Le Grand Bleu by “UNA cucina” Restaurant
A restaurant by the sea in Taormina
There's a corner of Sicily where the scent of the deep sea and salt floats in the air, coloured with pistachio and salmoriglio sauce. It's a wonderful open-air theatre where the star of the show whatever the time of day or night is the Immensity of the Sea: the water that stretches out as far as the eye can see and all the creatures that inhabit it, whether they're real or come from our childhood imagination, and that have always given us something to dream about and make the Blue even more appealing. The Deep Blue. The Big Blue. Resisting it is futile.
Of course, the stars of Luc Besson's film The Big Blue couldn't resist it: a film about friendship and the visceral passion for the depths of the sea of the two world champion free divers, Jacques Mayol and Enzo Maiorca, played by Jean-Marc Barr and Jean Reno.
And nor could UNAHOTELS Capotaormina resist it, which, thanks to the service and the menus of the restaurant La Scogliera in Taormina - now Le Grand Bleu by "UNA cucina" - is why it was chosen as the location for some unforgettable scenes from the 1988 film: in them too the incredible beauty of the surroundings was their accompaniment at lunch and dinner, together with a unique regional culinary experience.
Le Grand Bleu (The Big Blue), the 1988 film by Luc Besson - At the restaurant
A menu by the sea that tickles the taste buds: start with some anchovy arancini with fondue of caciocavallo from Ragusa, or the best of the day's freshly caught raw fish, before moving on to a pasta or rice course starring the flavours of the sea, like durum wheat spaghettoni with clams, bottarga and datterini tomatoes on a pistachio cream or Carnaroli rice with turmeric and yellow pumpkin, raw Mazara del Vallo red prawns and caper powder. There's a wide range of mouthwatering dishes for the main course too, from amberjack to swordfish and the classic frittura di pesce - fried fish.
At Le Grand Bleu, fish is the king of the table, paired with the most typically Sicilian flavours: pistachio, calamint, capers, Etna EVO oil and last but not least u'sammurigghi, or salmoriglio sauce.
No meal should end without savouring the soft ricotta of our cannolo, or the tempting homemade ice creams, as you look out over the immensity of the sea and your mind dreams of mermaids and dolphins playing together in the Deep Blue.
The restaurant is open to hotel guests and non-residents and is located at sea level, with a spectacular view over the bay of Giardini Naxos and Etna. It can be reached not only from the hotel, but also from the sea via its own jetty. The restaurant serves a full à la carte lunch menu with grilled fish specialities, while at dinner it becomes the perfect romantic setting for a meal by candlelight, with an à la carte menu featuring the catch of the day, offering a sophisticated range of cuisine that is never less than amazing.
Le Grand Bleu (The Big Blue), the 1988 film by Luc Besson - By the pool
Opening times:
Lunch: 1.00 p.m. - 3.00 p.m.
Dinner: 8.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m.
Open from May to October for lunch and from June to September for dinner, depending on weather conditions.
Our menu lunch >
Our menu dinner >
For reservations and information:
E. hotel.capotaormina@unahotels.it
T. 0942 572818