The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
May 8 - Panicale to Amalfi
The Bar Del Gallo in Panicale, the unofficial meeting spot for all the locals and our final stop before hitting the road.
The Marina Grande is, I suppose, similar to many other spots along the oceanfront, but it was recommended by the hotel and that was as good as anything we had to go on. (Rather points out the importance of having a good relationship with the hotel folks.) Good thing, too, because the visual from the street isn't exactly compelling. The restaurant itself, however, was very pleasant.
They were hosting what we assumed was a wedding rehearsal dinner for a large group of Americans ... at least we overheard that the wedding is tomorrow, so a rehearsal dinner seems right. Not surprisingly considering that it is right on the beachfront, the restaurant features seafood. I opted for seafood risotto and a secondi of mussels before I noticed that they de-boned the local fish tableside. This is certainly a differentiating touch and had I seen it sooner (we are usually among the first diners of the evening), I probably would have ordered it. It just goes to show the merchandising power of anything done tableside. It was relaxing to sit by an open window and watch night creep over the Mediterranean, but I had an even nicer view than that!
© 2007 Restaurant Doctor
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