Sunday, 22 June 2025

489. Tropea.

 



  Tropea has extended its opening time on Saturdays so that service continues now between 3.30PM and 5PM and this resulted in some extra availability and the opportunity to grab a last minute reservation at the restaurant and once more set about consuming its remarkably good food.

 It was both the hottest and longest day of the year but the misery of the excess heat was soon forgotten once I was seated happily in the really very attractive and impressive dining room. The place was very busy - the denizens of Hungry Harborne have clearly embraced the place; and sorbet should - and quite noisy as these well off middle class diners clearly felt disinhibited when it came to making loud conversation and telling the world all about themselves. It seemed like a good idea to take out at least one of my hearing aids to damp down the row a bit. Perhaps, that’s Tropea’s only fault - the loudness of the volume of the chat of its entitled diners in there. 

  Regardless, I ordered a paper plane cocktail and got on with the exciting action of studying the menu and placing my order. First an antipasto of two delicious tempura coated fried courgette flowers stuffed with goat’s cheese, mint and Moor Pool honey. The time spent eating these sensuously wondrous culinary creations was time that could never have been better spent and the sweet mild acidity of the bowl of giardiniera (home made pickles) which I also ordered was a perfect companion to eat alongside them. There are few greater pleasures under this sun than the consumption of Tropea’s stuffed courgette flowers.






  The pasta too was delightful - linguine with tasty, perfectly textured wild red prawns and a broth which included sweet Datterini tomatoes and some texture from pangrattato. Then the main of a very generously sized portion of poached stone bass in a classic light broth (Acqua Pazza) again with datterini tomatoes and it was nicely cooked and and bursting with the feeling of summer. I had alongsidebit some modestly flavoured English asparagus tips enhanced with a snowfall of pecorino and a lemon citrus sauce.





  This splendidly seasonal meal emphasised just how brilliantly Tropea has brought itself to where it is now. Future distinctions await I am sure. For myself, I was too full for any dessert other than an affogato which rounded off the meal very nicely.


Rating:- 🌞🌞.

21 June 2025.

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