The Porta Marina da Salvo is one of a growing number of Sicilian restaurants confounding the stereotype Northern Italians lay on this gutsy regional cuisine. Yes, there will always be the freshest catch proudly displayed for diners' approval, it will invariably be preceded by pasta and the food will be only minimally mucked about with - but that doesn't rule out finesse and sophistication.
Porta Marina is up a tiny lane on the historic and beautiful island of Ortigia, the ancient heart of Siracusa, Sicily's archaelogical jewel. The restaurant, like the island itself, is full of unexpected ruins - its vaulted mediaeval dining room contains an ancient Greek head within its exposed stone walls.
Here, in the most atmospheric surroundings, we ate our fish and pasta in one delightful and unexpected way after another. Chef-owner Salvos di Mauro's inspiration? He says: "It's a love story - my wife, Maria, is my muse".
A tasting menu started with the most delicate tuna tartare, carefully spiced and moistened with the finest Monte Ibleo olive oil. Then we were served morsels of warm octopus, sauteed with paprika on a little bed of crushed chickpeas.
Next came Spaghetti Salvo, for which our host won an all-Italy prize in Milan for the best pasta dish - quite an achievement given how those northern chefs like to look down their nose at the Sicilians. The sauce is a gorgeous amalgum of chopped shrimps, smoked swordfish, tomatoes, almonds, and a little of that superb local olive oil Salvo loves.
"Caviar di couscous" turned out to be a little mould of grain blackened with squid ink and lemon rind, and then, mercifully, we were on to our final savoury course - a single giant prawn wrapped in the "shredded wheat" ketaiffi strands usually seen housing sweet pistachio fillings on the Middle Eastern pastry shelf.
Blood orange rind gave a delicate and unusual lift to the shellfish - perhaps pared from the same fruit which reappeared in a dessert of caramelised blood orange segments. This was actually just one part of a trio also comprising grilled pear and vanilla ice-cream.
With the first few courses we were served a delightfully flinty Terre della Baronie from Milazzo, made from native insolio grapes, before being switched to Tripudium. Like most Sicilian chardonnays, this was rich but much more delicate than over-oaked examples from Australia and California. It was a shock to find so many reasonably-priced good local wines in such a fine restaurant - a wide choice at less than £20 a bottle.
Although the restaurant is elegant, and Maria a very proper and conservative maitresse d' as well as muse, she manages to foster a very relaxed and buzzy ambience. All the waiters keep a constant eye on every table and make guests feel loved and looked after. With food which also speaks of love, It can't be long before Salvo, already recognised by Michelin, is awarded his first star.
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