I rarely write reviews for anything, but tonight’s dinner at Sagre Ristorante, a 10 minute taxi ride from Piazza del Duomo, was extraordinary and it deserves a bit of effort. The staff, decor and sedate ambiance were fitting a restaurant of this caliber. The food was a modern interpretation of traditional Sicilian cuisine. The chef started with an amuse-bouche of a silky red pepper coulis with ricotta garnish, served cool, like a soup. An excellent taste of what what to come. As an appetizer I tried the tender small octopus tentacles served with a selection of tiny portions of sauces/mayonnaise of octopus stock, arugula and red cabbage, which hands down was the best thing to ever happen to that vegetable. My husband selected a platter of carpaccio, fresh marinated anchovies served over a potato and a big finish of two oysters with pickled onion. Also wonderful. My main, actually a first course, was a three-dimensional pasta alla Norma, called paccheri de Norma. Homemade pasta tubes standing with a eggplant base and a topping of a ricotta cream surrounded with a slightly spicy tomato sauce and drizzle of pesto. My husband chose a cold spaghetti with tuna and oysters. He feared cold spaghetti, but the waiter was right — amazing! We were stuffed and unable to go for a main (a variety of fish, meats and poultry). My dessert was a creative gin and tonic sorbet to served with glacéd capers. Husband had a strawberry dessert that included crunchy plum crumbles and yogurt sorbet. Wines range from euro 20 to 170 a bottle. Our charming waiter must have seen us turn a little green around the gills looking at the wine list and suggested a 23 euro white which was excellent. This place isn’t cheap; be prepared for a bill of at least euro 100, including two courses, wine and dessert. Adding the 30 euro round trip taxi, and our budget for Catania dining was blown out of the water, but it was totally worth it.
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