L'Amalfi - I heart you!

OK so Geneva's restaurant scene, as it turns out, offers a lot - and I mean a lot - of mediocre food. But say what you will, there are a few restaurants in this city that will treat your taste buds with the love and respect they truly deserve. After a few visits to L'Amalfi this past fall, I've come to believe it is one such place. And I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a hearty dish of pasta or risotto. I'm only sorry they're going to be closed for the next 10 days, I would have loved to schedule a couple of my holiday meals there.

Located in the hospital neighborhood (between Plainpalais and Champel) l'Amalfi is unique in that it specializes both in Italian and Argentinian fare, but truth be told, so far I've only tasted their Italian dishes. I'm told their Argentinian meats are just as good though. I love their octopus salad starter which I've ordered a few times now. You can make your own dressing with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar bottles you'll find on your table. The octopus is served warm and with a few slices of chili peppers, the salad packs just a little bit of heat. The combination of flavors and textures just makes this dish a winner in my opinion. If you enjoy seafood and especially octopus, I would definitely recommend this as a starter.

The pasta and risotto dishes are so good that I wonder if I'll ever try the Argentinian specialties at l'Amalfi. The chianti and sausage spaghetti is as unexpected as it is delicious, and frankly, I could probably just keep ordering it every time I go back, but it would be unfortunate to miss out on the delectable risotto experience the restaurant offers. And the sausage and Provola risotto is the kind of dish that will keep one warm and satisfied during Geneva's long, cold winters.

Pictured below: an octopus salad starter, followed by chianti sausage pasta and sausage and Provola risotto.