In San Vincenzo, the Pirate’s seafood mastery

The Pirate arrived in San Vincenzo from his homeland on the island of Elba. He knows everything about waves and fish, currents and crustaceans. He’s a cutting, irrepressible, eccentric and even picturesque character: an old sea wolf – born in 1956 – who investigates the waves like someone simply and distractedly observing some provinces of his empire. There are some twenty people in his crew (pardon me, team), what with Nautica, Mistral and Mariva. Three kitchens surrounded by the aroma of the sea, the softness of the dunes, the magic of the pine grove and the Mediterranean brush, scattered inside Parco di Rimigliano, along one kilometre of white strand overlooking the promontory of Piombino and the silhouette of the island of Capraia. We’re in the heart of the beautiful coast of Livorno, between San Vincenzo and Baratti, the so-called Riva degli Etruschi. Good fish rules, of course.

Marcello Rossi, aka the Pirate, is an old acquaintance in the restaurant scene, «at my La Lucciola in Marina di Campo, Elba, Bruce Willis would wave bye-bye from the helicopter after dining there. And I was the first, over 15 years ago, to present bonito preserved in oil...». Old memories from a career that began part by chance, part as a provocation: his grandmother ran a hotel in Polinago (Modena) and served clients trays full of tagliolini and tortellini. His father was a butcher and sold cattle, following the family tradition. He opened a simple osteria focused on meat in Portoferraio, «I was a waiter, but enjoyed wearing the cook’s uniform. So I found myself in the kitchen without even knowing why».

There were no steaks in his future, though, «I married my sea», and his best men were experts such as Elio Cioni «aka Ventola, a great fisherman from Elba who taught me how to boil octopus, dry cod and fill squid», or Donato Carrisi from Ponza, another prince of the nets, «he’s the one who taught me about bottarga and bonito. And taught me how to eat the Atlantic stargazer». And there were other masters too: «Giovanni Vittone, Adelmo Imparata…».

He rapidly lists names that are certainly not famous, but describe a training from the bottom, a genuine one, with the best local seafood, «our beautiful lobster, we find them from Elba and Capraia southwards, are delicious when I make them with cognac. And then there’s tub gurnard, monkfish, snapper, European lobster, red tuna, paddlefish, ray… ». He’s a sort of living encyclopaedia of the best fish; after some experience in Germany, in Berlin, he’s now stably at San Vincenzo, fourth season at the helm of three kitchens. Two are right in front of the sea, Nautico Beach specialised in fresh fish and Mistral which also serves grilled meat (Limousine, bred in Italy) but we also tasted some excellent Heart of cod tempura with purple potatoes, beetroot carpaccio and coriander mayonnaise. Young Carmelo Conidi from Pizzo Calabro is in charge here.

Then, when in the evening you want a more researched meal, you have to go for Mariva, perhaps after a relaxed afternoon in one of the establishment’s reserved “oases”, where you can enjoy exclusive secluded spots on the beach, with sunbeds and gazebos, and accurate service. Here Rossi is in charge of the kitchen with the essential support of Alessandro Paonessa, 32, who’s also from Calabria, like Conidi, but from Filadelfia (Vibo Valentia)

You can taste some really excellent dishes: above all Black tortello filled with sea urchin and burrata in mussel and clam guazzetto. Other convincing (and very much so) dishes are Cantabrian anchovy with ricotta granita, toasted pan brioche, confit yellow cherry tomato and red onion from Tropea, Seared scallop with lemongrass, fennel cream with liquorice and air of lemon, Sautéed squid, panna cotta with garlic, courgette and purple potato rosti, passion fruit dressing...

While you move from one dish to the next, the Pirate looks at you and smiles and shows his real nature, a fake grouch: you eat with pleasure, he sees you and looks happy: his sweet sea blue eyes show all the satisfaction of an ancient passion, as big as the sea.