Sardinia II.
One of the countless reasons for an Italian island stopover has to be the food and wine the land promises. Think of the Italian peninsula and its surrounding islands and you’re likely to think of food first and all the beautiful places to see second. Sardinia has a strong, multilayered upbringing - having been the interest of many empires outside of Rome - its history is fascinatingly complex, I learnt during a 3-hour walking tour with an ex-archiologist. There are various places, people and historic periods that influenced both local culture and cuisine. During my time in Cagliari I wanted to taste the Italian classics so I can draw comparison and that’s just exactly what I did. Although I do appreciate the locals’ sheep-heavy dishes (there are more sheep in Sardinia than people), this time I gave those a miss.
IMPASTO
Via Savoia, 4, Cagliari
Service, location, flavour all come together in this humble little place. Located in the middle of a mini piazza, on Via Savoia, Impasto’s outdoor terrace is guarded by the majestic crown of two intertwining fig trees. I studied the menu for a long time, but went back to basics and didn’t regret it. My first order in Cagliari was therefore a Margareta pizza with a Lo Spritz, the little sister of the well-known Aperol. The internal argument I was having with the French couple that left a pile of crust on their plate slowly faded into insignificance when the waitress put the pizza down on the table. The pizza base was both soft and crunchy if that’s even possible. Tomato sauce and melted mozzarella formed the perfect unity with just a splash of olive oil.
Bar Pipette
Via dei Mille 8, Cagliari
Isn’t it the cutest name you can christen your masterpiece? Pipette means ‘straw’ in Italian which perfectly mirrors the piccolo bar’s 'drink up’ attitude. The interior is award-winning and wine is all organic. The menu is to the point and changes seasonally, featuring Sardinian-Japanese fusion. They even created their own coffee on the back of the owner’s coffee studies - I never liked coffee in tiny cups, but when they made me taste their own blend I actually fell in love with espresso. I spent some time in there with Lele, my walking tour guide who’s good friends with the owner. I swore to come back again for dinner 2 days later which was a promise I had to keep. I devoured the cold summer pasta with tomato sauce, mint and ricotta alongside a collectors’ item-like glass of rose that smelt like fresh strawberries. Topnotch that was. Five stars for taste, atmosphere and service. If you’re in Cagliari for one night, this is where you go for dinner.
