIA on the Main Street of Marzamemi.

This is the first restaurant we sampled in the area surrounding our “country hotel,” SILVA SURI, between Ragusa and the beach town of MARINA DI RAGUSA. The name is MARISCO and it was recommended to us by the Owner of SILVA SURI. I did not expect much from a beach resort town and, indeed, it was good but certainly not good enough to return.

MARISCO sits just off the Lungomare in Marina; there are two sections, one glass walled and elegant and the other, set further back, which I suspect was the original restaurant, where we were seated. Even at 8:00 opening time, its was hot, surely in the 80sF.

[erica1]

MARINA DI RAGUSA PUGLIC BEACH AT 8PM

VONGOLE (They offered these with spaghetti but I wanted only the clams)

Excellent calamari friti; the frying technique is so delicate here and never greasy!

Interior dining room at MARISCO

PACCHERI AL PISTACCHIO WITH CILIGENE (cherry tomatoes) PISTACCHIO PESTO, CHOPPED NUTS, AND OLIVE OIL…This was very good but I was surprised that some of the pasta was stuck together; maybe that is normal.

This was a big hit for my partner–RAVIOLI DI BRASSATO. Pasta stuffed with veal and sauced with a creamy walnut sauce.

[erica1]

We are spending 7 nights at SILVA SURI outside Marina di Ragusa. So far we have had two dinners at the hotel, which I highly recommend. It is a renovated cattle farm on a ridge overlooking the sea, about 20 minutes from Ragusa and 5 minutes from the beach.

These photos are from two dinners at SILVA SURI. The food is much better than I had imagined for a hotel and the restaurant is apparently very popular with local residents and people from Ragusa and Modica. The food is more refined than you would find at a “typical” agriturismo, but neither the food nor the atmosphere is overly “fancy.” We take our breakfasts inside and the dinners outside on the lovely terrace with a view over the landscape falling down to the Mediterranean. Service is very attentive.

These are the dishes we ate during the two dinners (both of mine were repeats) ; everything was excellent and I would highly recommend both the hotel and the restaurant.

TORTINO DI MELANZANA E PESCE SPADA (eggplant and swordfish cake; this came with two fantastic, lightly fried shrimp which I immediately nabbed off partners’ plate)

Sublime “PARMIGIANA RIVISTATA,” a modern eggplant parmesan with layers of very thin eggplant formed into a mound and set atop a lovely tomato sauce with a basil oil. There is a crisp on top but I could not make out what it was.

One of my favorite pasta dishes, spaghetti with Ricci di Mare (sea urchin; off menu). So great I ordered it twice but the second time they neglected to add the bread crumbs and the dish suffered a bit… I also ordered the eggplant appetizer at both dinners.

SPAGHETTI ALLE CARRETIERA, with fresh, diced tomato, Ragusana cheese, and (small amount of) basil

Pork medallions wrapped in cured pork and stuffed with caponata, set on a bed of renowned PIACENTINO ENNESE DOP cheese (from inland Enna) with saffron providing the golden color. Outstanding!!! I need to get my hands on this to bring home, (The cheese, not the pork dish)
For anyone heading to Ragusa Ibla, there is a great cheese selection at SALUMERIA BAROCCO, but I am not sure we will make it there this year, as we now have but one day left…
Also, please ignore the Yankee captains…they were at the dinner only in spirit, on my partner’s t-shirt. That gives an idea of the dress code in this part of Sicily, in the hot months. Everyone we encounter is in shorts and t-shirts, even in “nice” restaurants.

Shared dessert, both evenings". Semi-freddo made from white and dark chocolate and topped with berry confiture. Outstanding. There was not one mediocre dish during our two dinners here. The menu seems not to change daily, otherwise we might have taken more dinners here. They also serve lunch. Attentive and friendly service and servers speak English.

I will take photo of dining terrace to add, later.

[erica1]

BAQQALA, SCICLI

This tiny, pretty outdoor restaurant near the main piazza in Scicli was recommended to us by Vicenzo at SILVA SURI. We had dinner there on a Sunday night when many places were closed. The menu is tiny, the town center is high Baroque, then outdoor tables were a bit hot in early September. All in all, I would recommend if you are headed for Scicli, but I would not make a special trip to eat there. Service was lovely but prices seemed a bit high for this area.

CAPONATA WITH TUNA…no agrodolce flavor, which we missed

“BBQ” Octopus with potato cream flavored with rosemary; no cherry jam noticeable:

Casarecce with swordfish, eggplant, MINT (Jen!!) and pistacchio cream:

Main piazza of SCICLI:

[PedroPero (PETER)]

@erica1

There is a crisp on top but I could not make out what it was.

Looks like fricco

[JenKalb (Jennifer Kalb)]

I guess you didnt make it inside the pastel churches or even less likely, climb up the hill to look down on the town. We didnt get a chance to eat there.

[erica1]

We should have followed your lead and not eaten there! It is just so blazing hot here for much daytime sightseeing.