Eolo Restaurant

Eolo Restaurant is located in one of the most picturesque corners of the Amalfi coast, protected by the steep promontory that, from the solitary and austere Ziro Tower, stretches dramatically out into the sea. Furnished in a sober and elegant style and decorated with typical ceramics from Vietri sul Mare, Eolo Restaurant has a large lounge and a romantic terrace overlooking the sea, which gives magical and timeless atmospheres at sunset. The cuisine reinterprets dishes of the typical Amalfi and Mediterranean tradition in a modern key, with attention to the freshness and genuineness of the ingredients.

Our hotel in Amalfi was located right next door and highly recommended we dine at Eolo.  They were able to get us reservations, however could not guarantee an outside table.   We didn't mind as we had soaked up the view all day for the past few days already.  Nevertheless, we had excellent service the whole night.

As an amuse bouche, we were treated to a lovely crayfish bisque that was served in the cutest ceramic pot.  The crayfish was sweet and accentuated by the slivers of almonds.

There were so many dishes that looked amazing on the menu, that it was hard for us to narrow down.  We decided to share a couple starters, and the chef was happy to present us with our own nicely plated half-portions.  First, we ate Calamari Stuffed with Zucchini Blossoms and Eggplant.  The calamari steak was meaty and the vegetables lightly fried, almost like tempura.  

We also had Squid Ink Cannelloni stuffed with a puree of salted cod and topped with anchovies and breadcrumbs.  It was served on a small bed of tomato risotto, and was another unique and delicious starter.

I was already getting quite full, but still had my main dish to tackle.  This time I opted for the Fritto Misto of calamari, shrimp, fish broquettes, and stuffed zucchini blossoms.  It came with balsamic glaze, lemon wedges, and a spicy aioli for dipping.  It was kind of a causal presentation that contradicted our earlier artistic plates, but still kind of fun.

Keith ordered a stunning Seafood Stew overflowing with mussels, clams, shrimp, and langoustine in a hearty tomato broth.  This dish was a bit heavy for summer, but looked too good to pass up.  It came with some crostini and had plenty of broth leftover, which he used the table bread to sop up.

As a pre-dessert, we were presented a small parfait of whipped cream and caramel with cake crumbs.  Again, it was served in a cute glass jar with a sea-themed ceramic top and an antique spoon.

A classic that stood out on the dessert menu was the Tiramisu.  We had not had an authentic version while in Italy yet, so we decided to order it tonight.  A modern interpretation arrived, that looked like a sea urchin, with spikes of meringue and a healthy dusting of cocoa powder.  Hot espresso was poured over the top to give that end-of-meal coffee kick.

We enjoyed our full meal at Eolo and appreciated the mix of classic seafood fare with contemporary offerings.  The ambience was romantic and a nice contrast from the bustling touristic spots down by the water.

Total Rating: 4.1
Food: 4, Price: 3.5, Service: 4.5, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 5