Andy L.
Yelp
IG: @mrtravelfoodie
I was told that this was a restaurant opened by the great @tomcolicchio from @topchefm6. When my friend came to town, we found a reservation and quickly came to check it out.
From the outside, I didn't think too much of the place. It seemed pretty, had great design and looked like many other restaurants of this style. However, once I entered inside, I loved the art on the wall, the intimate dining space and the open kitchen in the back! By now, you know I'm a sucker when it comes to open kitchens.
What we ordered:
- Bucatini Cacio E Pepe
- Paccheri w/ Guanciale, Leeks, and Rapini
- Lumache w/ Bolognese and Thyme
Let's talk about the Cacio E Pepe... It might look so simple, but my friend said this was the best Cacio e Pepe he's ever had. The texture of the noodles, the flavor of the sauce, the balance of spice, noodle, sauce, savory, and all the elements that come to create this dish made it amazing. I didn't think I would actually enjoy that dish but it was incredibly delicious for such a "simple" dish. Next, the Paccheri was like an explosion of flavors. I don't know how to describe all of it other than I want more. Every bite was just flavor packed, and the ingredients balanced so well to create a very complete pasta dish. Finally, I got the Lumache and this hit me hard when I took that first bite. Initial reaction was am I going to like this? Shortly after, I went into this dish is freaking amazing! The pasta was very Al dents and chewy, so not what I expected, but the bolognese and thyme were so good! This dish is definitely for the meat lover as it had meat flavor with every single bite and after I finished that last bit of pasta, I was left wanting more.
Overall, I was incredibly surprised at how well these dishes were crafted. The flavor profile hit every mark that I could ask for in a great pasta dish and the service was also amazing. Highly recommend adding this to your list!
Rating: 8.9