Catharine F.
Yelp
We parked in the rear parking lot and saw the vespas. Then we walked in and saw the pay phone and knew we were in for a unique dining experience. We were seated quickly and given a table with a view of the alfresco supper room. Our server is Italian and welcomed us with water and basket of bread.
We noshed on small bread bites and cut & airy, focaccia bread with hints of garlic dusted with parmesan cheese. Our server went over the specials in great detail. We were overwhelmed and realized we were not in Kansas, anymore.
We started off with the burrata special. The pouch of mozzarella revealed a center of stracciatella and clotted cream that I last had at my local formaggiaio in Philadelphia. The burrata was resting on spring mixed greens, dashed with EVOO and chopped basil, surrounded by sliced wedges of tomatoes in red and yellow with a generous serving of reduced balsamic vinegar, thick and tasty. With each bite, my taste buds exploded with buttery, milky, and sweet deliciousness.
Main course was salt baked branzino, served with garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, and sautéed broccoli rabe.
Our server impressed us by cracking the salt shell open right at our table! The salt layer insulates and flavors the branzino from the outside while fresh herbs flavor from the inside. The fish, drizzled with EVOO, was melt in my mouth tender bites, full of flavor and NOT salty.
The potatoes were creamy seasoned with garlic. The asparagus was grilled perfectly tender with dash of salt & pepper. The broccoli rabe sautéed with just the right amount of garlic chips.
The chef checked on us to confirm our satisfaction but it did not end there...dessert.
Our eyes widened to the choices. We wanted to sample all but resided on the Cassata Siciliana, "a sweet pastry with ricotta filling, almond and citrus essence with chocolate chips". In all my years of eating, buying, and preparing Italian foods, I have never tasted such creamy delight. It was a blend of almond, citrus, bite of cacao with a hint of sweetness. It was a perfect ending to a great evening. Grazie.