Italy.
To fully appreciate this story you must understand that I hate seafood. Any type. From the battered cod from the chippy, to the snapping claws of a lobster. It's just not right.

About a month ago me and Mrs Bastardo were holidaying on the coast of Italy in Marina di Pisa, a lovely quiet place with lots of family run 'local' restaurants. Most of them tend to cater for the passing English speaking trade but a few are Italian only and one night we stumbled upon one and settled down.
We ordered the wine and other drinks before even looking at the menu, big mistake. And the nautical theme of nets and fresh fish displays really didn't give it away.

We opened the menu and.....'bugger' its all in Italian (not to bad as we can speak a little).....and 'bugger', it quickly dawns on us that it's all sea food.
The staff were all lovely and spoke not a word of the queens and I'm not one for a scene so didn't fancy using cod-Italian to try to explain my way out of the restaurant with my drinks.
So I just ordered something none threatening looking and waited......

The starters arrived. Top! Pasta and tomato sauce. No probs there, at least I've eaten something if all else fails.

Then the mains arrive.

Now the missus likes seafood, infact she orders it whenever we're away at a sea port town. Despite having suffered many a dodgy stomach because of it. And she knew what I'd ordered but didn't want to tell me.

Imagine my horror when placed in front of my are four whole languostines with eyes and all.

Then my missus dish arrived that we were to 'share'. Whole sea stuff deep fried. Yep. Baby squid, baby octopus, white bait, whole shrimp. The works.
Fair play to myself though, I knocked back my wine and got stuck in. It was all flavourless apart from the fishy bits. And I really don't see the attraction. Never again. I had nightmares about little spidery octopus that night.

Still, got the missus back the night after. She was up ill all night after eating some dodgy mussels. :)
( Evil Bastardo, Thu 17 May 2007, 15:04, Reply)