De Santis - Full Menu

We were there with our friends, for a night out. Via Marconi is quiet at this time of year, and the scxorching heat was lessened by a gentle breeze. Mario, the... read more We were there with our friends, for a night out. Via Marconi is quiet at this time of year, and the scxorching heat was lessened by a gentle breeze. Mario, the chef, gave us an abundant starter with local salami and cheeses: we were 5, and we had a double starter that was more than enough for us. A friend is allergic to honey, traditionally served with cheese, and he gave us homemade lemon marmalade giving us some to take away afterwards. Starter included ciabotta or ciambotta, a mix of cooked vigetables in a tomato souce, and tiny tasty portions of parmigiana. We had a lovely pasta alla campobassana: it's a local type of pasta, tagliatelle al filo, with capocollo, pecorino cheese and onion. A gentler, tastier version of gricia, that's carbonara without eggs. Capocollo was definitely tasty, much more than usual guanciale, and onion was thin, just in the background, smoothing the flavours. A Tomahawk of argetnine beef, spiced by the chef with salt and rosemary, was given already spliced and we had trouble finishing it. Side dishes were potatoes not the crispy ones, but still tasty, various types of salad and a lovely cicoria. We ended up with the house cheescake with berries, fresh and light. Local wines were enjoyed, Tintilia expecially. After the dinner, a selection of liquors was offered: Genziana and expecially Brugnolino, an infusion of local blackthorn's fruit. Price was definitely low for the quality and quantity of food: your wallet won't cry and your belly will sing!

This was a find conveniently located in the old part of town. The speciality is steak grilled to order on an open fireplace which gives a really cosy ambiance w... read more This was a find conveniently located in the old part of town. The speciality is steak grilled to order on an open fireplace which gives a really cosy ambiance when you enter. Steak is then served on a sizzling hot soapstone platter. (If you order a little rarer than you like you can finish cooking exactly to your taste at the table. . The menu a good selection of local pastas, mains and vegetables is written out on blackboards and the Mario will enthusiastically describe each one. Even if you don’t speak Italian you will get the idea. Eating there (several times was much like eating in someone’s home. I was made to feel so welcome! By the way, for Americans who judge a restaurant on how crowded it is, don’t worry if it’s not too full of people. Everything is totally fresh and made to order. As an aside I had the best potatoes moist creamy I’ve ever eaten and wish I knew how to make them at home. See if you can get some of the special local wine (something like “Tintenello” which is only available in the province of Molise. All in all the nicest possible memories of my trip to Campobasso.