Accursio’s independence

«A restaurant named after me is being born because it concentrates all the feelings I nourished while cooking for my guests over many years. Because cooking in Sicily is first of all an act of absolute love for the guest, who in this land is the most sacred thing of all».

This is Accursio’s new manifesto, that of Accursio Craparo’s new restaurant. After the important experience at La Gazza Ladra (now run by talented David Tamburini) and Locanda del Colonnello, he descended from Modica Alta to take the great step, opening a restaurant of his own in which he can transmit the authenticity in his dishes and the great passion he feels for his land.

It is true that the boom of quality (or supposed to be so) wine and food does not show any sign of weakening, opening new roads and widening the target of possible users, but believing in oneself and choosing to risk in order to pursue one’s dream, trying to make it come true with courage, is not something everyone is capable of, and perhaps it is even harder in Sicily. Accursio’s commendable choice is a real lifetime project, a project for the family, because there’s his wife Oriana Aprile, a sweet and very sound woman, supporting him: she’s the one in charge of directing the restaurant.

Accursio Ristorante opened a few weeks ago, in the perfect season to enjoy dining outside, surrounded by the marvellous Baroque of Modica and by the chatter of people walking up and down Corso Umberto. A few steps away there’s San Pietro, whose staircase, in this season, seems even more fascinating because it welcomes passers by and their confidences; dominating the restaurant there’s Palazzo Terranova. Melancholic and majestic, the basement of this building was once used as a storehouse and is now Accursio’s new home: the light colours are elegant and contemporary though filled with history and territory, as all the decor.

In the kitchen, the chef pulls out the best of his great experience, in which the soul of Modica, a city that has adopted him a long time ago, coexists with that of Sciacca, his hometown. There are some classics in his menu, such as Tuffo nel Pomodoro [Diving in Tomato], tomato juice with red prawns, sea urchins, mozzarella and basil that opens both the palate and the heart and brings back to the sea as well as to the earth with the scent of tomatoes matured in the sun which is also found in the unmistakable aroma of the extra virgin olive oil in which the Tonda iblea cultivar stands out, the most easy to find in the territory around Modica.

If you haven’t ordered Come un panino [Like a sandwich] a fun example of trompe-l’oeil-dish that the chef loves dearly, insist to have the Ostrica Tonic [Oyster tonic] a sparkling intake of iodine that will make you addicted! Among the pillars in Accursio’s menu, there’s Spremuta di Sicilia [Squeezed Sicily] linguine made with kamut wheat served with wild fennel pesto, saffron, pine nuts, anchovies, chilli pepper and toasted bread crumbs and, to finish, don’t miss the Eggs & Almonds, a dessert that draws from cultural anthropology with (apparent) lightness.

These days, the chef is fine-tuning the new menu that keeps the classics while giving the right space to the great fish that the sea of Sicily offers.

Accursio Ristorante
via Grimaldi 41
Modica
+39.0932.941689
info@accursioristorante.it
closed on Mondays (always open in August)
Tasting menu: 40, 60, 85 euros