Salina is a tiny island, with narrow, extremely winding roads. Our hotel, which we spent time at last May and have now returned for 12 nights, is above the minuscule town of Malfa, where most of the (very few) upscale hotels are located. We take dinner at our hotel most nights, as the food is very good; three courses plus dessert cost 40euro per person, fair for this island well populated in warm months by tourists: Italian in high summer and now, many from UK, Australia, Germany and US. The daily dinner menu is posted on the blackboard every morning and allergies and dislikes are accommodated. They can also make vegetarian dinners.
Yesterday we rented a terrific semi-automatic Fiat Panda so we had more flexibility for dining, swimming and lounging at Rinella beach, marveling at the scenery and the grand views of other islands…(Taxis are available but they are very expensive; no rides cost less than 20 euro each; way even though distances are short.
prices rise after dark; there are no meters) so often your RT taxi ride costs more than dinner for two persons.
We took advantage of the car (driving was fun, even at night along the unlit roads…with all the curves and hills it was like taking the wheel on an amusement park ride).
We drove to Rinella beach where we each had a granita—this slushy concoction is far more popular than gelato in Italy and is a traditional summer breakfast eaten with a brioche. I took the gelso (mulberry) and my partner had his traditional limone.
We booked at tables for 8pm at Casa Lo Schiavo in the main port of Santa Marina Salina.
This place probably began as an alimentari but now serves meals on an outdoor terrace and in a dining room where shelves are lined with a grand selection of Sicilian wines and international spirits, along with the usual product seen here: Capers of various sizes (medium is the most expensive); caper berries; all kinds of jams, pestos, vegetables “under oil,;” oregano on branches; jarred and canned tuna; salumi; and a great selection of cheeses. (NO cheese is made on Salina, we there are few or no goats, cows or sheep). Likewise, no meat products.
The culinary repertoire here is based on a fairly small amount of ingredients: Fish, or course, mainly swordfish and tuna along with anchovies and a small amount of white fish like bream. Lots squid but less shrimp than I would have liked! Rabbit but no chicken that I’ve seen, and almost no red meat.
For vegetables, there is a lot of eggplant, of course, along with zucchini, potatoes, cauliflower and several varieties tomatoes (fruit, maybe?). Some of these come from mainland Sicily. Herbs most common are fennel parsley and above all, oregano.
Our dinner destination is at the far end of the main, pedestrian street, away from the port area.
The place was lovely and would have been right in place in New York City.
For starters, we were given funghi alle scapece; red onions and raisins in agrodolce (we do not see many raisins in the eastern areas but many in the more-Arab-influenced west, especially Palermo and Trapani and around.
Antipasti were what we could call eggplant parmigiana, different than the recipe many use in the US…not nearly as good as that same dish we had loved at VUCIATA in Catania.
My red prawns, steamed, were perfection! Now I know why they refer to them as “red” prawns, not only is the shell red but the meat is striped with bright red lines. No lemon needed. These might be the best prawns I’ve ever eaten. Accompanied by a few slices of zucchini in scapece, sliced razor thin lengthwise. The gamberoni were an off-menu special @ 26 euro for four large specimens…among my best dishes on Salina so far. I need to try these again and again but where???
My partner followed by pasta all Norma and I chose the “carretiera:” Spaghetti from Gragnano with pistacchio pesto, cherry tomatoes, mint–topped with lavish strips of ricotta al forgo, which I love. Has anyone bought baked ricotta in New York City? I bought some for our room the other day and will try to buy more to the home. As I mentioned on the Ragusa thread, I also bought two DOP cheeses, the Ragusana and the outstanding Piacentino from Enna the derives its deep golden color from the addition of saffron; it’s studded with peppercorns.
With water and one glass of local Malvasia our total bill was 79 euro; Coperto 3 euro each included in total.
If you find yourself someday on “Green Salina,” I would recommend this restaurant that stands a bit apart from the usual Salina eateries.
and that things seem to have changed , then radio silence for the last 11 months. Maybe talk to hotel/call when you get to the area, it doesnt look good.
