Macallè Sicilian Bistrot | Ristorante in Ortigia Siracusa — Restaurant in Syracuse

Our last night in Sicily ended on a high note. As per usual my darling husband had to be dragged to a special restaurant well known for their fresh produce and nouvelle Sicilian cuisine. I really had to put up with an ample amount of nagging to rather go to the local pizzeria! Undeterred I found my way to Macallè on the island Ortegia in Syracusa. Upon arrival we were the only patrons and the negative comments kept on coming from my "traditional" eater hubby Oh my soul, you should have heard the negative comments on the dishes and food parings! Chef Maurizio Moceo came to serve us personally. He had my husband taste 3 different Sicilian red wines before he could satisfy his idea of what a cabernet should be... so we were off to a rocky start as it was...and THEN one of worst things you can ask a chef happened: he asked for ICE to put in his wine! Mamma mia, I could have died on the spot! Chef Maurizio left and I just KNEW no ice will be arriving... Boy was I correct. A very calm chef Maurizio brought a wine glass cooler and calmly informed him..."no ice in our wines in this restaurant sir" I burst out laughing and immediately told chef Moceo that I adore his passion and the food fusion on his menu. He told me very proudly that the only true fusion of food is that of Sicily and that all other food fusions are actually food CONFUSIONS! I knew there and then that I am in for some REAL food fun and games. We ordered the anchovies stuffed with white fennel, breadcrumbs, raisins and pecorino cheese for entreé. I wish you all could see Dawie Theron' s jaw drop and then close very quickly after the first bite! He just LOVED the dish! It got better...My darling " picky eater" ordered the veal fillet wrapped in nebrodi bacon with seasonal vegetables ( because it's the only other thing on the menu he could supposedly stomach) I kid you not, I thought his eyes are going to pop right out of his head after he took the first bite! I could see he was defeated and could scarcely believe his tastebuds! The fillet was plated in 3 thick medallion cuts, wrapped in bacon. He gave me a morsal to taste. I have NEVER tasted ANYTHING better! I blurted out: " it's orgasmic!" Chantelle asked:" what is orgasmic?" I replied...I will tell you when you're 21! For ONCE my husband enjoyed one of my many quests to try special restaurants and walked away a happy eater! No boaring pasta in Italy tonight! I feel as if I was served by the Reuben Riffel of Sicily! Note to self : find out how to make...

Very rarely do you come across restaurants where every little detail is curated to perfection. From the moment you walk up to the restaurant from the street the colorful umbrellas and lights that decorate the restauraunts external terrace greet you along with an eclectic soundtrack gently playing through the speakers. On the inside the restaurant is a melting pot of vintage decoration pieces, paintings and furniture that all tell a story. To say it has character is an understatement. The restaurants owner Maurizio greets you with a smile and some friendly words as you walk in, take a seat, and keep admiring all of the restaurants decoration. Its as if the entire place is speaking to you and telling you to feel at home. Ive traveled the world extensively and have eaten in many of the world's greatest restaurants on most continents but when I discover gems like this place it makes me happier than dining at any world renowned establishment. In Japan, the most highly renowned style of cuisine, is Kyoto based Kaiseiki cuisine. Its a style of dining where every single element in the room and on your plate is meant to inspire a sense of zen. The ceramic for each dish is carefully chosen, the type of flowers and decoration in the room, the way every dish is presented at your table and every course is prepared to make you feel as zen as possible. Sicilian dining is not in any way Kaiseiki, but dining at Maurizios establishment felt like a joyful colorful Sicilian version of this all encompassing style of dining, all senses are stimulated in a blissful way. I highly recommend choosing the 4 course tasting menu, besides being able to taste a larger variety of dishes in one sitting, it will also include, as a bonus, Maurizio presenting each dish at your table with a few fun surprises. Restaurant owners who actively work the floor in their restaurants tend to have to repeat all their stories and conversations endlessly with every evenings customer which I imagine can get exhausting but Maurizio tells you about each dish, every item in the room and art piece decorating the walls with joy and excitement as if its the first time he's telling the story. Make sure to ask him about the big painting hanging on the restaurants wall. You cant miss it, its the center piece of the restaurant, and like its owner, it's story is comical,...

We don't leave a lot of reviews but we really enjoyed our experience with Mauricio, who is very passionate about food and his restaurant (more so than the average Sicilian, which is saying something). He was very entertaining, informative, and a very good chef.

Food is subjective, but I think we recognize good cooking when we taste and see it. We're from San Francisco, so we're very much a fan of local, fresh, farm to table, healthy, and natural. The food at Macalle reminds us of California modern cooking. Good technique. Good taste. Flavors are balanced. Some nice creativity. Good use of local ingredients.

My perspective on this restaurant is that Mauricio is putting a modern spin on Sicilian cooking. He wants the ingredients to speak for themselves, so he's avoiding overly saucy, salty, pungent, and in your face dishes. If you're looking for that sort of thing, this is not the place for you. He's much more subtle than that. He's also not a molecular gastronomy sort of guy either. That's why i think his restaurant would fit in nicely in California.

Highlights for me were the swordfish dish lightly dusted in breadcrumbs and spices and perfectly cooked. I really enjoyed this one. He also served us a very nice tuna dish. Well executed.

We also ordered two seafood pasta dishes. Good flavors and delicate, not heavy. I also enjoyed the wine selection.

I can see this restaurant improving over time as well, as he ventures into new directions. I'd love to see him take on some heartier flavors but put his own twist on things.

Would definitely come back if ever in Ortygia, which i hope to be.

Hopefully, this review helps the visitors. In summary, if you're looking for lots of cream, tomato, or pistachio sauces, this is the not the place for you. Think fresh, local, balanced,...