Al Barilotto Del Nonno, Positano, Italy

After taking a breathtaking (and particularly nerve-racking for the individual in our party without a Y-chrome) spin along the hairpin twists and turns of the Positano coast, we were both starving and one of us was in dire need of an adult beverage.  As it turns out, parking is practically non-existent in this area so pedestrians are forced to park on the side of the narrow roads and walk amongst the crazyass people who pass on blind curves as though they are immortal (I'm talking IN the road...no sidewalks around these parts). Ummm....NO.  Not this here wussy.

Therefore, we drove a bit past the main hub of Positano and came upon a quieter area with roadside parking directly across the street from an unbelievably quaint restaurant and B&B with a gorgeous, vineyard-like outdoor dining terrace overlooking the Sea of Capri. Honestly, if you're looking to (literally) charm the pants off of someone, this could very well be your golden ticket. Family owned and operated, we were made to feel like long lost (and oh-so-welcome) clan members from the moment we sat down.  Oh, dear...looks like there's more pasta in my immediate future. So glad I wore my stretch pants (the fact that they're the only ones that still fit notwithstanding).

Some of most gorgeous olives on the face of the earth were delivered as an amuse-bouche for our nibbling pleasure as we perused the menu.  Locally picked and brined in-house, they had a pleasingly firm texture and a fresh taste that put their mushy, jarred counterparts to shame. Amazing.

Cheese and cured Italian meat platters are to Underdog what foie gras is to me, so it was a foregone conclusion that we would order it. One of the prettiest and tastiest renditions we enjoyed on our trip!

And can one really consume too many Caprese salads when in Italy? UD, my resident expert, says "no".

Throughout the course of our meal, we so enjoyed hearing the staff singing, laughing and clearly bantering in Italian just inside the restaurant...it was a true, bona-fide experience that was so surreal that I almost felt like I was in a movie.  Entrees were rustic, homestyle and delicious. My simple dish of Tagliatelle Bolognese was so meaty and hearty that it was tough to eat it all...but I rallied and Hoovered down the entire serving.  It was the only polite thing to do.

Dogboy's Veal Sorrentino consisted of thinly sliced veal medallions topped with a little eggplant, cheese and tomato sauce.  I would comment on the flavor...but, sadly, I was not offered a bite.  Since the plate was pretty much licked clean by the time he was done with it,  I was SOL.  I guess the honeymoon's over...even our dogs always get a taste.

Dessert offerings were few and mostly ice cream based, which are not my faves.  Underdog seemed to enjoy his cocoa-dusted blob of somewhat grainy vanilla...but I'm not entirely sure the barely-subliminally erotic presentation of the concoction didn't have something to do with that.

The spousal unit poses along the Positano coast a little further up the road (with our perfect week of weather worsening just in time for our last day in paradise),

Al Barilotto Del Nonno gets a 5 out of 5 possible star rating on TripAdvisor, both as an inn and a restaurant, and the reason for that was abundantly clear.  Charming beyond belief.  Grazie, Nonno!

http://www.albarilottodelnonno.it/en/about