Step inside the door, and you will feel like distant cousins arriving for a much-anticipated family reunion. Momma and her helpers stir, sauté, and ladle in the kitchen. Papa smiles, greets, and oversees the smooth operation. Sons, cousins, and uncles wait tables and serve the eager, hungry guests. Everyone is happy to be there and ready for the main event – a meal at La Tagliata — to begin.
There are no menus. Everyone pays the prix fixe. You eat what has been grown in the organic gardens, along with other selections Momma has brought home from the market. Her recipes. Her choices. Everything delicious.
La Tagliata is also a Bed and Breakfast, so you could spend the night if you are smart enough to make a reservation. If you come for lunch, you will be treated to a panoramic view of the Mediterranean from each of the three terraces. At dinner, the food and the atmosphere take center stage.
The first course consists of at least 8 vegetables, served on colorful, hand-painted ceramic plates. Most of those vegetables were still on the vines or in neatly planted rows that very morning.
The second course is pasta. You are in Italy, after all.
Next comes an overflowing plate containing 5 different meats that have been grilled to perfection. Salad and potatoes accompany the meats.
For dessert, various puff pastries and layered tarts drizzled with glazed fruits are offered along with a bowl of sweet seasonal chunks of fresh fruits. Not a lot of sugar. Just flavor, texture and that ever-present color.
As the dessert plates disappear and final beverages are served, Momma herself emerges from the kitchen to greet her guests and accept compliments and applause. You’ll be on your feet cheering with all of the other diners and hoping for a moment to thank her personally and give a hug. She deserves generous praise for a scrumptious, unforgettable meal.
La Tagliata sits high above the picturesque coastal town of Positano. Situated like most of the buildings in this region, it clings to ledges on the rocky cliffs making use of every available inch of space. Not much in Positano would be considered “handicapped accessible,” so plan a visit while you’re healthy and mobile. Very few parking spaces are provided. You will want your innkeeper to call and ask for the restaurant’s van to be sent or request a taxi. If you drive, you will likely be looking for a vacant shoulder on the narrow, winding, two-lane road where you are least likely to be hit by a careening bus or Vespa.
My only regret about the evening at La Tagliata? I wish I had eaten more slowly and taken more photos. Lunch and the spectacular view the following day would have been the best possible way to wrap up our visit to Positano. Next time.
Check out all of the photos and information on their website (in English) at www.latagliata.com