Dining in Monterosso

This trip to Monterosso al Mare we try a few new restaurants, one recently opened and several that we've walked by in the past, but never stopped to dine.  We find that we've been missing out on a lot!

Our first dinner is at a several-month-old restaurant, Arzena, on via Roma, where we start with tomato tarte-tatin with ricotta cheese and tagliolino squid with peas, tomatoes, and squid ink mayo, followed by cod with parsley, bearnaise sauce and colored carrots; orecchiette with octopus ragu; and lobster spaghetti.

Starters

Cod, orecchiette

Lobster

The next evening, we try a restaurant that has been open a few years, but we just walked by previously, not realizing what we were missing.  At Ventottoposti, we start with anchovies on brown bread and butter followed by branzino and fettuccini with anchovies.  Wow!

Anchovies on brown bread

Branzino, fettuccini/anchovies

Another evening we return to Ventottopossti and try two other main courses:  salt cod with potato cream and cherry tomato confit and fusilli with sausage, eggplant, and parmesan cheese.  More winners.

Cod, fusilli

A few evenings later, we head over to Tosca, a restaurant where we dined for the first time earlier this year.  We order a meal similar to our first experience:  burrata with tomatoes, olive oil and oregano; deviled octopus with tomato, olives, capers, and chili pepper; followed by seabass with potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, and olives; spaghetti with fresh anchovies, olives, cherry tomatoes, and creamy bread crumbs; and crispy octopus with burrata cream, celery, and confit cherry tomatoes.

Starters

Seabass, spaghetti/anchovies

Crispy octopus

A few evenings later, we return to Tosca for anchovies three ways (marinated in olive oil and lemon, fried and marinated in red onions stewed in vinegar, salted with butter and toast) and burrata with olive oil, tomatoes, and oregano (again).  For our main courses, we have trenette with clams and trenette with octopus, lemon, and zucchini.  Another great meal!

Anchovies, burrata

Trenette with various things from the sea

Near the end of the trip, we dine at an old favorite, L'Osteria, and start with assorted bruschetta, followed by  chickpea soup, ravioli with shrimp, spaghetti vongole (clams), and mussels.  Still really great every year!

To start

Mains

Once again, we have dined spectacularly in Cinque Terre and we'll be back again soon (we hope) for more great food, hikes, and friends.