Bam Bar — Restaurant in Taormina

Ah, man, okay, so, like, after dodging a few, uh, unfriendly types and maybe doing a little parkour across some rooftops (don't ask), we finally landed at this place, Bam Bar, right here in Taormina. And, dude, I gotta tell you, I was starving. Like, starving. So, they bring out this... "pistachio granita." I'm thinking, okay, ice, maybe some flavor. But, whoa. This wasn't just ice. It was like, if a thousand perfect pistachios had a party and then froze themselves into this super-creamy, intense green dream. Every spoonful was like a tiny, cool explosion of nutty goodness. And the color! And then, the brioche. Oh man, the brioche. I usually just grab whatever's quick, but this... it was like a cloud. Seriously, I picked it up and it practically floated. Warm, soft, a little sweet. Dipping that thing into the granita? Game changer. It was like the ultimate team-up. The brioche was the reliable sidekick, and the granita was the flashy, powerful main character. Together, they were unstoppable. Honestly, if I wasn't constantly on the run from some shadowy organization, I'd probably just camp out here all day, eating this stuff. It's that good. Like, almost as good as getting attacked by assassin's, but way less...

This is one of those places that most tourist guides will suggest you try for their granite, often touted as the best in Taormina. However, this is unlike one of those places that you only visit because of the history associated with it or just to say you've been (like, say, Botte Restaurant across the way with all the Hollywood stars on its walls but only decent fare).

Bam Bar gave us all so much joy throughout our stay, and all for a price cheaper than virtually every other establishment we visited for food or drink (€3.50 for most of the 11+ flavours and €1 for warmed brioche). The service is humble and very welcoming, the flavours strident and various, and the experience essential. Forget your diet at home and get the cream on top too!

The only really minor shame was that we got to try all flavours during our week expect the famed pistachio granite, which was slated for a Saturday batch that never materialised. We later discovered from our transfer driver (who is training in the art) that the margins for pistachio granite are so low for these places that they don't make it often if at all. Fair enough, but do ask in advance if you visit and plan...

The granita is to die for. The best I have ever tasted, even superseding the granita from Castelmola. With regards to service: the service by the employees needs improvement; we were a group of 11 and initially only 9 wanted to join. After a little wait we were given two tables and 9 chairs. After a while the remaining 2 of the group wished to join and we asked for an extra two chairs to be added to the same two tables. The server told us that it was too late and did not want to accommodate. So I asked my two friends to find another table. The owner saw what was going on, came on the server and asked what the issue was. The server explained the situation, and the owner told the server to just provide the two chairs. The owner was even more kind by taking the time to explain the menu, and even took the order. The good service did not end there. An extra table became available and the owner asked us if we wished to swap to a larger outset that accommodates 11 persons. It was a great experience overall and will definitely return. Employees at Bambar should follow on the good example of customer service given...