Cabras was our next destination. It is known for the nearby Phonician site, Tharras, and for the beautiful quartz sand beaches in the area. On the first evening we went to a restaurant, Caminetto, that was highly recommended to us by the owner of the apartment we were renting, himself a restaurant chef in the city of Olbia. It was just ok, the food was average to good. The waitress and the two waiters worked very hard and provided good, friendly service, but the owners created a stale, snobby atmosphere. The next night we went to a small local place, Al Vecchio Saloon, which was much more enjoyable. And the food was better and more interesting. One of their specialties was fried “attinie.” We tried them, managed to finish the portion, but wouldn’t order them again. The texture was very strange. It turns out that “attinie” are sea anemones. Not my favorite. But then again, a lot of people do not like oysters!
We went to the Tharros site on the morning of our first whole day there. As soon as we had parked in the designated parking lot, a van pulled up behind us, the driver jumped out and offered us his cheese and sausages. He had two types of pecorino that he makes himself, and some sausages that didn’t interest us. He let us taste both pecorinos. Both were good, but we liked one better than the other. So did we want to buy some? But how would we get it home? No problem, he had his vacuum sealer in the front seat. What about refrigeration? No problem. This cheese doesn’t need refrigeration. It has to do with the way he prepares it. How long does it keep? “Anni!” Years. So we bought half a cheese, 1.8 kilo at EUR 22 per kilo. He sealed it up, we got it home, and we’re enjoying it now.
We arrived at the site just about lunchtime, so I figured, we might as well get something into our bellies. It would be terrible, but we could look forward to the evening meal. There were a few open sheds around advertising food, and one that had doors and windows, so I imagined it would be cooler. It was a restaurant called Le Dune. They had two kinds of shrimp on their menu, imported and local. The local shrimp were more expensive. They could either grill them or serve them in olive oil and lemon juice, which they highly recommended. So I took the local shrimp in olive oil and lemon juice. I cannot say with any degree of certitude that those were the best shrimp I ever ate in my life, but I cannot remember any that were better. Sweet, briny, with the right texture. Wonderful.
The archaeological site was great too.
The next day we visited one of the beaches. The quartz sand seems to be disappearing, so they have signs warning visitors not to remove any or risk being fined. They even ask you to remove any grains that may have attached to your shoes, and to wear shoes with flat soles. Not too many years ago sand from these beaches was carted off to beautify the beaches in Olbia!
Our next stop was in Tuili, which is right next to Barumini, the location of one of the most precisely excavated nuraghi. More than 7000 nuraghi, ancient megalithic structures dating from as far back as 1900 BC, have been found, but none have, I believe, been as thoroughly studied as Su Nuraxi in Barumini. Visits are only by guided tour, which is all to the good, because otherwise you would have no idea what you were looking at.
We stayed in an agriturismo called Il Borgo dell’Arcangelo and had dinner there. First came a generous plate of appetizers, cured meats, cheeses, some vegetables, all their own production. This was followed by a pasta dish, fregola (I think) in a tomato sauce with plenty of their own pecorino. Then a small portion of beautifully cooked lamb. Everything was very simple, but done amazingly well. They also served as much of their own wine as you cared to drink. I highly recommend this place.
