Puglia is magical.

The Puglia region, a 5 hour drive south of Rome, offers turquoise Adriatic water, lovely beaches, amazing places to explore such as Ostuni, Alberobello, Monopoli, Polignano al Mare, Lecce, remarkable cuisine and reasonably priced, excellent wines.

We stayed in the most incredible apartment overlooking the sea.

For our first dinner in Monopoli, we rolled the dice and came up with a real winner.

We dined in the old city, just around the corner from our place.

Komera Cucina Nostra excels in every aspect.

The food was outrageous, the design very cool. In fact, I could live in that space.

We overordered and loved every dish.

The Shrimp Amuse Bouche was delightful, served with the most delicious cucumbers that tasted like melon along with sweet radishes.

We dipped the freshly baked bread in locally manufactured Pacello Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Olive trees dominate the Apulian landscape.

We kicked things off with an array of fresh, delicious sashimi.

I threw in a Margharita pizza course because we are in Italy…it did not disappoint.

The Grilled Squid was pure joy ($14).

The fresh Tuna was beyond fabulous, the tomato sauce was outrageous ($14).

The pasta was prepared to perfection and the sauce mouth-watering. Naked, homemade pasta has flavor in Italy…not so in America ($10).

By the time the freshly caught Orata arrived, I could not eat another thing ($67).

We selected Mio, a local Primitivo wine and it was fruit forward, velvety and delectable ($17.80).

Owner, Gianni Iaffaldano, who had just returned from his honeymoon in New York City, was a delight and guided us through the menu.

Chef Paolo Marzo is very talented, blending classic southern Italian cuisine while adding a modern twist.

The staff was efficient and welcoming.

I can’t wait to revisit Komera and partake in the remarkable Apulian fare.

Komera Cucina Nostra  79 Via Barbacana, Monopoli, Italy. Open for lunch daily 12-3pm, Dinner 7pm-Midnight. Closed Tuesday.