Bye Bye Blues

A little over a century ago, Mondello (from the Arabic, meaning “mud harbor”) was a malaria-infested swamp. Now it’s a fancy resort town that was built by the aristocracy of nearby Palermo, Sicily, who, in the early 20th century, erected the most splendid Liberty-style mansions. The place is still impossibly chic today, due in part to this elegant restaurant, where chef Patrizia di Benedetto puts to use the wonderful local fish in dishes such as spaghetti, chickpeas, marjoram and red shrimp tartare or the catch of the day with pistachios and marinated lettuce.