First, to be clear, I made the reservation a month in advance and specifically requested a terrace…read moretable overlooking Capri Town, the Piazzetta. Alessandro was more than accommodating and went out of his way to make sure that happened.
We arrived in Capri and, for our first meal, headed up the side of the clock tower, climbing what seemed like a million steps. But it was hot as hell, and the staff graciously moved us inside, where we could enjoy the air conditioning.
And something happened the moment my wife and I sat down....We felt at home
There were greetings, smiles, kindness and laughter happening all around us. It felt like everyone knew us--even though they didn't. And the best part was, And importantly, none of it felt rehearsed. No fake Italian hospitality. No theatrical nonsense. Just genuinely warm people who seemed happy you were there.
From my side of the table, I could see the ocean. From my wife's side, she had a view of countless bottles of wine. Honestly, we were both pretty happy.
And there, to my right in the kitchen, was Chef Umberto, with his perfectly triangular, closely clipped beard and thick, solid handlebar mustache. You couldn't miss him. The kind of face that tells you this man has opinions about food--and probably about everything else. Hahaha.
Since it was so hot, I was dying for a chilled red wine. Not only did they offer me a glass, they brought me a selection to taste first.
And that's when the party started.
The staff had absolutely no problem talking, laughing and joking with us. I told Chef Umberto how excited I was to try his food. He laughed and told me he was just as excited.
The burrata salad. The burrata was beautiful, but those tomatoes--Jesus. They were so fresh and so sweet they tasted like they had come straight from heaven. Why am I even trying to grow them at home?
The tuna literally melted in my mouth.
And then came the Linguine alla Nerano--which may very well have been one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. I've eaten a lot of pasta in my life. This one stopped me. The kind of dish that stays in your head long after the plate is gone. I still think about it.
The wine that stood out was Pallagrello Nero. Absolutely amazing.
And then there was Lilly, who made an espresso we will never forget.
Pietro served our wine with an extra level of care and attention that you don't often experience. Thyra was another great asset to their team--funny, warm and a lot of fun to be around.
When it was finally time to leave, we didn't want to. And that's probably the best thing I can say about Pulalli.
And I honestly got the feeling that they would have been perfectly happy if we'd just stayed.
They made us feel like rock stars.
When, in fact, they were the rock stars.
