Ciotola Pizzeria, Ragusa - Review

I have new favourite pizzeria! There are loads of places to get a good pizza around here, they say Sicily is second only to Naples when it comes to pizza and I have had some great ones in the few years I have been here but since I tried La Ciotola for the first time a couple of months ago, it has shone through above all others.

From the word go I was keen on the decor, a real mix of styles, perhaps they weren't going for quirky but that is what we have. Over sized objects, 1950s red bench seating, ceramic ducks, there's a lot going on... and basically, I want all of it in my house.

The pizza menu offers a rather different selection of pizzas from the usual. Over the last couple of months my friends, colleagues, boyfriend and I have managed to work our way through a good portion of the choices and we have yet to be disappointed. Fabulously crisp bases, just as they ought to be and beautifully cooked on top with extraordinarily delicious, fresh ingredients.

My favourite pizza so far has been Donna Sicilia, which is tomato sauce, mozzarella, fried aubergine pieces, olives and ricotta salata. It's just perfect in every way. Whether you prefer meaty toppings, fish or vegetarian, all tastes are catered for, whatever you choose, you are in for a treat. And, if you don't feel like pizza, there is also a restaurant menu which changes regularly with the seasons.

On my last visit, we also had a mixed fried fish and seafood platter as a sharing starter, which was absolutely delightful. Beautifully cooked, perfectly seasoned. Just great.

I can also recommend the restaurants selection of desserts... particularly their boozy choix pastry concoctions.

(Above: Group shot of my friends and I enjoying La Ciotola)

There is a good selection of wines but on a couple of occasions we have simply opted for a litre of the local red, which has always been satisfactory.

Getting a good pizza in Sicily really isn't difficult, in fact, you would probably find it more difficult to find a bad one. That said, I really feel La Ciotola has something special to offer. Also the staff are fabulous, there is one waitress in particular who is possibly the most bubbly, positive and attentive member of service staff I have come across since I came to live here - a very wonderful woman. One of the things I love so much about Sicily is the pride people take in their work and this is really evident here, the fabulous waitress and if you watch the guys in the kitchen, making the pizzas, even when they are cleaning up at the end of the night, you can see that they really care about what they do.

Not at all expensive either.

Top marks!

La Ciotola
Via Archimede, 23,Ragusa

Vegania, Ragusa - Review

Recently opened Vegania in Ragusa has become a firm lunchtime favourite with my colleagues and I over the last month.

Now, I'm not a vegan, I stopped eating meat at the age of eight (my own decision), since I moved to Sicily, I reintroduced fish to my diet as vegetarianism here seemed a distant myth but things seem to be changing and I am seeing more and more places catering to vegetarian, vegan and even macrobiotic diets. Even if you don't want to become a full-time vegan or vegetarian, the health benefits to giving up meat even for just one day are immense, not to mention the massive positives to the environment and to animal welfare making this choice has. I really recommend taking a look at the Meat Free Monday website where you can read all about how one day a week can make an incredible difference and really impact on the world as a whole.

And even if you aren't interested in the benefits of the vegan lifestyle, the delicious offerings at Vegania have swayed the opinion of even the most dubious of my colleagues, not to mention my meat-loving Sicilian boyfriend!

My featured visit is from a few weeks ago, when I popped into Vegania with my fabulous colleague, Emily, for a lunchtime bite. We were seated in the bright, canteen-style lunchtime dining area which is slick, modern and allows a great view of the open kitchen area. There is a second dining area for evening visits, a more elegant setting, with softer lighting and more intimate seating arrangements.

We ordered a mixed plate, which meant a selection of all the days offerings. This included softly spiced rice with tofu, vegan lasagna, roasted vegetables and a slice of Ragusa province's speciality foccacia (a type of rolled pasta dish - a kind of lasagna/pasty hybrid, if you will). Each mouthful so fresh and full of flavour, not to mention being incredibly filling. This was all served with homemade cardamon bread - not that extra filling was required! Each time I have had the mixed plate, I have been completely satisfied.

A real treat is the juice options. I always go for Carrot, Orange and Ginger. With every mouthful, I can feel the inside of my body feeling cleansed.

Not to mention, after a visit here, there is a great feeling of energy and well-being for the rest of the day.

The coffee is also a real treat. Made from barley rather than regular coffee beans, such as arabica, so as to cut down on food miles and encourage a more sustainable way of sourcing what we eat, you get a much more delicate flavour. It's very aromatic and leaves a beautiful after-taste.

Pictured above is Emily with Vegania's incredibly welcoming and friendly owner. All of the staff are warm and helpful. It's a lovely atmosphere to be in.

The price is excellent. For all of the above, you can expect to pay just a little over €10 per head.

I really can't recommend this place highly enough. It's an absolute gem and I am so pleased that it has arrived just a short walk from my workplace. Ten out of ten, absolutely no complaints!


Vegania
Via Risorgimento, 12, Ragusa

7https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vegania/782827725116641

Amici Miei, Modica - Review

Apologies to regular followers that I haven't posted for a little while. Christmas was spent restfully at home with Totó and January was a month filled with hospital visits, ill health and cold weather, we haven't been out much at all and when we have ventured out, it has been to our favourite places which I have already written about. Very much hoping February will bring better fortune and more opportunities to write about the wonderful places to eat and drink in and around Modica.

This weekend has been gloomy and rainy in Modica but yesterday evening we forced ourselves out of the house and decided to head over to Modica Sorda for aperitivo. We were a little early, seemingly too early, for a few places to accommodate us... it was 6pm but we were told in two cafés that we couldn't take aperitivo until 7pm. Eventually, we arrived at Amici Miei and were welcomed warmly by the bar's wonderfully friendly owner, Flavio.

Amici Miei was once a regular hang-out of mine, as I initially lived in Modica Sorda after moving to Sicily. It's a modern bar, elegantly decorated but it's premium asset is Flavio, who is always so accommodating. There is a great drinks selection, including some stunning wines and fabulous cocktails and food is served at lunchtimes, as well as on special dining evenings, as advertised within.

In the street just outside the bar, we bumped into an old colleague of mine so we invited her to join us for a drink. I took a gin and tonic, made with my favourite Tanqueray gin, Totó had an Americano - made exactly as he likes it and my tee-total former colleague had a freshly-made orange juice.

We were each served with a delightful fish appetiser, which included raw shrimp, a mussel and salt cod. Each mouthful was absolutely beautiful.

A lovely revisit and reminder of a great place. We will definitely be heading back soon for a full meal and more lovely drinks with Flavio.

Amici Miei
Via Resistenza Partigiana, Modica Sorda

https://www.facebook.com/amici.miei.7127?fref=ts

L'oste Del Borgo, Modica - Review

Today I made my second visit to L'oste del Borgo in Modica Bassa. My first was some time ago with my friend Lucy, who sadly no longer lives in Modica, so today I decided to suggest somewhere different to Totó for our special lunch (today is a public holiday in Italy and therefore an opportunity to slot some extra time together into our very busy lives), so we wondered through a very crowded Modica, filled with lots of people enjoying the Chocolate festival, which has been going on all weekend (very entertaining and enjoyable it has been too).

The restaurant is in one of the side streets, a very pretty little stairway, just a few minutes walk from the main streets in the centre of Modica Bassa. It's a pretty place with lots of interesting decor and local artwork.

There is the option to have four courses (either a fish menu or a meat menu) for €25, we decided to opt for this option today and had a few fish choices to select from. A lot more food than we would ordinarily order but the price was good, my previous visit had been grand, it was a festival day and, well, why the hell not?

For our antipasto course, we ordered a dish of Polpo é Patate (Octopus and Potato) and Baccalá (Salt Cod) to divide between the two of us.

The Octopus and potato dish was beautifully delicate, used a good olive oil, a little lemon juice and, my favourite ingredient, saffron. While the baccalá provided us with a fuller taste, crispy batter and a wholesome, homely feeling. A lovely start.

We both opted for the same primi, a seafood ravioli with the meat of small crustaceans that have a similar taste to the sweetness of lobster.

Fabulous handmade pasta, stuffed with lovely fishy meat and served in a fragrant broth with the beautiful sweet meat. An absolute delight. And served with a nice little batch of focaccia bread.

Then on to our main courses, Totó opted for Pesce Spada (Swordfish) Palermitana with a tomato and caciocavallo cheese from Ragusa. While

I went for Ricciola (Amberjack) pieces with a typically Sicilian, orange and fennel salad. Totó's dish was well cooked, tasty and the cheese on the salad was amazing but I think i definitely made the right choice. My char-grilled fish was so, so tasty and the salad was a refreshing accompaniment. By this point we were both feeling pretty full, we made good attempts to finish both dishes, tried each other's but neither of us were able to completely empty our plates, so much food!

After a short, much needed break, we ordered dessert. A mixed chocolate plate in honour of Modica's famous chocolate.

We were treated to a gorgeous piece of Modica chocolate, a refreshng jellified chocolate pudding, one of Modica's traditional mpanatigghi - a pastry filled with chocolate and meat, yes actual meat! They are a delicacy around here, however, Totó had to eat both of ours due to my abstinence from meat. And finally, a wonderful, yet potent shot of chocolate liquor. Totó order a second lot of dessert, it really was THAT good!

Slightly unusual for us to opt for the house wine but we did just that this afternoon. And a litre of lovely local insolia left us lavishing in peachy tasting goodness. A great decision.

A fantastic meal, such good value, pleasing atmosphere, jazz playing softly in the background and friendly service with a smile. Just perfect.

L'oste Del Borgo
Scalinate di Pozzo Barone, 30
Modica

Delicatessen, Ragusa - Review

Thanks to my lovely friends living in Ragusa, I recently discovered this fabulous little gem of a place.

Half-deli, half-canteen style eatery, Delicatessen is a great place to stop for a bite to eat, day or night. You can enjoy one of the great freshly made sandwiches which offer plethora of fillings on a variety of breads or one of the homemade hot dishes from the kitchen, which includes pastas and soups with fresh, seasonal vegetables. There is a lot on offer here for vegetarians and vegans, with clear indications of which dishes are suitable, something which is still rather unusual in Sicily.

The decor is very modern and stylish, you could be forgiven for thinking this place might be better suited in one of Barcelona's fashionable districts or Manchester's Northern Quarter and so on.

Yesterday, my friend Emily and I popped in for a spot of lunch.

We both opted for sandwiches. Mine was mackerel with lettuce and black pepper while Emily went for prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato and pesto. Both huge sandwiches arrived after a little while and we delved in with eager anticipation (and significant hunger). The mackerel was a delight, really fresh tasting and beautifully seasoned. Emily thoroughly enjoyed hers and despite us both having started to feel quite full before finishing, we both made sure to finish every last bit in acknowledgement of such extreme tastiness.

(Pictured is Emily with her sandwich)

We have both had different sandwiches from here before and due to the high quality and wide variety on offer, we have challenged ourselves to try a different one each time.

The café offers a great selection of fresh juices. On this visit I went for a large glass of orange, carrot, celery and ginger which was revitalising as well as incredibly tasty. Emily had her usual glass of apple and pineapple, a favourite that never disappoints her.

Also on offer is a good range of local wines, ideal for evening visits.

You can also visit the deli where local cheeses, meats and fresh vegetables, along with a variety of specialist local produce is on offer.

The staff are incredibly friendly, though the service is true to the slow-food philosophy, so it is best not to go when you are in a hurry, as I have previously learnt from experience.

Slow service aside, it really is a treasure of a find, great food, great atmosphere and great times.

Delicatessen
Via Archimede 32-34, Ragusa

https://www.facebook.com/DelicatessenRagusa

Pasticceria Chantilly, Modica - Review

A little break from the usual reviews of bars and restaurants to talk about a lovely little pasticceria in the centre of Modica Bassa.

At Chantilly you can find a lovely range of cakes and biscuits, as well as Modica chocolate and a variety of local liquors and wines. Always beautifully presented and freshly made on the premises, whatever you choose, your sweet-tooth is sure to be delighted.

In the warmer months, you will also find a small selection of home-made Italian ice cream and some frozen desserts.

This weekend we celebrated Totó's 40th birthday with a little dinner party at home. While I love cooking, I'm not hugely into baking so Chantilly was my first choice of where to order a special cake for a special celebration. The lady in the shop was so accommodating, chatty and helpful. We agreed on a lemon cake with cream and for the decoration to include a picture of a camera, since Totó is a photographer.

So Saturday night arrived and after our dinner, the cake was served along with some celebratory champagne. Fabulously decorated, the birthday boy was incredibly happy with the design. When we tucked in, all of the group were thrilled with the lovely, moist, lemony taste. A triumph!

The cake was ready 24 hours after I ordered it and cost just €17 for a cake that could easy feed eight people as a dessert.


La Pasticceria Chantilly
Corso Umberto I, 76, Modica

http://www.pasticceriachantilly.org/

La Bottega, Modica Bassa - A Fond Farewell

No review this weekend but rather a sad goodbye after hearing that one of my favourite places has closed for good.

I tried to make one of my (quite regular) visits to La Bottega in Modica Bassa about a month ago but found it to be closed. It is not unusual that at this time of year, some places close for a holiday but the third week of the continued closed shutters I did start to comment on what a long

holiday they were having and after a month it became something of a joke to think how long they would be on their break for. Due to La Bottega's constant popularity, it never crossed my mind that perhaps they had gone out of business but just a few days ago, I was told that they had indeed put the shutters down for good.

La Bottega was a little place that sold the most delightful sandwiches and salads, they served arguably the world's best chips and their local red wine in winter was always a welcome warming delight, while in summer I would often sit outside with a chilled, pleasant glass of white. the food was simple but always a delight.

All of this, along with the lovely staff and the reasonable prices, made La Bottega an extremely regular hang-out, especially for me and fellow ex-pats living in Modica. Many of us would finish work in the evening and so when we arrived back in Modica Bassa rarely would we want to go home to cook, so this would be the place where we would sit down to eat and to unwind after a hard day teaching, or working as an au pair and so on. It was a home from home, we could use the WIFI, sit long into the evening outdoors in the warmer months or enjoy the warmth from the open kitchen in the wintertime. It was always somewhere that felt welcome, somewhere we felt comfortable.

So I write this fond farewell not just from me but also from the two Lauras, from Aminah, Katy, Nadine, Lucy, Natasha, Mike and many others who benefitted from this lovely little place.

La Bottega - you shall be sadly missed!