Agriturismo Le Vigne Ducali

I came here hoping to have dinner at an agriturismo, not for a luxury room, so my expectations for the room were already low. Still, I was disappointed. It looked unchanged since the 70s and badly needed a makeover. You could hear every word from next door, which meant no sleep after 8am. At 80 euros a night, the room felt overpriced given its condition and the very remote location, about a 50-minute drive from Cagliari. The restaurant was also closed that evening, despite it being a bank holiday. I’d mentioned the day before that I wanted to eat there the next day, so they could have told me. As it happened, the trip was a waste of time and fuel.

The meal was great value: food and wine for two came to €36. We enjoyed the antipasti and the lamb, while the Sardinian doughnut for dessert was just ok. We called ahead since the holiday season was only starting. We were the only people there, so I suspect they opened especially for us. The place itself was unremarkable, with a bit of a run-down working men's club feel, but the food was authentic and good.

Christina, the cook, said all the ingredients in her typical Sardinian cooking come from the Mandas region. The atmosphere was very friendly, the place is simple, and the price was extremely fair. If I could, I’d give it six stars. There was fresh-baked bread and local red wine alongside a generous menu: antipasti such as mushrooms, wild asparagus and thistle stems, two kinds of ravioli with typical Sardinian fillings, grilled pork, and fried pastry filled with fresh sheep’s cheese and topped with honey. It was far too much food, and I recommend finishing with the homemade grappa with honey.

We stopped here for lunch during our Trenino Verde trip. The staff were really friendly, and the food was very tasty.