We stumbled into La Scala after major car troubles navigating the streets of Agrigento. We found Google Maps doesn't work quite as well overseas as it does in the US, as it ended up leading us down very tight one ways, rather than to this restaurant. We wanted to get as close as we could and then walk, as it was late and we still had a 2.5 hour drive back to our hotel. We'd almost given up, but were pretty shaken and worried about our car, and wanted to let it cool down a bit, so we headed out to find La Scala, and we were pleasantly surprised! It's on the top of a hill sequestered in a highly-trafficked and cute pedestrian street.
We were worried it would be extremely fancy, and we wanted something solid for vegetarians that wasn't too touristy, but also wasn't a long and extravagant sit-down dinner. We were the only ones inside the immaculately decorated restaurant and were seated immediately. Service was prompt and attentive, and the server could feel our slight rush and kept pace with us. We each had the "eggplant parmesan" type appetizer, followed by the gnocchi for dinner. I will say they were categorized as vegetarian on TripAdvisor, which is why we went, and these were pretty much the only veg things on the menu. However, they're extremely well done! We were first offered complimentary champagne, but knowing we still had a long drive ahead, we declined. We were then given complimentary appetizers of fried chickpea flour in a marinara. I only tried a bite, but we both agreed it was quite tasty - like a savory fried dough. We were then presented with a large platter of freshly baked breads and oil. The bread was still warm, and each piece was made a bit differently, so we enjoyed sampling them - especially the focaccia one! The eggplant was cheesier than expected but still very good. It was sautéed perfectly and blended in well with the parmesan. The top piece was fried, but that was easily removable and more of a garnish. The gnocchi was one of our favorite dishes we had in Italy - tender, cooked to be the perfect mix of al dente and not mushy, as gnocchi can easily be. It was served with many sautéed fresh vegetables and a rich and tangy marinara. We loved it.
La Scala was priced equal or less to many of the tourist places we went into, which we were pleasantly surprised with given its beautiful decor and service. It was just what we needed to prepare us for our 2.5 hour drive back to Taormina! read more