Less of a review, and more of a grateful token of appreciation, to Anacapri, a fantastic local restaurant, that transports you right to a piazza in Italy.
Anacapri is (and I mean this as a compliment) reassuringly uncool. From the seemingly never ending onslaught of free bread, to the menus heavily annotated with hand written specials and dishes added over the years, to the fish being unapologetically on the bone, to the absolutely gargantuan (but perfect) negroni, served in a fish bowl so large I almost needed two hands to lift it.
Anacapri is part of a dying breed, a traditional no fuss, no nonsense Italian restaurant, run by Italians and supported by a strong following of appreciative locals.
I kicked off the meal with a negroni – this being particularly generous in its size and perfectly balanced. I peruse the menu as I sip on my Herculean negroni and take in the atmosphere. If you squint so far as to not see the offices opposite, or the terraced houses to the left, you can quite easily imagine yourself in any number of small restaurants in Italy. It served as an oasis from the pomp and pretence of many restaurants in town, where there’s no one banging on and not a handbag sized dog, or Gucci loafer in sight.
I opted for the grilled sardines to start – which were unfussy in their preparation and presentation, thoroughly delicious, and didn’t need the boat of tartare sauce that came with it.
To follow, I had the lasagne – a boring choice I know – mot a moreish one – freshly made and perfectly accommodated by a ready, willing, hunk of very garlicky garlic bread. The portion was bigger than it needed to be (although admittedly, I did finish it) and as tasty as you’d expect – no scrimping on meat, sauce, and in the true spirit of the restaurants generosity, comes with a large bowl of grated parmesan on the side, which you can spoon on at your leisure.
The dessert was a (you’ve guessed it) very ample portion of tiramisu, unceremoniously dolloped onto a plate, followed by a complimentary limoncello. The whole meal was a simple affair – not creative, but not trying to be, at a busy venue with a very welcoming and rustic atmosphere. One I shall definitely return to.
Sabrina Goodlife.
