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Yesterday, after breakfast, our friends wanted to walk back to Marina Piccolo, the small port from where ferries dock and depart, to check schedules and prices for a ferry from Sorrento to Napoli. They will be leaving us in a few days for Napoli, where they will stay for a couple days in a B&B before returning to Germany. Instead of riding a train back to Naples, they have decided to try the ferry option, which should be far more enjoyable.
Meanwhile, Dee and I decided to have lunch at the Tavern Allegra, where we had enjoyed a fabulous meal just before we left for the French Riviera a couple of weeks ago. A friend of ours in Florida had recommended this place, and had raved about its food and live entertainment by the owner’s father during their visit 5-years-ago. So we wanted to make a dinner reservation before our friends departed.
When we arrived, all of the tables on the outside terrace were taken, but we found one inside. The owner, Giuseppe, remembered us because of the photos we had emailed him after our earlier visit. A tour group of perhaps two dozen people filled much of the
available space inside today, but it gradually thinned-out after we ordered and were served our lunches. The tagliolini dish that I ordered was outstanding, with the pasta served in olive oil and garlic (no tomato sauce), along with small shrimps and green asparagus. It was easily the best pasta I’ve eaten during our stay in Italy, and I made a point of sharing that with Giuseppe and the chef in the kitchen on our way out.
Dee also enjoyed her salad with arugula, tomatoes, grilled chicken and thin slices of parmesan cheese on top. While waiting for our meals, both of us devoured the delicious, fresh bread served at the table; this bread (along with some red wine) would have made a great meal in and of itself! After we had finished our shots of limoncello (and my usual jolt of espresso), we paid our bill. On the way out, we also made a reservation for tomorrow evening, when we hope to enjoy the performance by the owner’s 85-year-old father. It promises to be a most entertaining evening!
Today Peter and Rosita decided to visit the Marina Grande, a small-boat harbor and fishing village on the western edge
Rosita, Dee and Peter
Dinner at Tavern Allegraof Sorrento where there are a tiny beach and several waterfront restaurants. Dee and I lounged around the apartment until they returned later this afternoon. Shortly before our dinner engagement at 6 o'clock, they walked back into the old town so Rosita could find a gift for their daughter back in Germany, then we all met by the cathedral for the short walk to Tavern Allegra.
Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted by Giuseppe, and then by a dignified, older gentleman who confirmed our reservation. I immediately assumed him to be Giuseppe's father, so I asked him
"Are you the Papa?", to which he responded with a straight face, and a twinkle in his eye,
"No, I am the son!" This display of humor was a harbinger of the way he would charm the audience as the evening wore on.
Much like our friendly waiter at La Maison Douce, Giuseppe is a first-class 'romancer', treating each guest like a VIP. As we chatted briefly with him after ordering our meals, and he had discovered that Peter and Rosita were Germans, he shared an anecdote with them about the time he was stranded by a snowstorm in Munich
while flying back to Italy from the UK. Apparently he had to remain for two days in a hotel near the Munich airport, with which our friends were familiar, where he had thoroughly enjoyed his stay.
Our meals were nothing short of outstanding. Dee and I had steaks cooked to perfection, Rosita chose the pasta with shrimp and asparagus, while Peter tried a pasta and swordfish platter. I have now enjoyed, at Tavern Allegra, on consecutive days, two of the best meals of our entire trip!
We and the other diners were entertained by a vocalist/guitarist who performed a wide range of selections, from Italian classics such as
Volare, to his version of
Yesterday by the Beatles. But the highpoint of this evening's show began when Papa made his entrance shortly after 8 o'clock. After thanking the crowd for patronizing the tavern, he launched into several Italian songs (including
That's amore!), with great gusto, in a booming voice that reverberated throughout the wine cellar-like dining areas packed with people.
After a short break, Papa returned outfitted with a stethoscope draped around his neck, to show off his talents as a standup comic and consummate showman. He explained
that he was a highly-trained medical expert who could determine whether someone was in love by listening to the sound of their heartbeat. To demonstrate his skill, he selected a pretty, young lady at one of the tables, and proceeded to press the stethoscope onto her chest (just slightly above her left breast) in an effort to obtain a reading.
However, he soon pulled it away from her, complaining that the stethoscope was defective, and that he would have to use his bare hand! Of course, the crowd immediately erupted with laughter, while the young lady began to turn several shades of crimson in front of our eyes as he approached her with his outstretched hand.
By the time we finally paid our bill around 9 o'clock, both the inside and outside tables of the tavern were totally packed. As we said our farewells to Giuseppe, and strolled down the narrow passage away from the Tavern Allegra, we realized that the food, company and
ambience we had experienced this evening were among the most memorable ones of our stay in Sorrento.
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Jeni
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Papa reminds me of my grandpa with his comedic antics (thankfully he didn’t sing for his customers). Amazing food, friends, and entertainment, what could be better! I am going to have to have Johnny make me the pasta with shrimp and asparagus, yummy! Love all the photos! Have a wonderful day today!