After exploring the main town for a while, we were famished and hot and desperately seeking a sit down restaurant for lunch. Da Gemma was on our list as a potential dinner spot, but since we were right in the area, we decided to check it out for lunch.
It was a bit fancy for lunch, especially for us sweaty tourists, but the wait staff didn't mind and treated us with the full white table cloth experience. We received the obligatory bread basket and welcoming amuse bouche. This time it was a fried ball of macaroni and peas. It was a bit dry to my liking, but at least it was a different first bite than what we've had so far.
We started our lunch by sharing an appetizer of Roasted Octopus with sun dried tomatoes, served on creamed potatoes. The octopus was perfectly tender and the spices were very Spanish with the tomatoes and potatoes. The char flavor really came through, and this excellent dish was another favorite from our whole trip.
Keith ordered the Scialatielli (a kind of long pasta, that is local to the area) with clams, young onion and broad beans. His dish had a rich seafood intensity that was very filling and comforting.
Expect an elegant meal at Da Gemma, with quality food, service, and matching prices. Though there is no stunning view, as in other places within Amalfi, the ambience is still historical and inviting.
Total Rating: 4.38
Food: 5, Price: 3.5, Service: 3.5, Ambience: 3.5, Accessibility: 4.5
