If you’re in the mood to have dinner in Naples this evening, take the staircase that leads up off the well-beaten Upper Borough Walls track and you’ll find yourself transported.
Osteria Partenopea recently magpied into the space vacated by asian-fusion cafe-bar Bonghy Bo and unveiled the results of a stunning refurbishment in July of this year; today, this formerly familiar territory has been transformed into a magical urban oasis starting with an utterly beautiful ‘hidden’ courtyard, all soft lights and lush foliage, that gives way to a sparkling dining room just made for chic chillaxing.
Seated at a beautifully-laid table in front of an eye-catching mural of the Bay of Naples, we agreed that we felt like we were actually there. The whole place was buzzing with mellow dolce vita vibes, a combination of birthday parties, family gatherings and smoochy couples rubbing shoulders without gatecrashing each other’s ragione di vita; a fleet of front of house staff at once welcoming, efficient and clearly proud of the beautiful environment they’re showcasing.
Having cruised around the menu selection over a plate of very, very high end Italian cheese and charcuterie and airy bricks of exemplary focaccia (seriously, you have to do the aperitivo thing here), we steered our ship firstly to Antipasto Partenope: a crisp Pacchero – basically a large tube of pasta – filled with meaty, rosemary-infused ragu and velvety ricotta paired with a pasta fritter that oozed an indulgent, seductive combination of ham and peas in a rich bechamel sauce, mozzarella and parmesan that all playing their part in the Partenopean party: Italian comfort food to the max, generous and joyful, extravagant and sensual.
A second starter of Gamberoni alla Griglia, meanwhile, defined the power of elegant simplicity: four absolutely massive whole prawns drizzled with a subtly herbaceous citrus sauce that perfectly complemented the sweet, buttery almost lobster-like ‘meat’ without attempting to mansplain its presence.
I kept the seafood flag flying with a main course of Scialatielli al Frutti di Mare: a seafood medley bathed in a silky white wine and sweet cherry tomato sauce that wrapped itself around the soft, soft pasta like a cashmere pashmina. Meanwhile, to my right – boom! He’d gone bold: wide ribbons of fresh pappardelle bolstering a deeply flavoursome melange of beef, pork and fennel sausage slow cooked with tomatoes, red wine and all the intrinsic flourishes (oregano, garlic, et al) that characterise the perfect Ragu Napoletano.
My dishes epitomised refined luxury; his, audacious flamboyance – we were Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni… and the gods hard at work at the OP hob played cupid.
Oh, we didn’t want to leave Naples! But when you have to say goodnight, do it sweetly – with, perhaps, a Ricotta e Pera that brings a heavenly combination of sweet ricotta, pears and almonds together in one gloriously pretty dish, and/or a Babà del Golfo: Naples’ very own version of the classic French dessert that brings an almost brioche-light, rum syrup-soaked bun to the OP coda, lashings of sweet strawberries and whipped cream turning us into kids again.
Osteria Partenopea has bought a much-needed breeze of fresh air to the point on the bridge where ancient Italy meets modern Bath history. Once you’re said ciao, you’ll never want to say arrivederci.
