For our first dinner in Salerno, we made reservations at Ristorante Hydra, a Michelin recommended spot with modern aesthetics and a creative Meditterean menu.
We were seated in their secluded outdoor courtyard, which had a really nice, romantic atmsosphere.
They have a tasting menu option, but we decided on doing a la carte. The restaurant gave some grissini and crackers to start, plus homemade bread that was so good with the olive oil.
For amuse-bouche, it was three little risotto balls (I don't quite remember).
Red tuna sashimi, lavender oil and lime (€ 24)
The tuna sashimi was alright, however we didn't taste much of the lime nor lavender.
Beef carpaccio, tuna sauce and capers (€ 17)
Some pieces of the beef carpaccio was sliced a little thick, which had us chewing longer to break down the meat. It also needed some salt. A little underwhelming
Risotto with beetroot, yogurt, lime and raw scampi (€ 22)
Out of all the dishes we ordered, the risotto was the best, but even it was a little underwhelming, It needed salt. We at least tasted the lime, which helped cut the richness.
Octopus, smoked potatoes and BBQ sauce (€ 21)
The octopus was nicely cooked, however this too needed salt.
Suckling pig, pepper, lettuce foam, paprika mayonnaise and lemon caviar (€ 20)
The suckling pig dish was the most disappointing dish of the night. What constituted this as a suckling pig was the crispy skin, but the meat itself was so tough. My husband watched me struggle to cut into the meat, and it was dry. Sauces were bland too.
Overall, we felt very underwhelmed with our dinner at Hydra; food was bland and lacked salt. I would understand if the protein was underseasoned, and the accompanying sauces had flavour but alas, protein and sauces were bland.
The service was nice, and so was the atmosphere. Wish the food was better. It was at that point, the most expensive meal in italy we've had, and I have to say that it's not worth it, nor warrant the Michelin recommendation.
Ristorante Hydra
Via Antonio Mazza, 30, 84121 Salerno SA, Italy
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