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Charleston
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| Mondello was once a fishing village that grew around a tuna processing plant and which today is famous for its bathing beach - just 7 kilometers from Sicily's capital, Palermo. Mondello combines the beauty of its beach, lined by charming Art Nouveau villas, with a rich and varied offering of local gastronomic specialties. Conspicuously located right in the middle of Mondello Bay, one finds the time-honored Kursal Bathing Establishment, a grandiose Art Nouveau construction built on pilings that, in addition to serving as a center for bathing, sporting and excursionist activities, also hosts the Charleston, one of the great old restaurants of Palermo. |
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Opened back in 1913, the establishment was originally built with reinforced cement and it has recently been restored. For many years it was a favorite haunt of the aristocracy, having the honor of hosting such illustrious personages as the Prince of Piedmont (later the King of Italy), the Duke of Aosta and the last king of Spain. The Charleston occupies the central part of the complex. Nino Tantillo is the head chef of the restaurant and specializes in dishes featuring swordfish. However, as Carlo Hassan, the illustrious maître d'hôtel, explains, one should also try the simply prepared dentex and maigre which are served naturally, without any "fancy sauces", so they can be appreciated in all their wholesome freshness. |
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The first courses that one should definitely make an effort to try include the Spaghetti with tomato sauce, fried eggplant with basil and Melanzana Charleston, a baked first-course dish featuring short pasta, with eggplant (melanzana in Italian), tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. In addition to the already mentioned marinated swordfish, another blue-ribbon dish featured at the Charleston is the grilled roulades of swordfish. There is a copious selection of Sicilian cheeses, outstanding among which are the vastedda from Belice (the area between Palermo, Agrigento and Trapani, in the eastern part of Sicily) and the piacintinu from Enna, near the center of Sicily. Another specialty of the house is represented by their dessert list. In addition to the not to be missed cassata, one should also be sure to try the delicious almond semifreddo (ice-cream cake) served with hot chocolate sauce. The wine list features an extensive selection of Sicilian DOC wines (Denominazione d'Origine Controllata) / Quality wines produced in a specific region), plus the establishment boasts one of the best collections of whisky in all of Italy. |
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 Charleston
Viale Regina Elena - 90154
Mondello (Palermo)
Tel. 091.455851
Closed: Wednesday (only during the winter)
Seating capacity: 500
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