Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Sicily..........on to Ragusa....for lunch!

We did have a big lunch yesterday in Palazzolo Acreide..... but hadn't planned that! However today's lunch was planned ahead. We were going to........


.. a 2 star Michelin restaurant in Ragusa.....
We had read about Ciccio Sultano and wanted to try.... however only the lunch is affordable....



at least for us!
We first went to the Archeologicaal Museum in the newer part of Ragusa......after the 1693 earthquake a lot of the then residents opted for higher ground.......
This was actually very interesting as they showed how a lot of the tombs were found.



The city is on many levels, so very, very confusing. Our (semi) trusted GPS system took us across a bridge to the Best Western hotel but unfortunately also to the start of the pedestrian area. So we had to turn around on the bridge and go back down under it........the Museum is actually on a floor under the hotel! Above the hotel parking!

To get to Ragusa Ibla, the older original area of Ragusa prior to the earthquake we had to go down many winding very narrow streets......


showing bus stops.  We had to hope we didn't meet one! The streets were mainly 2 way!
We also noticed that people ignored the no parking signs!


Our poor GPS couldn't work out how to get us into Ragusa Ibla..... she kept saying 'please make a U turn'!
This could have been us!!

Fortunately we found a parking space and decided walking in was a safer bet! And from where we parked we had a great view......

Getting to the restaurant was a little uphill.....


 we had no guidance but we knew that we should head for the Duomo itself.



which obviously was not open......the cat was waiting.......


Indeed Google maps showed a Piazza and we originally thought we would find parking there.....how wrong we were!

We actually found the restaurant quite easily once we could see the Duomo...



The meal was fantastic.....
It was supposed to be 3 courses......but we lost count.....
Paper music to start...... homemade crackers with pistachios.....

and
just to get us to the amuse bouche.....
which was.....swordfish carpaccio wrapped around melon balls............


the starter was a pasta dish! Sardines around spaghetti in tomato sauce.....covered with a wild fennel blend.......
and then...... (here we were beginning to loose track!).... truffle ice cream sandwich!!!!!!
Absolutely fantastic!!
and on to the main course......

And then came the desserts.....

The pre-dessert....... fried chickpeas on a creamy sauce


then the main one....pistacchio ice-cream, ricotta mousse and chocolate walnut sauce.....

and then, in case we were still hungry...... with the coffee.......
and.....

We had a fantastic meal in a beautiful setting......
and we will definitely be walking it off tomorrow......... and no dinner needed tonight...........

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