The final stop in Sicily was Palermo, and finally, there was time to sit down for a proper meal.

A tasting menu is truly a challenge for any chef – getting a single dish right is already not easy, let alone an entire sequence of courses. Balancing portions, layering, pacing… there were too many things to consider. So it’s no surprise that only a few places really manage to do it well.

This one is a Bib Gourmand recommendation, and the value for money is indeed quite good. The portions were generous, but almost every single dish had some kind of issue.

The squid crudo with fried seaweed was probably the best of the cold dishes, pity too much olive oil was added, which masked the sweetness of the squid. The squid and shrimp were both sweet, but had a slightly sticky texture. Every dish felt rather flat, so flat that I almost wanted to suggest the chef to be bolder with salt. Salt is the soul of flavor; without it, everything feels thin. And leaving the seasoning to the diner? It feels like the chef lacks confidence.

Among the hot dishes, only the fried seafood platter was almost finished, no real issues there. The grilled fish collar was too dry and a bit fishy; I barely touched it before letting them take it away. The waiter proudly introduced the tuna milt, saying most guests had never tried it. I quietly thought I’m not “most guests”. But even so, it was still very bland.

The caponata, a humble home-style dish, was actually quite decent. It feels like people should stay modest and grounded in what they do best, even when trying to innovate.

From the dishes, I guess the chef probably spent time in Asia, so I asked the waiter. But by the time I finished the main courses, I was honestly getting quite annoyed, and no longer cared about the chef’s background.

The squid-ink ravioli came in a sauce so sweet it turned bitter; I sent it back immediately. The owner came over personally to check it and offered to make me another pasta. The sardine pasta came out oily with a slight sweetness; I ate two bites and gave up. These are definitely the two worst pasta dishes I’ve ever had in Italy.

I could tell they genuinely wanted me to enjoy the meal. And I genuinely wanted to give them a good review. We all tried our best. So let’s leave it at that.

Italian cuisine still feels like it lacks a more systematized framework for taste-a clear hierarchy of logic and a smooth, well-structured flavor progression, that French cuisine has. In fine dining or tasting menus, that difference becomes more noticeable, while home-style and regional cooking tends to feel more confident and expressive.

Maybe I should try a Michelin three-star Italian restaurant before making any stronger claims, just to sound a bit more “authoritative.” But honestly,I’m not sure I’d enjoy sitting through a carb-heavy tasting menu in that setting. Even when carbs are done well, they’re just not as satisfying as proteins.