CONFRONTED WITH THE problem of choosing a restaurant in an unknown town, we turn to Google, and enter "ristorante ragusa", and see what we find. Quite a number of possibilities, actually. But it was Yahoo, of all people, who helped the most: four reviews, I think it was, of Quattro Gatti. So this afternoon, when we strolled past a cheese-shop-and-salumeria that I noticed posted a Slow Food emblem outside, I asked, slyly, Where shall we eat tonight?
Oh well, signor, there are many restaurants…
Yes, well, I was thinking of Quattro Gatti…
Ah, yes, well, there you eat well. And then…
But well, or well enough?
Oh, well; there you eat well, signor.
We strolled past and looked at the menu: nothing fancy, nothing expensive, nothing inessentially cute or touristy. So we took the number eleven bus back to the hotel, rather than walk up 285 steps, and after resting a bit I telephoned to reserve a table. Name? Di Carlo, I said: since "Shere" is simply too difficult a name in Italy.
And we took the bus back, and this is what we had:
Mixed antipasto: Eggplant softened in olive oil; olives; salami; Ragusa cheese: with red peppers; with black pepper; ricotta; warm caponata; little french-toasts; bread; tomato-omelet slices.
Pasta con sarde: bigoli with sardines, fennel, raisins, pine nuts, tomato, onion: as good as we've had, and we've had at least four others.
Marinated shoulder of donkey with roast potatoes.
(Lindsey): apple strudel. (Charles): grappa.
It was I think the best single restaurant meal we've had so far in Sicily, though Al Garage in Palermo is right up there.
"C'D'C": Cristo di Campobello, 2008
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