A veranda suspended on Portovenere’s harbor, gourmet cuisine with stunning views: the Palmaria is the seaside restaurant for a dinner in La Spezia to leave breathtaking.
For those who want to enjoy the view of the Gulf of Poets enjoying a good dinner, a restaurant in Portovenere with a veranda and breathtaking sea view is probably the best choice: the seafront offers one of the most beautiful views, the atmosphere of the seaside village is capable to charm people but also of those who live here.
Named after the island in front of Portovenere, the Palmaria restaurant is in fact in one of the most scenic spots of Portovenere, overlooking the canal and the celebrated “palazzata d Portovenere”. Housed in the structure of the Grand Hotel Portovenere, the room and the outside space are large and airy, characterized by the large hotel arches that look right to the island. At night,by the light of a thousand candles, emotion and charm are truly unique.
A romantic dinner, a special occasion, but also a light lunch during a day at sea, at the Palmaria restaurant nothing is left to chance: elegant décor and first-class service, marine flavors entrusted to the professionalism of Executive Chef Francesco Parravicini who with his team every time surprises the palate.
The inspiration is the one of the most authentic Mediterranean cuisine, of absolutely fresh fish of the day and orchard fruits, that the master chef knows how to combine in an unusual way with the forest products and wild meat from the mountains behind the coasts.
The philosophy is to pursue the simplicity of the flavors and colors, with extensive use of the scents of the many spontaneous wild herbs that abound in the Ligurian region.
Lo chef Francesco Parravicini
The chef of the restaurant Palmaria Francesco Parravicini, graduated all’alberghiero of Milan and ‘grown up’ with the school of Mei, Penati, Sadler, with strong experiences in contexts such as Harry’s Bar in London, the Principe di Savoia in Milan, Grand Hotel Rimini, in Portovenere has created a cuisine of typical Italian products, in unprecedented combinations and presentation of the dishes.
When and how did your passion for cooking start?
As a child I helped my mother to make the cappelletti pasta, I could close the little tiny cappelletti.
In the early eighties (I had ten years) I used to watch a television series called “Three’s Company”, and there was Jack Tripper who shared the apartment with two girls, and what did he do? He was an aspiring chef! At first it seemed to me something very attractive, and here I am, today, a chef (farsighted? Precursor?)!
The ingredient that you love to cook and the one, instead, you do not like?
I really like legumes and cereals I love to cook in soups.
I try, as much as I can, not to use crustaceans that “must” be cooked alive, such as lobsters … I always feel guilty!
A common mistake in the kitchen?
Presumption!
Your philosophy in the kitchen is …
Simplicity, balance and substance. I care very much the presentation of the dishes, but I never let this exceed the taste in importance.
How did you create the menus for Restaurant Palmaria Portovenere?
In addressing a mostly foreign clientele, I decided to offer some traditional Italian dishes that had relevance to the regions that are close and ’embrace’ Portovenere, then Liguria, Tuscany and Emila: in this context the trofie could not miss strictly with homemade pesto, tagliatelle with ragout of Chianina meat and a seafood soup as transposition of the Livornese fish soup, to which alternate proposals less territorial and more unusual such as shellfish, or egg pasta rags with mantis shrimp. Special attention is given to the bakery with “rustic” desserts as sbrisolona or cheesecake served with a new look.
And what about the best Aperitivo in Portovenere?
The Venus Bar offers drinks prepared with class, to sip while relaxing in the coolness of the ancient vaulted ceilings, with the arched window that frames the Palmaria Island in the background. On the terrace, lulled by the rhythm of the waves in the background, you can enjoy delicious snacks and cocktails prepared by expert bartenders, every day from 11am to 12pm.
The Palmaria Restaurant is attentive to the specific needs of its clients and also offers gluten-free menu.
At lunch, the Palmaria Restaurant serves a light lunch from 12:30am to 6pm, with low-calorie and quick dishes, well-balanced in the essential components.
For dinner, the restaurant offers an à la carte menu from 7:30 until 10:30 pm.
This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)