Incanto - SIRACUSA

I have stayed at this world class hotel with their world class facilities for three weeks on various trips. I was invited on my first trip to Ortiga (worthy of traveling from anywhere in the world to visit) to come for a week to help them evaluate their services and rooms prior to their official opening. The day I was leaving to fly from Cantania to Rome to London to Toronto and then home to Halifax, I was asked by the owner to stay another day so I could join a select few invitees to the test run for their restaurant. The twelve of us (they spoke in various Sicilian dialects and I sat back in amazement at the wonders unfolding before my eyes as well as the fact, that the hotel sits on The Mediterranean and the views are simply unmatched in this wonderful world of ours. So I just completed a week 's visit and ate every night at Incanto and often, with tourism not having rebounded, I was often one of only three or four guests. I had exceptional food and service not only at the brilliant world class restaurant but by every person in the hotel who know your name after the first hour. I told the chef and his sommelier who I often said just feed me and serve me your best Sicilian wines, that they should list amore (love) as the main ingredient in their food and service. Food cooked with love simply tastes better. They are but a five minute walk from Ortiga 's famous fish and produce market and everything that appears on your plate has been purchased by the chef that very day and I saw him wondering the market when I would be there at the opening hour of 0700 hours. He always stopped and briefly chatted. I have never seen such beautiful produce and if I lived in Sicily might be convinced to start eating vegetables (LOL). I have hundreds of pictures and will attempt to post a few of them. Every single course and on every single day became the best food to have passed my lips up until that moment in time. I long to return.

Do not miss this hidden gem on the 3rd floor of the Ortea Palace Hotel. Best views in Siracusa, but that is just the beginning. Regretful that I didn’t take photos of the food, but we feasted on the most tender and delicious filet mignon, fresh and delicious lobster (though I looooved the beetroot gazpacho, I preferred it on its own instead of with the lobster , decadent pasta with mussels, wonderful pasta with shrimp, and perfect steak tartare. Do NOT miss dessert! I won’t spoil the beautiful offerings, but it is not to be missed. While the food was incredible, the view perfect, it was the staff that set this well above the bar of excellent. The sommelier/manager shown in this photo (so sorry that I do not know his name! was attentive, kind and knowledgeable. All of the staff and chefs were so attentive and just wonderful. Very small exclusive place, not stuffy, reserve and make sure to have a meal here.

I have stayed at this world class hotel with their world class facilities for three weeks on various trips. I was invited on my first trip to Ortiga (worthy of traveling from anywhere in the world to visit) to come for a week to help them evaluate their services and rooms prior to their official opening. The day I was leaving to fly from Cantania to Rome to London to Toronto and then home to Halifax, I was asked by the owner to stay another day so I could join a select few invitees to the test run for their restaurant. The twelve of us (they spoke in various Sicilian dialects and I sat back in amazement at the wonders unfolding before my eyes as well as the fact, that the hotel sits on The Mediterranean and the views are simply unmatched in this wonderful world of ours. So I just completed a week's visit and ate every night at Incanto and often, with tourism not having rebounded, I was often one of only three or four guests. I had exceptional food and service not only at the brilliant world class restaurant but by every person in the hotel who know your name after the first hour. I told the chef and his sommelier who I often said just feed me and serve me your best Sicilian wines, that they should list amore (love) as the main ingredient in their food and service. Food cooked with love simply tastes better. They are but a five minute walk from Ortiga's famous fish and produce market and everything that appears on your plate has been purchased by the chef that very day and I saw him wondering the market when I would be there at the opening hour of hours. He always stopped and briefly chatted. I have never seen such beautiful produce and if I lived in Sicily might be convinced to start eating vegetables (LOL). I have hundreds of pictures and will attempt to post a few of them. Every single course and on every single day became the best food to have passed my lips up until that moment in time. I long to return.