GETAWAYS • Sardinia
Off the coast of Italy, southwest of Rome, the island of Sardinia is a land of stunning rugged mountains, silky white sand beaches, and swimmable waters the color of FDC Blue #2.
Off the coast of Sardinia lies another, much smaller island, famous for its tonnano. To get there, fly into Sardinia’s capital, Cagliari, rent a car, and drive one hour flat to a port on the west side. Drive onto the ferry, drink a corretto (spiked or “corrected” espresso), and drive off. Congratulations, you’ve made it to Isola San Pietro, and now you’ll never want to leave.
Yes, there are centenarian bocce players enjoying the longest sunset of their lives. Yes, there are winding cobblestone streets where standard housing units reminiscent of fortresses were built in the 1700s. Yes, there’s the aforementioned ocean and sandy escarpments and simply spectacular fried seafood stands at said escarpments.
But you’re here off the beaten path for the tuna. For that, you should really go to Ristorante da Andrea al Cavallera, in the island’s singular town, Carloforte.
Since Sardinia is in the middle of the ancient migration pattern of bluefin every April, the famed fish are caught, then preserved for consumption year-round. Cured, chilled, tinned or stored, it doesn’t matter — it’s delicious and available nearly everywhere you look. At Ristorante da Andrea al Cavallera, a jewel box farmhouse of a seafood restaurant run by a local gastronome mini-empire builder, there really isn’t any reason to not have the tuna in each of your dishes.
We started with tuna carpaccio, delicate enough to read The New Yorker through, ruby-red-edged and flecked with peppercorns, dabbled with olive oil, tinged with greatness. For our entrees, we had the tuna pesto lasagna and tuna steaks two ways — both seared, one topped with a bruschetta-like tomato relish and the other anointed with aioli. And for dessert, another local delicacy, this one tuna-free: sebadas, deep fried cheese pastries drizzled with honey. And chocolate mousse. And cafe coretto (with grappa this time) to finish it off. –Matt Levy
→ Ristorante da Andrea al Cavallera (Sardinia) • Corso Battellieri • Wed-Mon 1-2p & 8-10p • Reserve.