Vespero, sea food Salivoli culture

Restaurant in Piombino between stars and planets. A place of haunting beauty, the hall and veranda for a bright welcome, knowledgeable and friendly staff.

It happens sometimes to talk about the location even before the gastronomic offerings of a restaurant. At Vespero in Piombino it even happens to immediately address the issue of sustainability, a concept as much bandied about as it is often disregarded in reality. Here, however, the message of respect for the environment is explicit: one sits on a large terrace overlooking the marina and the Piombino Channel under a large photovoltaic pergola whose modules regulate the flow of air and direct light, protect against rain and, above all, produce clean electricity. The view from the terrace is on par with the best Italian coastal scenery and becomes poignant at sunset, as the name of the restaurant itself suggests. The interiors are no less impressive: in a large airy room the walls are transformed into a wine bar, with bottles from the extensive wine list on display, into a library, into a sound environment with the possibility of choosing your favorite music, overlooking the open kitchen, equipped with the best technological equipment.

In short, the four partners had no uncertainties when deciding what the style and functionality of their place of business and the pleasantness of the welcome to be offered to customers in the 40 available place settings should be. We are talking about Francesco Assirelli, Veronica Recchia, Martina Raspolli and Elisabetta De Micheli. Francesco is the coordinator and hospitality man: he comes from hotel school with first local experiences at La Rocchetta di Piombino, then more challenging ones like Pinchiorri and Gambero Rosso. It is he who builds the team with Veronica, a chef with a precise and happy hand, Martina at yeast and pastry, and Elisabetta cook and assistant to Veronica.

On the style of the restaurant, Francesco is very clear: the quality of the product comes before any other consideration, and here we are basically talking about catch and vegetables. The fish is exclusively caught, and the sea dintorno, between the Gulf of Follonica, the Piombino channel, the Bay of Baratti, and the island of Elba, allows the enjoyment of a wide variety of seabeds, sea currents, and shelter from the winds, such that quality catches are always possible. The vegetables, also intended for a vegetarian menu, rigorously selected by Veronica come from the fertile land of Venturina and are grown by a family friend. Francesco studies the customer's tastes and desires of the moment, then, next to the menu, he proposes a tailor-made express menu using the chosen fish and vegetables in several different preparations. Veronica carries it out with expert hand and sure touch enhancing all the flavors. There is no room for foams and curls of sauces, but it is the balance of flavors that counts. Seafood Spring is a didactic dish in this regard: langoustines, baby squid, seafood freshly seared and served in a bed of fresh and crisp greens, savory sprouts in a harmony of delicate and mouthwatering sea scents and flavors. A viable alternative for he who by his own religion wishes to forgo the large platter of raw fish proposed by Francis without, however, forgoing the sea flavors.

The fish cart is equally eye-catching. In our case, we found no sea bream or sea bass, a clear sign of the renunciation of farming. On the other hand, a bright red capon, a medium-sized grouper, two live lobsters were on display.Francesco suggested preparing an entrée with part of the chosen fish and the rest to be presented in the customer's preferred cooking.

For vegetarians, the menu includes a burger with grilled vegetables and salsa verde, a calamarata with eggplant, smoked burrata and basil, or eggplant parmigiana with burrata mousse, but Veronica is able to offer fresh vegetables of the day in other imaginative preparations.

Fun as well as mouth-watering are the desserts, as in the case of Pistachio and Chocolate presented in the form of a "paleta" coated with white cocoa and grains or the ricotta, chocolate and pear semifreddo.

Wine list of good depth, with classics from the Suvereto and Val di Cornia area and many original labels from the north and south, with the possibility of pairing a right red with fish.

A very appealing overall picture, with the poignant beauty of the place, the bright welcome of the veranda and dining room, the competence and friendliness of the staff at a price that is certainly not popular but absolutely reasonable compared to what Vespero offers. The only problem that remains to be solved is the road access, the route of which is not very clear. The navigator leads one into an alley where it is then difficult to juggle. Francis will have to get a site up to the task as soon as possible in which the route to the available parking spaces, which are ample and not difficult to access, is indicated.

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