The Taste of Ortigia

September 7, 2022 | Design & Culture by Ed

The small Baroque island of Ortigia, the historic center of Syracuse, is widely considered one of the most beautiful destinations in Sicily. Inhabited for over 3,000 years and renowned for its Greek heritage, it is a UNESCO landmark for its “remarkable testimony of the Mediterranean cultures over the centuries” and makes for a perfect weekend escape in any season. Dotted with impressive church facades, outdoor restaurants, elegant piazzas and surrounded by a crystalline sea, Ortigia is more manicured than Catania, less overrun that Taormina and as delicious as Palermo. Once on the island, you should make the bustling Mercato di Ortigia your first and most important stop. It’s filled with colorful fruit, vegetable stands, fish vendors and stalls selling spices of all types. Be sure to pick up a few local specialties for your pantry, including pistachios from Bronte, almonds from Avola, sun-dried tomatoes from Pachino and capers from Pantelleria. Then grab a bite to eat at Fratelli Burgio, a buzzing deli and wine bar that assembles mouthwatering meat and cheese boards, fish platters and sandwiches stuffed with marinated vegetables. And of course, eat the oysters! After all that goodness, we strolled around the place, enjoying the gorgeous Ortigian views…

Photos by Edward Kanarecki.
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Il Consiglio Di Sicilia (& Donnalucata)

September 7, 2022 | Design & Culture by Ed

The story of Il Consiglio di Sicilia is made of three keywords: love, hospitality and happiness. Top-quality ingredients – local seafood from the Donnalucata port being their speciality – are presented on the plate straightforwardly: a style that inherently talks of the territory, beyond the trends of the moment. At the helm of the restaurant, there is a caring and sparkling couple. In the kitchen, chef Antonio Cicero prepares refined dishes, without pretension, but with great love for details. In the dining room, the charming Roberta Corradin welcomes everyone with a smile and offers knowledgeable guidance to her guests. This unique restaurant is a wholesome, heavenly experience. Eating their signature red prawn feels like that restaurant scene from Luca Guadagnino’s “I Am Love” with Tilda Swinton. The busiata pasta with anchovies is a recipe dating back to Ancient Rome. The cannolo is different level. And just on the side of the outdoor terrace you’ve got a chic selection of cashmeres and Italian accessories from Nel Garage boutique (more on it in the upcoming Ragusa post!). Don’t forget to visit Il Consiglio di Sicilia’s highly-curated wine enoteca, which is on the same street!

Via Casmene 79 / Donnalucata

And here are a few pics from the lovely day we’ve spent at the Donnalucata beach…

Photos by Edward Kanarecki.
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Rome Addresses

March 31, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Planning a trip to Rome? You might want to take a look at the addresses I’ve discovered in this truly magical city.

Trattoria Al Moro is a proper, Roman trattoria with wood panels from the 1920’s, a very Italian, beautifully overcharged interior, and a chic ambience. Their daily specials are always a must, just like the signature Al Moro pasta. For the dessert take the profiteroles. You will ask for more, I tell you.

Vicolo delle Bollette 13

Origami is the best kept secret of the most stylish, Roman women. This unfussy boutique sells clothes of own production – think turtleneck dresses in geometric prints, gorgeous basket totes, loosely fitted cardigans, everything kept shades of ochre, rust and lilac – in very reasonable, affordable prices. The historic, wooden ceiling is an impressive addition to this spot.

Via dei Banchi Vecchi 144

Dana is a store located in a former church. Even the confessional stayed, and now it’s used as a dressing room. We’re in Rome! Independent, small brands from Rome are sold here.

Via del Pellegrino 167

I bet you won’t eat a better pizza in Rome. Pizzeria Da Baffetto is a simple, compact white-tiled restaurant specializing in Roman-style, thin and crispy pizzas. They are so, so good in here. If you don’t want to wait in a line (and they get really big) better come for (early) lunch at around noon.

Via del Governo Vecchio 114

Laity Mbaye’s Metissage atelier. While this man will surely hypnotize you with his look that is a beautiful balance between Italian tailoring and Senegalese origins, please do check out the garments he designs himself and the hand-picked artisanal accessories he sells at his store.

Largo del Pallaro 18

Lou Lou sells curated, very refined brands that all share a poetic, dark aesthetic. Uma Wang, Reinhard Park, Guidi, Sara Lanzi are just some of the labels you will find on the racks of this eclectically furnished store. If you’re looking for a gift, check out their fragrance display filled with niche, Italian names that specialise in true, olfactory experiences.

Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 113

Oh, and Prada‘s huge store that’s just across the Spanish Steps. I mean, how can you not go inside? Some of the leather goods and perfumes are exclusives available only here in Rome.

Via dei Condotti 89

Photos by Edward Kanarecki.

Trattoria Sostanza in Florence

March 21, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

A fact: Trattoria Sostanza is the best restaurant in Florence. Please, if you’re planning a trip to Tusany’s capital, book your table here (at least three-four days in advance). This small restaurant, with a toilet located in the back of the kitchen (yes, you have to go through the entire kitchen, which also means meeting the very Italian cooks!), is the best kept secret of the locals. It might be classical, Tuscan cuisine, with dishes that sound like regular Italian plates. But the taste of every single thing here is heaven. From the Florentine steak and artichoke pie to tortellini stuffed with signature ragout and a plate of tomatoes from the chef’s garden, Trattoria Sostanza really shows what finest Italian food is, in an unpretentious, home-made way. If you’re lucky with the season, you will get wild strawberries (straight from a Sicilian farmer) with your meringue cake – which is a masterpiece. Again, go there. Thank me later.

Via del Porcellana, 25/R / Florence

Photos by Edward Kanarecki.

Bistrot Giacomo

February 11, 2016February 11, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Bistrot Giacomo is Milan‘s best kept secret if talking of a soigné-mannered bistro / restaurant. The place is fully booked every evening – and not just because of romantically chic interior. The wooden shelves, which are literally heaved up with antique books; the burgundy sofas and cushions; walls with huge, old mirrors; the floors covered with tiles. All of that defines a classical Milanese restaurant where Italians (note: we were the only “tourists” in the restaurant that day) eat their taglione pasta with fried artichokes and pomegranate dressing, beef tartare and home-made buns with dried tomatoes. It’s not only a place where you will feel like an Italian and drool over your meal – it’s also the place, where you are likely to meet somebody from the Milan-based fashion industry. I’ve met with Alessandro Dell’AcQua, the creative director behind N21 and Rochas, the second time in this city – specifically, firstly at his show last autumn, and here!

Via Pasquale Sottocorno 6 / Milan