Following the latest ministerial decree in November, Sicily was classified as an orange zone, a measure that resulted in the closure of bars and restaurants to the public and a ban on moving from one municipality to another. Most of Palermo's restaurateurs immediately equipped themselves to enhance the home service (or take away), thus meeting the needs of those who are forced to stay at home, but do not want to give up the pleasures of the table and a good glass of wine. One of these is the Locanda del Gusto which, after a few days of closure to organize the logistics, immediately started a service delivery active throughout the territory of the Sicilian capital.

The restaurant

Established following the revaluation of the historic center of Palermo – culminating with the award of the title of Italian Capital of Culture in 2018 – the Locanda del Gusto is housed in the internal courtyard of a historic Cassaro palace, today via Vittorio Emanuele, the most ancient city. It is managed by three entrepreneurs from Palermo, through the Florida cooperative founded in 2014, which controls two other restaurants: Cutting at the Botanical Garden is RosaÆLia within the Museum Pole of Palazzo Sant’Elia. "In recent years our intent," he explains Daniela Sclafani, president of the cooperative ”, has always been to start a process of rebirth of the historic center, recently returned to citizens and tourists. With our three structures, we wanted to develop a series of in-depth activities of food culture and food and wine experiences at the service of visitors and, above all, of the Sicilian production chain .

The gourmet boxes

"We are sure that delivery can also be gourmet", adds Sclafani. "And this is precisely our challenge in such a difficult moment". Among the proposals on the menu at home, all made by the young and promising chef from Palermo Tommaso Stancampiano, there are three original gourmet boxes, which can be combined with a bottle of wine with a 10% discount. And speaking of wine, Locanda del Gusto wanted to focus on the cellar, making the entire offer of its card available to delivery, which boasts 150 labels, including Sicilian and national, at the price of a wine shop. As for the contents of the boxes, the first is based on fish and includes: swordfish arancinette, panelle and guacamole, octopus salad, shrimp cocktail, sardine balls in anchovy sauce and basmati rice with curry of shrimp. The price of this box is 18 euros, to which another 2 euros must be added for the home. For wine pairing, the chef recommends a Sicilian sparkling wine, Tasca d'Almerita's Almerita Rosé. The second box – offered at a price of 15 euros – instead includes: Montalbano arancinette, panelle and guacamole, meat tartare, red fruits and hazelnut mayonnaise, white caponata, chicken skewers marinated with spices, honey and cashews, basmati rice with chicken curry. In this case the ideal combination is with a great red wine such as Perricone "del Core" from the Sicilian winery Feudo Montoni. Finally, the gluten free box – price 18 euros – with panelle and guacamole, shrimp cocktail, salmon tartare, rice with shrimp curry and veal with tuna sauce, to accompany the Mareneve, an elegant Etna white from the producer Federico Graziani.

How to order

To order at home, just access the food & wine delivery menu of the Locanda del Gusto website and choose from the selection of appetizers, first courses, second courses, ready-made sauces and gourmet boxes. Home deliveries are made every day (except Tuesdays) at the following times: from Monday to Friday from 15:30 to 22:30, while on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 to 14:30 and from 18:00 at 22:30. Reservations: https://disv.it/LocandaDelGusto or call the telephone number 328/9234647.