On a recent swing through the Amalfi area, in the Campania region, we spent a few days in Sorrento. The sun was shining, the water was hypnotically beautiful, and our hotel, The Bellevue Syrene, was stunning. To cap it off, we went to the fabulous Il Buco, an easy walk from our hotel. We loved it so much that we have to recommend it! If you’re making a Sorrento stop, it’s a must!
To find Il Buco is a bit tricky, but not particularly difficult. It’s tucked away at the end of a small street off of the Piazza Sant’Antonio and housed in the wine cellars of a 15th century monastery. (Did I mention that is has one Michelin star? Every year? Since 2004?)
After a warm greeting, we were escorted downstairs to a long, elegant room with a striking vaulted rough-hewn stone ceiling. The ceiling is original and over 500 years old. The room has whitewashed walls, polished hardwood floors and white table cloths. Each table was adorned with a beautiful pink long-stem rose. Beautiful and romantic!
Not long after we were seated, a cocktail cart was wheeled around to make our pre-dinner drinks. Love at first sight! (Insert small squeal from the cocktail geek.) Gaetano Staiano, the head waiter, who has been at Il Buco for 14 years, takes the orders and makes the drinks while you watch.
Elin’s rule: if it’s prepared table-side, order it. This was very good advice given to me by my first culinary class instructors at George Brown. Definitely words to live by! Table-side is becoming a lost art and so few places offer it any more. Nowadays, you can still find table-side caesar salads (Caesar’s in Calgary), Bananas Foster (Brennan’s in New Orleans) or old-fashioned Crepes Suzette. This was the first place I have seen table-side cocktails. (Side note: yes, Dukes, the amazing bar in London, prepares table-side martinis, but I have never seen a cocktail cart in a restaurant.)
Of course, you can probably guess our aperitivi: table-side Negronis! Bombay Sapphire, Campari and Mancino (Torino) vermouth.
There are several tasting menu options, as well as a la carte choices. We each ordered “Mi Fido di Te” or “I Trust You”. All land for Elin. A mix of land and sea for Peter. This tasting menu is described as “a tasting of different creations, chosen by the Chef Peppe, interpreting his emotions and your preferences. A menu that changes and evolves with you.” There is a 5 course or an 8 course option. We decide to go with the 5 course.
Elin’s rule: trust the chef. I have yet to have a meal where I trusted the chef and was disappointed! Chef Peppe Aversa, you did not disappoint!
To get us in the mood, a treat from the chef: the amuse bouche which is a meat tartare with passion fruit and red beet. If this is a small sample of the kitchen’s work, we are in for a great meal!
While they say “don’t fill up on bread”, the bread selection is so tempting. Three layers with everything from a white bread to one made with ricotta. Focaccia with tomato, grissini and Napoletano knots are irresistible. Beautiful fresh olive oil (produced from the chef’s personally-selected olive grove) is poured in a little bowl for your dipping pleasure and yes, we dip away.
A chilled local white wine is poured. It’s light and feels just perfect. Gaetano, our waiter, says “dangerous”. In their review, Michelin notes Il Buco’s particularly interesting wine list of over 1,000 labels.
First course:
Peter’s is a salad with fish crudo. Tuna, another local tuna- palameta – a carpaccio of sea bass and a lemon ginger sesame dressing topped with pickled onions.
Elin’s rule, but Pete’s thought: pickles rock.
Elin has a salad of tomatoes, onions, yellow grilled peppers, buffalo mozzarella with fried polenta and yellow tomato and green pea purée. And grilled rapini (the yellow sauce is yellow tomato purée).
Second course:
For Pete: Fried beef cubes with buffalo carpaccio, lupini foam and avocado cream. Garnished with dill.
Elin: Slow-cooked black pork cubes with chocolate glazed carrots, honey and chili pepper served on fried polenta.
Third course:
Pete: Linguine with lemon-scented scorpion fish on a roe and sundried tomato sauce
Elin: Homemade ravioli “a carn a sott e maccarun a copp”. Homemade ravioli filled with local cheese (a smoked cheese-filled pasta with a slow-cooked pork) on Neapolitan ragù with a very light touch of mint. You can see the thumbprints from the nonna on the pasta. [ELIN’s note: I definitely won the pasta war on this course. This ravioli was spectacular!]
Fourth course:
We both have the beef filet with pizzaiolo sauce and potato stack (terrine) and tartino di spinach. Tartino is like shortbread! There is never a question of how you would like your beef cooked. It is medium-rare. But you know what? You will love it.
Pete’s father, Brian, famously loved dessert. He would have been in heaven here. Dessert lovers will rejoice.
What’s better than dessert? Starting with a pre-dessert, which in this case was crunchy rice with a foam of baileys and tiramisu.
Fifth course, dessert:
Elin: Tart with tiny wild strawberries, toasted meringue and limoncello gelato.
Pete: A crunchy dessert with lemon cream and semifreddo.
Bonus desserts (I told you dessert lovers would be in heaven here):
Profiteroles, ricotta-dusted with icing sugar; butter cookie; chocolate caramel; brittle with hazelnut.
To finish, a little limoncello and espresso!
What a lovely meal! The service was amazing and the paired wines (with decent pours) matched extremely well!
Don’t believe me? Michelin in their review commented: “Simple, unfussy cuisine with a blend of traditional and modern influences, an excellent wine list of around 1 000 different labels, and service that manages to be efficient yet friendly and informal at the same time…this restaurant offers gourmet dining in a homely ambiance.”
I would eat again at Il Buco in two seconds. I recommend making reservations in advance, as it was quite full and walk-ins were getting turned away.
If you go:
Il Buco: 2ª Rampa Marina Piccola, 5 (Piazza S.Antonino), 80067 Sorrento NA, Italy; +39 081 878 2354; http://www.ilbucoristorante.it
Open: Thursday – Tuesday 12:30 – 2:30pm, 7:30 10:30 pm, closed Wednesday
Where to stay? In a heartbeat, The Bellevue Syrene. Stunning hotel, spectacular location, exceptional service. (And, perhaps, one of the most gorgeous spots to have a bite to eat or a cocktail!)
Bellevue Syrene: Piazza della Vittoria, 5, 80067 Sorrento NA, Italy; +39 081 878 1024; www.bellevue.it
Wow! these photos are incredible! The food makes me want to run away to Il Buco now. You do live a good life!! i have Elin Envy
Too kind! 😘 I would also like to run away for dinner at Il Buco right now! I’ll save you a seat!