Porto Cervo

1 Reviews on “Porto Cervo”

• Paolo Cappelli

  Last Friday, after the cinema, I was craving for fish and this restaurant was among the choices, so I decided to give it a go. Two preliminary considerations: the restaurant had reopened just the day before after the summer break and a lot of Modern Romans are still on vacation.Located on a narrow street with little parking opportunities, it can accommodate a total of 75 people in multiple configurations. The environment is quite informal and recalls a typical Italian ‘trattoria’ where the hosts are friendly and the food is fresh and whets one’s appetite. The two dining rooms are decorated with images and pictures recalling the sea and Sardinia. Some corners make you even forget you are in a large metropolis and lure you into believing you are in a seashore restaurant. Prints on cork sheets on the walls with Sardinian motives are another typical aspect of Sardinian art.What surprised me, though, was that I was the only client at 10pm on a Friday night. This could have been a sign, but over the years I learned not to judge a book by his cover. Given the quietness of the night, the owner (and chef) was sitting outside with a friend.He immediately welcomed me and escorted me to a table. The menu, which has a good selection of Sardinian specialties, arrived shortly after.After a quick look, I decided to try the Shrimps Salad, the Octopus slices, and the Seada, a typical pan-fried Sardinian dessert made of bran, filled with cheese and covered with honey.A glass of Vermentino, also Sardinian wine, has accompanied the meal. I expected it to be cooler, though.The shrimp salad came after 15 minutes. What caught my eye was the below average presentation with the cheese spread randomly, which the excellent quality of shrimps counterbalanced. Not only they were extremely fresh, but also cooked to perfection. As I ate the first one, my tongue was hit by the strong acid taste of the citronette dressing, indeed much more lemon than the dish required. Last but not least, the shrimps were covered with rocket, an ingredient that was not on the menu and the chef forgot to mention. Overall, the dish was well above average. The Octopus dish was less satisfying. Again, the impact of the citronette sauce was prevailing at first. The quality of this slices, though, was not what I expected for a fish restaurant. The texture was spongy, and the preparation everything but complex. Also in this case, the presentation could be improved dramatically. In short, when you pay €25 for such a dish, you expect more.The Seada, instead, was pure perfection. It was served at the right temperature and so the honey had liquified enough. You could feel the cheese literally melting into the mouth. If you haven’t tried a Seada before, you should.The check of €43 was honestly too much for a dinner with virtually no service at all and all the imperfections in the presentation.In my humble opinion, however, the place has some potential and I intend to visit it once more as soon as it is fully operating again.

  April 8, 2020, 3:36 pm

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