Esoticum In Genova

If you are looking for real seafood, prepared with respect and technique, Esoticum is the place to go. I went for dinner without huge expectations and left already planning my next visit. The ambiance is cozy and beautifully decorated, creating the perfect atmosphere to relax and enjoy a great meal.

We went here with a 50% discount thanks to TheFork. Nothing special, the food was good (but not amazing), and the tiramisu was a smaller portion if you're at a 50% discount, but if you don't book through TheFork, it's a larger one. We really noticed the difference with the people at the table next to us. For €35, we got two starters, two desserts, and water. Honest and affordable. I'd gladly return at this price. Well done, the waiter!

Extensive menu. Very unique and beautifully presented dishes. The quality of what I ate seemed good, but the final result didn't satisfy me. More than anything, it was the consistency. The price was much higher than expected. I was able to dine with a special offer from a popular app, but the value for money seemed high, even at 50%. That should have been the original price at most. What struck me most was the bar, which offers a wide selection of bottles, but they're all empty. And there's no choice for a digestif.

A tiny restaurant across from the Hotel Porto Antico. It's small but well-maintained, with a stunning frescoed ceiling and a very kind waitress. Traditional seafood and meat dishes, with a few creative twists, but without overdoing it. I tried the exquisite bigoli with pesto and the salmon with pea cream, which was truly delicious, both soft and crispy, without being either raw or stringy (the risks of this dish). Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo of the pistti, which were worth it. I'll be back to try the rest, because it's worth it. The prices, in my opinion, are reasonable.

Careful cooking, carefully crafted dishes, and quality ingredients: which is why my choice of squid ink risotto left me a bit perplexed... all "sweet" ingredients (raw shrimp, burrata, rice) that overall were too delicate, lacking in flavor. The rest, however, was pleasant and satisfying! A thought I often find myself making: that without the TheFork discount, the bill would be quite expensive.

A great experience spent in the company of good friends, everything very fresh.

Chicken in salad was dry, mussels were not hot, charged 4 Eur/pp to sit was highest we had in Italy.

Excellent food and exquisite à la carte dishes! The only thing I'd improve is the toilet service.

Nice little place. Excellent food and great service.

If I could give more stars, I would. The food was delicious, the service was courteous and professional. A special mention goes to the waitress; I've truly never seen anyone like her in this establishment, which I've known personally for 25 years. Highly recommended. I had asked for a candle on my wife's chocolate cake, but they went that extra mile to make the customer feel special: they played the happy birthday song, and the waitress sang along and showed genuine happiness. Small gestures that make a difference.