Ristorante La Cambusa

Monterosso, Italy (The Joy of Food) — The Amalfi Coast may be the crown jewel of southern Italy, but the Cinque Terre in the northern region of Liguria, also stunning and majestic in their own right, have one huge advantage: there isn’t a Fiat in sight. 

The five towns are connected via narrow, winding paths that you can walk (well, hike), or alternatively, a train connects the villages. There is water, and then there are tracks near which you can sit and stare at the sea. I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon.

You’ve come here to marvel at the pastel-colored hillside homes and charming views of the Italian Riviera, but you’ve also come here to eat. Liguria’s appeal, broadly defined, rests in the magic of the basil that is grown here, and the bounty of the sea that borders much of the region, and combines it with the suppleness of fresh, well-cooked pasta, the sort that is mixed, rolled, and shaped by hand in homes and kitchens in every corner.

Pesto may be one of the simplest things in the Italian repertoire, a marriage of fresh basil, aged parmigiano, pungent garlic, earthy pine nuts, and the best olive oil you can find. As with most Italian food, the key is the integrity of the ingredients. To make it with subpar basil is a bit of a culture crime and reduces the bright and herby notes of the dish to a pulp of freshly mowed lawn. Pesto, salty and rich, is supposed to sing. 

So at Ristorante La Cambusa, you order pesto, a perfect rendition that tastes even better in the environs where it was born. The pesto uses basil leaves grown on the seaside hills and gets crushed by hand with a mortar and pestle. The pasta will vary; you might find linguine or trofie, or if it’s on the menu, get the potato gnocchi, fluffy little bundles that swim freely in the pond of pesto. The flavor is as grand as the spectacular views of the coast.

The seafood is as fresh as it can be, the sort that’s caught about ten minutes before it’s cooked and shows up on your plate. I’m partial to the clams and mussels tossed in some sharply acidic tomato and wine sauce, served with pasta that absorbs every drop without becoming soggy, with a vibrant, wheaty flavor of its own. If I had to guess, there are strong, clear hints of chile, garlic, and fresh basil, and a subtle touch of creaminess from the butter that’s no-doubt added as a finishing touch.

Drinking wine is practically a religion in Italy, and here a local wine is a must, one made with the grapes that grow on the vineyards in the area. I’m a heathen who almost always drinks red wine, even with fish, but here I make an exception. Some dry Cinque Terre DOC with your meal or a fruity Sciacchetrà DOC with cheese or dessert are your best bets.

Getting here requires some planning, and the method to my madness is this: I start in the south in Riomaggiore and work my way north to Monterosso. At the halfway point will be Corniglia and the famed “Lardarina,” a staircase that could kill you on sight alone, a total of 33 crisscrossing flights and nearly 400 brick steps. After this, 20,000 calories on a plate is almost a requirement.

Written by Joy

Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.

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