Pammy’s restaurant – Number 29

Pammy’s restaurant is a recommendation from a local who we happened to meet in Costa Rica last Christmas.

We are promised local ingredients with inspiration coming from Italy.  Having just returned from a trip to Italy, I was quick to tell Clark that it is not a classic Italian restaurant, so there will be no comparisons to what was, of course, perfection in Italy.

On arriving we are greeted by Pam ‘ Pammy’, who is front of house and mingles with the guests creating an air of a gathering at a friends house.  The feeling of being at a friends house continues when we are seated at a large table in the centre of the restaurant.  The table is set out for ‘side by side’ dining and along its centre is the most beautiful line of vases each housing a few heads of allium.  We are sat on the corner of said table and can enjoy observing the majority of the restaurant from our spot.

The menu definitely has an italian feel.  There are traditional items such as pastas and arancini, but mixed in with these dishes are unfamiliar accompaniments from far off lands.  We ordered muscles, which came with a lime leaf aioli and squid ink arancini;  ribs that came with pickled shimeji (east asian mushrooms – this only became apparent when the dish was in front of us); a bolognese sauce with gochujang (fermented chilli paste – I had to look this one up) and gnocchi with candied pine nuts (I have no words, it actually worked).

Some of the combinations were amazing.  The gochujang added a richness and subtle kick of spice which enhanced the sauce and the pasta was perfectly cooked.  The muscles, which were beautiful and succulent, were a little overpowered by the aioli, but still very enjoyable.

The evening was great, and we loved sitting at the large dining table.  Weirdly, it didn’t feel as though we were sitting with other people.  

We topped our evening off Italian style, with a caffè and a grappa. Salute.