The only gourmet restaurant in Sicily with a fully vegan menu is the Secondo Tempo restaurant, located in Termini Imerese;on the northern coast of Sicily. This restaurant offers an entire vegan experience, featuring a meal journey that includes everything from the amuse bouche to dessert. Secondo Tempo focuses on contemporary cuisine, reinterpreting traditional Sicilian dishes by applying innovative cooking techniques. The restaurant uses ingredients that are available seasonally, ensuring that their offerings align with the freshest produce at any given time.
Ten courses, ranging from an amuse-bouche to small pastries, reflect a culinary philosophy exclusively using vegetable ingredients. This is the vision of chef and owner Salvo Campagna at Secondo Tempo, located in Termini Imerese, a town east of Palermo. It is the first restaurant in Sicily to dedicate an entire menu to vegan cuisine among those not specifically focused on vegetarian or vegan offerings. We also note that the Tenerumi restaurant on the island of Vulcano is excluded since it provides a vegetarian menu.
At Secondo Tempo, the menu features no animal-derived foods, including dairy, eggs, honey, or animal proteins. The cuisine consists solely of vegetables, legumes, and cereals, ensuring a delightful and satisfying dining experience.
Campagna opened Secondo Tempo in 2014. It is located in the historic centre of Termini Imerese, just a few kilometres from Palermo. In 2020, the restaurant moved to a beautifully preserved family building from the early twentieth century that once housed an oil mill, which was decommissioned in 1986. The establishment spans several floors, featuring interconnected rooms adorned with stunning original Art Nouveau frescoes on the walls and ceilings. During the summer months, diners can enjoy their meals on the outdoor terrace.
It might seem unusual to envision a completely vegan lunch or dinner in a place renowned for its street food, fresh fish from the surrounding seas, and meats sourced from free-range farms. However, Salvo Campagna (born 1986) had several compelling reasons for creating a menu that utilizes only vegan ingredients. One of these reasons was to address the challenge of finding staff by simplifying the menu. This approach allowed him to focus the attention of both the dining room and kitchen teams on two tasting menus. The first menu, which costs €75, features an innovative selection of signature seafood and land dishes. The second menu, called Coltivare, is entirely vegan and priced at €69.
The menu, titled "Second Time," highlights seasonal ingredients that primarily come from the surrounding area, with a few exceptions, such as the Brussels sprouts featured in a warm salad paired with spicy red bean cream and sweet and sour peanut sauce. Instead of using eggs, the chefs incorporate various starches or simply use water and flour to create cheeses, utilizing almond, soy, rice, or cashew milk. The vegan culinary world is vast, and this menu delivers on expectations, pleasing both the eyes and the palate.
Dishes include cauliflower au gratin, grilled artichokes, legume soup with truffle, and celeriac, culminating in desserts and small pastries. The menu is thoughtfully crafted and balanced, ensuring satisfaction for guests who seek recommendations from the maître d' and sommelier, Erika Shooter.
Write a comment