Les Barriques — Restaurant in Gaggi

We went to this place on a Sunday in March 2022. I read the various "excellent" reviews on this place and expected a high-quality traditional cuisine as expressed by the reviews and published by the restaurant. The restaurant itself is a very simple place which is ok for a trattoria. When we placed our order the owner advised us that there is just a very reduced choice of dishes available giving a ridiculous reason herefore. Having a very limited choice of plates was surprising since the restaurants normally are well supplied with food on Sundays, as Sundays is their strongest day. So this lead us to take "what was available". We ordered as starter "antipasti misti " which was one of the top plates as per the owner. We received a mixture of small pieces of pizza and focaccia with different toppers. The pizza and focaccia were not fresh but dry and you noticed that it was first frozen and than thawed. The cold cuts were ok but nothing really special. To be fair, the pecorino cheese was very good and you noticed that it was made in the way pecorino is being made in Calabria . For the first course, we ordered "homemade" pasta with porcini. When we placed the order we verified the type of pasta with the owner and he confirmed, that the pasta is homemade. When we received the dishes we notice that the pasta was not homemade and that the type of pasta served (linguine) is not appropriate for this kind of dish. When we pointed this out to the owner he simply responded "yes, you are right, the dish would have been much better with homemade pasta". Since he took the order and confirmed that the pasta would be homemade, his answer seamed to us "pretty surprising". Just an episode on the side, the pasta (which is considered a first course) was served together with the second course. When we pointed this out to the waiter, he uninterestedly replied that this was not his fault. For the second course we ordered "maialino al forno" and "rollè di arrosto al forno". Al forno means "out of the oven" so the meat should be freshly done and hot. However, the "maialino al forno" was served cold and the "rollè di arrosto al forno" was very dry, probably because it was prepared already some days before. After this experience, we dropped the dessert and ordered just some espresso. Since the expresso was served in lousy plastic cups we favored not to have it. Since my wife is Italian, my son grew up in Piemont Italy (known for excellent food)  and we are living in Taormina for more than twenty years we were very surprised about the quality of food and service. We have rarely experienced such poor service and quality of food. From our personal experience, we cannot recommend this restaurant. After our experience we are very surprised about all the positive reviews. Based on our recent experience, you may not waste your money or time to make the same...

Les Barriques, Gaggi: A True Sicilian Culinary Gem

Nestled in the peaceful village of Gaggi, Les Barriques offers an authentic taste of Sicilian cuisine. This rustic, unassuming restaurant is run by a single, dedicated host whose warmth and hard work are evident in every aspect of the dining experience.

The menu, while modest in size, is ambitious in flavor, focusing on the quality of ingredients and traditional Italian tastes. The pasta, particularly the spaghetti with ‘Nduja, is a highlight, with its addictive blend of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors. The tagliata di manzo is another standout, perfectly cooked to achieve a crisp exterior and a juicy, flavorful interior. The Caprese salad, with tomatoes harvested on-site and fresh mozzarella, is a celebration of local produce, delivering surprising and delightful nuances with every bite.

Les Barriques also offers a carefully curated selection of local wines, enhancing the overall dining experience. While the service may be slower due to the limited staff, the exceptional food quality more than makes up for it. Minor issues such as booking difficulties or occasional card payment challenges are small inconveniences that don’t detract from the overall excellence.

In summary, Les Barriques is a place where the authenticity and depth of Sicilian cuisine are celebrated, making it a must-visit for anyone in search of genuine flavors and a memorable...

Il proprietario e' un buffone travestito da giullare ,presuntuoso megalomane, convinto di poter fare tutto da solo....chiamato DOTTORE DAI PROPRI DIPENDENTI. dopo aver preso posto attendiamo 10 minuti ,si presenta il GIULLARE ,il proprietario pomposo che elogia ogni sua mossa o prodotto. chiediamo una cotoletta, non pervenuta,chiediamo della pasta ma non ci sono i funghi ,chiediamo insalata o patate, nemmeno quelle sono disponibili, perche' a suo dire sono congelate ma lui lavora solo con prodotti da lui stesso creati ,a quel punto chiediamo di far da se' vorremmo solo mangiare, lui risponde di voler sapere cosa vogliamo ma a quel punto nell'imbarazzo ci arrendiamo. arriva un tagliere di salumi, un piatto di verdure grigliate ,due melanzane, 5 fette di pane con del pomodoro a cubetti a dir poco ridicolo.chiediamo del vino,neanche a dirlo elogia il suo ..accettiamo ,il suo vino poteva essere un discreto aceto ma non vino. nulla di personale ma al momento dei secondi ,avendo ordinato piatti diversi, arriva tutto in un tagliere ,ognuno al tavolo racimola le proprie pietanze e quelli che avevano ordinato la famigerata grigliata mista si trovano a spolpare ossa di qualcosa indefinibile , forse cane o gatto o agnello , impossibile stabilirne il sapore certamente orribile e poco o per nulla appagante. sconfitti ma con tanto rispetto ci avviciniamo alla cassa, chiediamo il conto e tutti i dipendenti intimoriti rispondono ,attendete il DOTTORE, costui dopo ben 10 minuti finalmente si avvicina e con fare , evidentemente indispettito prepara un conto di ben 124 euro... NOI CARISSIMO DOTTORE SOLO DOPO AVER PAGATO ,ABBIAMO ESPRESSO IL NOSTRO DISAPPUNTO E LEI CARO DOTTORE, HA FATTO FINTA DI NON CAPIRE PRESENTANDO UNO SCONTRINO DI 12,40 EURO ALLORA, FACENDO NOTARE L'ERRORE, LEI CARO DOTTORE NON SAPEVA FARE LA SOTTRAZIONE, QUINDI ESEGUE UNO SCONTRINO DELLA RESTANTE PARTE , DUNQUE 112 EURO. CHI CREDE DI POTER FARE TUTTO DA SOLO , SEMPLICEMENTE PERCHE' CHI FA DA SE' FA BENE SI SBAGLIA... QUESTO SIGNORE ESPRIME IL FAI DATE COME , BEN FATTO... DA EVITARE ASSOLUTAMENTE ...