[Dec. 2023] It was New Year’s Eve in Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
We had made a reservation before going on this trip to this restaurant because we thought there would be only a few restaurants open on a day like this.
But it turned out to be a not very good restaurant.
I have to write about the disappointing restaurant too, don’t I.
It was called Osteria Nonna Dora, and the owner of the Airbnb where we were staying had recommended it, and it had good reviews online, too.
First of all, even though we had made a reservation so early, we were shown to the worst table near the entrance.
My husband was annoyed and said, “Can we change to that table?”, and they replied, “There’s a reservation over there,” so we protested, “We had made a reservation early too,” and they finally changed the table.
When we sat there, we saw that a large table had been prepared in the back room.
They were expecting a large group of about 35 people, and for that reason, they seemed to have hired temporary part-timers instead of professional waiters.
Even worse, they brought the main course before we had even finished the caponata starter.
I was very surprised.
I could not believe something like this happened in Italy.
A similar thing happened to us in Oban, Scotland, a while ago, but it was because we rushed them.
Despite that, the place has a good reputation, so customers kept coming and the part-time waiters had to turn them away.
However, the food wasn’t bad.
The caponata was delicious, and so was the grilled squid I chose for my main course.
My husband’s swordfish was deep fried and rolled and skewered.
But we didn’t have a good impression, so we skipped dessert and finished the meal quickly.
The price was very reasonable at €45.50, including a half bottle of wine.
Maybe that’s why it’s so popular.
If you’re not expecting a good experience at a restaurant and just want to eat something cheap and tasty, this might be a good choice.
By the way, before we got to this restaurant, we passed by the famous Quattro Canti intersection in Palermo.
The four buildings facing this intersection have magnificent sculptures.
Now I have a good grasp of Palermo’s geography.
