Agriturismo Santa Maria Xilona In Messina

29/12/2024: I had dinner here yesterday for the first time. Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of the highly computerized system that has been adopted for booking, I much prefer to call directly. Furthermore, I was not enthusiastic about the idea of ​​the fidelity program, where consent to profiling and marketing is requested (albeit optional) in exchange for a thousand discounts which at first glance are reminiscent of those of platforms like Temu. The location is pleasant, probably at its best in summer. There are some details that show the commitment to making the place welcoming and modern. However, the room they placed us in was really small, with tables very close together, giving the impression that they tried to make the most of every centimeter. This also made the service corridors for the waiters very narrow. The service was friendly and nice but slow, half an hour passed between the end of the starters and the arrival of the pizzas. Let's move on to the pizza. I ordered a “Cittadella” (raw horse pesto, rocket and parmesan flakes), which intrigued me a lot. In Parma, horse is an institution, and as a lover of this meat, I was eager to try it in this new guise. The pizza had its ups and downs: the dough was excellent, light and digestible, the horse pesto was fresh and of decent quality like the rest of the ingredients. However, the horse was not seasoned, probably to give the customer freedom, which I can understand. However, I would have appreciated the possibility of having the condiments immediately available. After requesting them, I was brought a set without oil, with an almost empty salt shaker and pepper. I seasoned the pesto to my liking with the very little salt available and the pizza acquired much more flavour. For dessert we had an artisanal Duchess of Parma with black cherry and zabaglione to share. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. It is served in a ready-made cup and the eggnog was very dark; I wasn't thrilled with the flavor but it was good. The bill was more than honest, paid in cash, but as often happens in Italy, no trace of the receipt.

29/12/2024: Two fantastic experiences in this pizzeria! Both the pizza consumed on site and the take-away one were simply perfect. The dough is light and digestible, the seasonings are quality and the flavor combinations are really spot on. The service was friendly and attentive. Absolutely must try!