Osteria Santa Lucia, the harmony of the sea in the dish

Every bite is an ecstasy of pleasure that brings back memories of walks on the beach, evenings by the sea, the lapping of the waves on the rocks.

There where you would not expect it, for eight years two brothers have created a small restaurant where the peaceful atmosphere and the solid and delicious seafood go hand in hand to lull you as on the waves of a boat on a calm sunny day. 

The city of Frosinone, a hundred kilometers south of the capital, certainly doesn't shine for its culinary tradition (to put it mildly), much less for its seafood, but for the past eight years Carmine and Pasquale Nardo, two young and stubborn brothers of Neapolitan origin, have been creating a restaurant of unquestionable quality. 

Self-taught, with no previous experience in the restaurant industry, armed with determination and desire to do something in life that they were really passionate about, in 2014 they decided to leave behind the career of a future lawyer Pasquale - the man in the dining room - and to put in the drawer the degree in Communication and Marketing Carmine - the chef - and to wear the new clothes of restaurateurs. Never was the choice more appropriate.

Simple but tasteful decor of the restaurant, fresh colors inspired by the sea, excellent oils on the table, care in the bread basket, smiling staff and prepared, few frills and lots of substance in the dish.

The quality of the catch is nothing short of amazing. So much concentration of flavors, a disarming simplicity without ever overflowing into banality. Each mouthful is an ecstasy of pleasure that brings with it memories of walks on the beach, evenings by the sea, the sound of the lapping of the waves on the rocks. A real dive that smells of saltiness on the skin warmed by the summer sun. 

But let's get to the dishes: we start with a selection of shared appetizers and it is immediately summertime for the palate. The crispy Alici 'mbuttunate, dry and stringy are absolutely unmissable. Then comes the best Montanara di Mare ever tasted: the dough is sublime (you can see that there is a lot of technique and many tests behind being able to get this result). A mix of spelt flour, oat flakes, white and wholemeal flour make it soft, very light but with the perfect consistency to support the creamy sauce that varies from time to time depending on the available fish. This one I tried was with a fresh burrata, sweet and voluptuous as it should be, raw red shrimp and patanegra. A fairy tale. 

Then comes Il Crudo, a small but spectacular selection of oysters, langoustines, red prawns and humpbacks that seemed to have just "landed". Here a consideration is in order, usually even when the raw seafood is of quality you make the mistake of serving it at too low a temperature to the detriment of the flavor. At Santa Lucia this mistake is not made. The raw seafood was laid out on a bed of ice but everything I tasted was at a perfect temperature and the taste of each bite undoubtedly benefited. Let's close the roundup of appetizers with a seafood soup. Here the skill of chef Carmine certainly finds its consecration. It is an unbelievable combination of flavors. Each spoonful is so invigorating that it puts you at peace with your senses. Not everyone is accustomed to this kind of intense seafood flavors but it is exactly how a perfect fish soup should be.

Those who grew up in a seaside town like Naples have a seafaring soul in their DNA, and Carmine does not disappoint with his first course. I choose the Spaghetti ai Totanetti and a generous portion arrives at the table, which, just by smelling the aroma, melts into a big smile. The spaghetti is enveloped by the dense and intense creaminess of the squid sauce. The quality and porosity of the spaghetti binds with the bisque in such a harmonious way that it sticks to your lips. A standing ovation that makes you want to come back as soon as possible. Yes, because at this point I would not fully enjoy a second course even if from the menu what I read is super appetizing. We must necessarily come again. 

To sum up, a restaurant where Carmine and Pasquale were able to create an oasis of taste, passion and skill where lovers of fish cuisine can feel pampered by the great affability and care of the service room and refreshed by the exceptional cuisine. I usually say that when the fish is of excellent quality a chef can only "ruin" it, as well as for wine cellars and grapes in some ways, but here Carmine not only manages to respect the raw material but enhances it with his preparations in a perfect way to say the least. This restaurant, I am sure, will make people talk about it...
 

Osteria Santa Lucia
Corso della Repubblica, 26
03100 Frosinone
Tel. +39 0775 211863
osteriasantaluciafr@gmail.com
https://osteriasantalucia.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/osteriasantalucia.frosinone
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/osteriasantalucia/
Chef: Carmine Nardo
Sala: Pasquale Nardo
Closed on Monday

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