Naples was a pitstop for me on the way to the gorgeous Amalfi Coast in Italy. I spent two nights in Positano (thanks, Jessica) at a Hostel named Hotel Birkette. The hostel was really cute and the staff was extremely accommodating. There wasn't too much to do in town besides enjoying some R&R. So enjoy I did.
I met up with a friend I had originally met in Naples, and she I spent the majority of my two days in Positano together. Robin, who also happens to be from San Diego, is a fashion student currently studying in Milan. The first day we made the trek from our hostel all the way down to the beach and were greeted to perfect weather and scorching, sandy sand. After soaking up the sun, exploring the town and making sure to make a gelato stop, we were ready for dinner.
Il Grottino was one of, if not the best meal of my entire European trip. Robin and I shared two two homemade pasta dishes and a caraffe of the best house red wine I have ever had. The first dish was homemade fettucine-like pasta with fresh mussels and clams in an olive oil base. As amazing as that dish was, the other dwarfed it. On a single plate, they served us pasta misto, or mixed pasta:
- Cheese ravioli
- Potato Gnochi
- Meat Canneloni
....in an amazing tomato sauce.
It was insanely good.
This happened to be my first Italian pasta experience, and it somehow EXCEEDED my excpectations. To say it was the best pasta I had ever eaten would be a fair statement.
The next day, we made took a bus to the city of Amalfi, which is much bigger, cuter and touristy than Positano. We watched the sun set, got some more pizza (and of course gelato) before heading back to Positano for dinner.
We went to another place recommended by our hostel (I lost their business card and cannot remember their name for the life of me. Sorry.) that was just down the street. We shared bruschette, which was yummy, a bottle of wine which was good, but paled in comparison to the wine from the night before, and an amazing strawberries and ice cream dessert.
As for the entrees, Robin felt like fried fish and asked if I wanted to share that and another dish. I knew there was no chance on this earth I was going to get fried fish in Italy, so I pleasantly replied, "No, thanks." Instead, I ordered another homemade pasta dish with eggplant in tomato sauce. Remember how I said the dish from the night before was the best pasta I had ever had? Well now it's second best. The pasta was perfectly cooked and absolutely extraordinary. The eggplant was tender and full of flavor. The tomato sauce was a perfect blend of sweet and spicy. The only thing I could utter during the meal was, "I never want this pasta to end....I never want this pasta to end."
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