Lunch
LOCATION: Ballaro Market - Palermo, Sicily, Italy
The best place to grab lunch in Palermo is definitely in one of the 3 main markets:
Mercato del Capo
Ballaro Mercato (the largest)
Vucchiria Mercato
On my first full day in Palermo I went to Ballaro market for lunch and I tried the famous Sicilian Arancini balls. Although I found the markets predominatly sold fresh seafood, there were plenty of stalls which offerred Arancini which was fresh and they deep fry it for you so it comes out piping hot.
I went for the vegetarian options, but you can also get the traditional ragu sauce which contains beef - this is very popular. The one to the left was filled with rice, zucchini and peas and the one to the right was simply stuffed with Mozzarella cheese.
The Arancinis were tasty and filling, in fact one would have probably filled me up normally but as I've been doing a lot of walking I thought I could do with the extra fuel.
My verdict?
Bellisimo! They were very good, the best street food I've had in a while and decent value too at 3 Euros each.
OVERALL RATING: 9 / 10
Dinner
LOCATION: Trattoria Alla Fontana - Venice, Italy
I visited this restaurant towards the end of my trip in Venice. We wanted to find a place that had good quality food, not too touristy and reasonably priced and this was the best option available..
We arrived early - just as the restaurant was opening so we were able to have a 1.5 hour dinner slot before they needed the table for a reservation.
The menu is relatively small, but the pasta and spaghetti options are plentiful and it appears the restaurant specialises in pasta
For my starter I had the “Baccala Mantecato e Polenta Tostata” (Creamed Cod and Toasted Polenta):
This was extremely filling, I was surprised as the portion looked quite small on the plate with the crackers but this is deceiving. The cod was finely blended into the cream sauce and the crackers were tasty too - it was a good combination. The polenta was ok, but its not something I eat often so it's difficult to judge the quality.
After the starter I was glad I went for the Primi Piatti (first course) rather than a Secondi Piatti (second course) as I really would have struggled with a larger dish. I chose the “Pasta con tonno fresco alla Mediterrnea” (Pasta with fresh tuna Mediterranean style):
When it arrived I couldn’t immediately see the tuna steaks, but then I realised the tuna had been prepared in the form of marinated cubes. They actually tasted pretty good and we went well with the sauce which also included olives and fresh herbs. All in all, it was a filling dish and I made sure I finished it!
My verdict?
Pretty good. It was the best meal in Italy - but I’ve only been here 3 days so plenty of time to top it!
OVERALL RATING: 7.5 / 10
Dessert
LOCATION: Gelateria Alaska - Venice, Italy
I tried many Gelatos when I was travelling to Italy but I always come back to this place being my favourite. They have a great selection with gelatos with nuts such as pistacchio, hazelnut, praline, etc and also excellent fruit and sorbet-like gelatos which are sweeter.
I tried many flavours I was a big fan of the hazelnut flavour, but for refreshment on a hot day nothing beats a strawberry gelato:
Perfecto!
OVERALL RATING: 8/10
LOCATION: Palermo Store
Cafe - Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Cannoli is a very traditional snack in Sicily and Palermo is famous for it. The locals buy it from stores, market stalls and restaurants.
Cannoli is a fried pastry which is usually stuffed with ricotta. The origins date back to the 12th century when the Arabs lived in Sicily and Cannoli was given as a gift (the phallus shape was a sign of good fortune).
The recommended way to eat this is to ask for an empty pastry and then choose your filling. That way you know the ricotta is fresh.
There are many flavours but I went for the classic orange zest and cherry. I had a pre-filled one because the store only offered this.
I don't have a sweet tooth, so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this. I would even go far as to say I prefer it over Gelato!
My verdict?
A must-try and this store may be a expensive but the Cannoli was fresh and tasted really good!
OVERALL RATING: 9/10
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