Italian - The Hungry Nomad

Baking, Dessert, Italian food, Italy, Recipe, recipes

Authentic Tiramisu Recipe

April 1, 2016 No Comments

Serves: Approximately 12 Servings

Ingredients:

– 6 egg yolks

– 1 cup white sugar

– 1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese

-1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

– 2 cups of espresso (cooled off)

– 2 packages lady fingers (approx 24 lady fingers total)

– 1/3 cup alcohol of your choice (grand marnier or rum)

Topping extras

– 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (dust)

– 1 (1 ounce) square semi sweet chocolate (shaved)

Instructions:

Chill large bowl in the fridge.
Combine the 6 egg yolks and 1 cup of sugar in the top of a double boiler.
Reduce heat to low.
Stir the egg yolks and sugar for about 10 minutes. (This step is to coddle the egg and prevent eating raw eggs). Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool.
Once cooled, beat the mixture until light in color and thick.
Add the mascarpone to the whipped yolk-sugar mixture. Blend well.
Add 1 tablespoon of espresso and mix until thoroughly combined.
Whip the whipping cream in the chilled bowl until stiff peaks are formed.
Gently fold the whipping cream into the yolk-sugar mixture and set aside.
Split the lady fingers in half.
Mix the expresso and alcohol and pour into flat dish.
Dip lady fingers and soak in espresso mixture for less than 5 seconds until soaked. (Not too long or it will become too soggy).
Line the bottom and sides of your serving bowl with the lady fingers.
Spoon half of the filling over the lady fingers.
Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers and top with the filling.
Sprinkle the top with cocoa powder and chocolate curls.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight.

Total prep time: 30 minutes

Food

Pizza Domenica- Uptown (New Orleans)

June 1, 2014 No Comments

New Orleans is buzzing with energy and new developments on all ends, especially in the dining scene where it seems that new restaurants are opening monthly if not weekly. The latest exciting restaurant opening is Pizza Domenica the newest addition to the Besh Restaurant Group led by the talented Alon Shaya of Domenica Restaurant and named as one of Travel and Leisure’s Hottest New Restaurants in the USA.

Pizza Domenica is located Uptown and takes a more casual approach to Italian dining. The counter-service layout is interesting to say the least if not a bit confusing. Diners line up and choose their order from a large chalk written menu on the wall. They then pay at the counter and are given a number cleverly placed on a bottle of olive oil. They then wait for a table to become available. Once one is available you are quickly escorted to the table and a server then comes to bring your order. If you want to add to the order you can do so at the table. Which begs one to ask, why then does one have to order at the counter? The entire process was a bit confusing and frustrating to say the least. Many diners have since complained of this aspect of the restaurant but on the numerous occasions I’ve visited since it’s opening, we found it to be straight forward and efficient.

The food on the other hand is outstanding as can only be expected from Alon Shaya and his team. First up was the garlic knots with a side of whipped provolone cheese dripped in olive oil. This little piece of heaven was so good that I could go back only to have a bite of this. A warm, gooey twisted dough tossed in garlic butter served with an airy, light and creamy dip made with provolone cheese.

As for the pizza there are 19 to choose from and really you can’t go wrong. My favorites so far have been the ‘Basil Pesto’ and the ‘Calabrese’. I have yet to taste the other 15 unique pizzas offered on the menu. As for the actual pizza itself, the dough is baked to a perfect crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. The toppings are generous and fresh with a ham slicer in the open-concept kitchen to slice the proscuitto and other toppings on the spot. It can’t get better than that!

Overall, Pizza Domenica is yet another great addition to the New Orleans dining scene. So good that since it’s opening I have driven from Lafayette to New Orleans just to get another bite out of their pies.

BYOB, Food, Italian food, Pasta, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Blogs, Pizza

Philly’s Best Italian Restaurants (Philadelphia, USA)

August 21, 2013 No Comments

Italian food is something that just about everyone is familiar with, especially in Philadelphia. Since the city does have such a big Italian population, there is no shortage of Italian restaurants around the city. That being said, some are more satisfying than others and really go above and beyond to provide a delicious meal for foodies.

1. Modo Mio

Modo Mio, located in Northern Liberties, is definitely one Italian place that is not to be missed. This BYOB restaurant has both A La Carte and Turistica menus in order to satisfy all customers. The Menu Turistica is a prixe fix menu that provides diners with a four course meal. This is a great option for people who want to try a variety of things and have are having a hard time deciding which tasty meal they want to order.

If you want to opt for the A La Carte menu instead, some of the offerings include Risotto Fritti, which is a crispy fried risotto cake, and Zuppe di Pesce, a seafood stew.

If you are a lover of Italian food, you’ll undoubtedly be able to find something you like here. Modo Mio offers up everything from lamb to veal to the even more adventurous calves tongue, so you can be sure that if you like trying new things, you’ll be able to do it here.

Dessert is another part of the meal that shouldn’t be skipped at Modo Mio. Some of the desserts you can get are a Flourless Chocolate Cake or the more traditional Tiramisu. If you like Italian desserts, get the latter of these two because this tiramisu is both light and fluffy.

With a menu that changes to accommodate the change in seasons, you’re guaranteed to get a fresh, phenomenal meal at Modo Mio. I’m willing to check out any Italian restaurant that includes the Italian specialty meat, rabbit, on the menu, but if that doesn’t sway you, there are tons of other things on the menu to fulfill you.

2. Osteria

This restaurant is one that certainly deserves all of the buzz it generates. Osteria’s Chef won the 2010 James Beard Foundation Award which should speak for itself. I’ve only eaten here once, but it was one of the most phenomenal dining experiences I have had in Philly.

The dinner menu here is pretty extensive, and all of the dishes I tried on it were fantastic. Some great meals to check out are the Slow Roasted Pork Belly, the Wood Grilled Octopus, the Chicken Liver Rigatoni, and the East Coast Halibut. All of these dishes have a lot of layers to them, but still manage to capture the difficult simplicity of Italian cuisine.

Although I’ve only tried the rigatoni, I’m sure any pasta dish here would be amazing. The pasta at Osteria is hand-made, something which really makes any dish superior since so many Italian restaurants opt for pre-made pasta to save time.

If you’re not in the mood for pasta, Osteria also has a wide selection of pizzas to choose from. The pizza options begin with the traditional, light Magherita pizza and end with pizzas like the Lombarda which comes with a baked egg, bitto cheese, mozzarella, and cotechino sausage. With options like these, any thin-crust pizza lover can find at least one pizza on the menu to try.

If you haven’t been to Osteria, it’s time to check it out. If you have, it may be time to return. This inviting, hip restaurant appeals to a wide audience, so if you do decide to go, the best thing to do would be to make a reservation. Once you do this, you’ll be ready to experience one of Philly’s best Italian restaurants.

3. La Viola

Although La Viola is a non-Italian family owned business, this restaurant provides diners with some fantastic Italian food. In fact, La Viola is such a busy spot that the family ended up opening La Viola West right across the street from the original BYOB location. The West location is open seven days a week while East location is closed on Mondays. However, each location differs slightly in hours, so in order to keep from getting confused, it’s best to make a reservation beforehand.

Some review-worthy appetizers are the Insalata Caesar and the Zuppetta di Cozze. The zuppetta is a bowl of mussels that you can either get with a white wine sauce or a red tomato sauce. I’ve tried both, and while they are good, the plum tomato sauce has a lot of flavor and a hint of spice to it, so it’s definitely the winner of the two.

Another featured dish is the Vitello alla Viola, a dish consisting of veal medallions, seasonal fruit, and prosciutto di parma. There is also another plate called Ravioli alla Viola which is a rich lobster ravioli meal served with a creamy rose sauce. No matter what you get though, La Viola is guaranteed to satisfy any diner looking for Italian food in the Rittenhouse Square area.

4. Amis

Right in Washington Square, Amis is a Marc Vetri owned Italian restaurant. If you’re not near Osteria, but you’re craving Italian food, Amis is a great restaurant to visit. The menu is large enough so that everyone can find something to eat, but still focused.

The menu is split up into sections like Bruschetta and Antipasti di Pesce that make it easy for diners to jump right to the type of food that they want for that night. While there isn’t a laundry list of options for sections like Bruschetta, the options that Amis offers up are great.

Another thing that makes Amis stand out from the hordes of Italian restaurants in the city is that they make all their Salumi in house. When you order the Salami del Giorno or the Mixed Salumi Plate, you know you’re going to get some of the highest quality food out there.

With creamy polenta, salty pecorino, and tender meats, Amis hits each dish out of the ballpark. While this may seem like enough to make any restaurant a hot spot, Amis also has several inventive pasta dishes to keep customers coming back for more.

Dishes like the Roman classic, Cacio e Pepe, and Paccheri with Swordfish and Eggplant Fries are only a few of the pasta options on the menu. Amis is able to keep diners interested and it’s not surprising that it has a dedicated following. If you’re on the search for fantastic Italian food in the city, Amis is one restaurant that should definitely be on your list.

I’ve never met anyone that downright dislikes Italian food, but if they did, I’m sure that if I took them to any of these restaurants, they would change their mind. With homemade pasta, fresh ingredients, and creative dishes, all of these places are some of Philly’s brightest stars in the restaurant scene.

Food, Italian food, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Blogs, Pizza, USA

Philly’s Top Pizza Places (Philadelphia, USA)

August 7, 2013 1 Comment

If there is one food that everyone has a strong opinion about, it’s pizza. This debate includes everything from the appropriate thickness of pizza crust to the right cheese to sauce ratio. Having spent most of my life in the pizza place that a family friend owns and four months in Rome, I have developed my own strong opinions about this popular pie, and have come to scrutinize pizza places in America much more harshly than before. That being said, there are a few places in Philadelphia that I enjoy going to when I am craving a big slice of pizza.

1. Pizzeria Stella

It shouldn’t come as a shock at this point that I am a fan of Stephen Starr restaurants, and Pizzeria Stella is no exception. While there are appetizer and salad options, the emphasis of this restaurant is on pizza. When I tried this place out, I really enjoyed the Zucchini Pizza. This wood oven pizza came with tomato, zucchini, and ricotta. I particularly enjoyed the ricotta because it added a richness to the dish that made it more filling than your average veggie pizza.

The San Daniele is also a great option because it packs a flavorful punch with each bite. This pie comes topped with prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula, which are all flavors that have been universally recognized as complimentary. Depending on your taste, one of these pizzas may seem more appealing to you than the other, but on the off chance that neither jump out at you, there are a dozen more options on the menu to satisfy all kinds of people. If you’re a pizza fan and enjoy Starr restaurants, Pizzeria Stella is a fantastic place to check out, especially since you can watch people rolling out dough right in front of you!

2. Angelinos Restaurant and Pizza

I have several friends that live in the Fairmount area, so when I visit them and I’m in the mood for pizza, I like to go to Angelino’s. With more options on the menu than Pizzeria Stella, this restaurant appeals to people who like a wide range of classic Italian-American dishes, including hoagies, strombolis, and Italian paninis.

However, since this is a post about pizza, I’ll stick to the stars on that list. My two favorite pizzas here were the West Coast and Angelino’s Mediterranean Special. The West Coast pizza is a white pizza that comes with sundried tomatoes and ricotta. I think sundried tomatoes are incredibly flavorful, and the ones here are delicious. They add another layer of flavor to the dish. I also enjoy the Mediterranean style pizza because I love the combo of spinach and feta. I think that the two flavors are very different in strength, so they go well together. If you’re in the area and want some good pizza this is a great kid-friendly restaurant to check out.

3. Pietro’s Coal Oven Pizza

If you’re in the mood for gourmet pizza, but don’t want to go to another Stephen Starr restaurant, this is a great place to check out. I always get the Roma here. Although I doubt the validity of this name considering I never saw a pizza in Rome that included chicken, artichokes, and bacon, this pizza is Pietro’s most satisfying one. There is just enough of each of those three ingredients to add flavor to the pizza without being overwhelming. The chicken was tender and the bacon was crispy both times I’ve gotten this, so I was pretty happy with my order. I would suggest trying to get one of the pizzas on their pre-made list though because if you like a lot of toppings, the build your own pie option can get pricey very quickly. If you’re spending a day in the Rittenhouse area and are craving some pizza, Pietro’s should be a place you consider going.

4. Rustica Pizza

I’ve only been to Rustica once, so I can only attest to the flavor of the one pizza I have had here, but it was so good that I felt compelled to add it to my list. The pizza I did get was called Bistecca del Tartufo and was phenomenal. This white pizza was topped with juicy truffled steak and caramelized onions. I enjoyed the flavors and felt like I was getting everything that I love wrapped up in one dish: pizza and steak. There wasn’t a thing that I would change about this pizza and I’m really glad that I got it. I don’t spend a lot of time in the Northern Liberties area, but if I did, I’m sure I would visit Rustica more!

5. Birra

I think that Birra is a fun and satisfying way to fulfill your pizza craving and is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. The pizza isn’t the best in the city, but this restaurant certainly has the most character when compared to the other places on this list. The best pizzas that I have had at this place are the classic Margherita and the Pear & Gruyere White Pizza.

The Margherita is fantastic for those who like the clean, crisp taste of cheese pizza, but want to add a little pizzazz to it, which is accomplished by the basil. However, if you’re the more adventurous eater, the Pear and Gruyere Pizza is the way to go. This pizza is fantastic for any lover of the sweet and salty combo. The creamy Gruyere cheese balances the sweet pear well, while the arugula adds a hint of pepper to it. For people who love to pair a beer with a pie, this place is especially great because they have an extensive beer list, including Strongbow hard cider and various Italian beers.While this place probably appeals to the younger crowds and is usually busy, I would suggest stopping in one day to get the Birra experience.

I have had some truly awful pizza before, but never at any of the places on this list. While I’m still waiting for that magical bite that reminds me of Rome, I don’t mind grabbing a pizza from one of the places above. The next place I want to try is definitely In Riva since I’ve heard amazing things about it. However, even more than that, I’m hoping that a great pizza place will open up in the Temple area. Pizza is a controversial yet universally loved food, and now that I’m back in Philly, I’m sure I’ll try a ton more pizza places in the upcoming months.

Food, Italian food, Philadelphia, USA

Rustic Italian at Melograno- Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia, USA)

May 3, 2013 No Comments

Melograno is an Italian restaurant located in Center City close to Rittenhouse Square. We went on a Friday night without reservations (which they now take despite being informed otherwise online) with high expectations. The rustic Italian decor adds to the great ambiance. Our table lined against the wall was very close to our neighbors which made it a bit uncomfortable given that we arrived early and there were not too many diners so the noise level was down leading to an uncomfortably intimate dining situation. Our server was nice and attentive. The food was good yet nothing particularly stood out.

For our starter we shared the Prosciutto di Parma e Rucola. A plate of arugula prosciutto and shaved parmigiano served with a lemon vinaigrette. It was a really nice consistent dish that I would order again. For our entrees we ordered the Pappardelle Tartufate and Risotto ai Gamberoni (See Menu).

The Pappardelle Tartufate is usually a favorite of mine. The ingredients in this one happened to be ground up to a paste mixture consisting of wild mushrooms, walnuts, truffle oil and pieces of pecorino. I was not a big fan of the mixture in this form nor was the Count who was forced to switch his plate with mine halfway through the meal.

The Risotto ai Gamberoni was a delicious plate of fennel risotto served with fresh shrimp, goat cheese and wine reduction. It was very creamy and fragrant without tasting too fishy.

For dessert we shared a warm chocolate cake with strawberry reduction. It was served within minutes leading me to believe that these are pre-made and microwaved. I am sure I was not wrong because it was too hot and did not taste like it was freshly baked.

While the meal at Melograno was okay, it certainly did not stand out amongst the many restaurants in the city serving Italian Food. It is more an institution serving faithful diners that come back year after year who refuse to dine elsewhere.

Philadelphia, Travel, USA

A cheeselover’s wonderland at Di Bruno Brothers- Italian Market (Philadelphia, USA)

April 30, 2013 No Comments

A trip to Philadelphia is never complete without a visit to the Italian Market made world famous by the scene in Rocky where Silvestor Stallone runs through the streets as a struggling boxer. But beyond the land of Rocky, it is the land of Spaghetti, Rigatoni and Fromagi. And if you are a cheese-lover like me you will not want to miss a trip to Di Bruno Brothers on 9th street (909 South 9th) where you can get your hands on more than 400 varieties of cheese, olives, bread, pastas, charcuterie and so much more. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable and won’t say no to persistent attempts to try every single cheese on the menu.

Food, Italian food, Philadelphia, USA

Popolino- Northern Liberties (Philadelphia)

April 2, 2013 1 Comment

What do an Irish, a Moroccan and a Mexican have in common? Popolino! Peter McAndrews the owner of Popolino- the Irish, our server- Moroccan, and the manager- Mexican! You wouldn’t be able to tell walking into the restaurant which feels as Italian as you can get. You may even feel like you are walking into an episode of the Sopranos waiting for the director to call “cut”.

As a fan of Peter McAndrew’s Modo Mio and Paesano’s we wanted to try his other restaurants starting with Popolino (meaning ‘commoner’ in Roman dialect). The experience at Modo Mio was so amazing that we went in with really high expectations for our meal. And while the two restaurants have many things in common including the menu tourista, it ends there. Even though many of the items on the menu closely reflect those offered at Modo Mio- the quality of the food and service was definitely not the same.

At the center of this BYOB restaurant was the Tavola Calda, a ‘hot table’ selection of room temperature antipasti Roman Style ($10). As one of the starter options, diners could walk around and choose from all the different dishes.

We tried the hot table, Mozzarella in Carozza, Arugula Salad and complimentary bruschetta. Amongst it all the mozzarella in carozza dish stood out as the most delicious: a large stuffed Italian bread, egg dipped, pan friend and served in a creamy anchovy caper butter.

The starters were the best part of the night since the pasta left us all unsatisfied. The Bucatini all’Amatriciani was overcooked, slightly cold and lacking the amazing flavors we tasted at Modo Mio. The Gnocchi di Castagne was my least favorite. The gnocchi itself was doughy and chewy. The best part of the dish was the chestnut and ricotta sauce mixed with mushrooms, white wine and tomatoes. It was again a disappointment especially when compared to the gnocchi served at Modo Mio. The Cannelloni with oxtail and Gorgonzola cheese was the best of the three dishes. Although, I found it to be too oily and greasy.

Only one person from our party tried the menu tourista as it really is an abundance of food. For the mail meat dish, our friend ordered the Porchetta. A crispy roasted suckling pig served with coriander, goccia, porcini and provolone gauzetto. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy every bite, ranting and raving about the experience. As for the rest of us, we looked forward to our dessert.

The desserts at Popolino are standard desserts available at most Italian restaurants. Amongst our orders were the Panna Cotta, tiramisu and chocolate cake. While they were all good, none stood out as being outstanding and memorable.

Our friends, being Philly natives did not seem overly impressed by Popolino and I had to reassure them that Modo Mio was quite a different experience. This restaurant has a lot of potential given that it is a McAndrews establishment, the menu looks good and the decor is brilliant. I only hope that in time the food becomes as good as McAndrew’s other restaurants.

Information
Tavole Calde (or “Hot Table”)
Menu Turista
Cash Only
BYOB

Opening Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday & Sunday
Lunch – 11.00am – 2.30pm
Dinner – 5.00pm – 10.00pm

Tuesday – Closed

Philadelphia

The Hungry Nomad at Nomad Pizza- Bella Vista (Philadelphia, USA)

March 1, 2013 1 Comment

A restaurant serving brick oven Neapolitan pizza? In Philadelphia? Called Nomad Pizza? This I had to try! If not for the pizza then for the creative name of the restaurant.

Nomad pizza is tucked away right off of South street in a two story building. The first floor of the restaurant being the smaller of the two consisted of the large brick oven, counter top space and a few tables. The side stairs take you upstairs to a much more spacious dining room where a communal dining table lines the middle of the restaurant with separate seating lining the walls. The large screen at one end is used for their movie nights. The menu consists of some delicious locally sourced salads and pizzas (see menu). I also learned that Tom Grim, co-owner of Nomad Pizza and 14 of his staff members had just returned from Rome where I assume they ate a lot of Roman pizza. I’m sure they have new fresh off the boat Italian tricks to implement into their dishes. As for our meal, we started off with a roasted root salad.

It was simply divine. Pieces of local organic wood fire roasted beets and carrots, atop a bed of garlic sauteed pea greens, topped with balsamic reduction and finished with garlic chive chevre. The root vegetables tasted earthy and fresh like they were just picked out of a garden out back.

Next, we had the margherita ($12), arugula con proscuitto ($18) and truffle pecorino ($18) pizzas. A lot can be said about a pizza shop when tasting their margherita. It’s the simplest pizza on the menu but often times the tastiest. It begins with the dough- a good pizza dough is the basis for a good pizza. The dough at Nomad Pizza was the perfect dough: perfectly chewy, savory and the right amount of crispy with just the right number of char spots lining the crust.

The margherita could have had more tomato paste as despite the generous portion of mozzarella cheese it was a bit on the dry side. As for the other toppings there was a wide range of offerings on the menu. My favorite for the evening however, had to be the truffle pecorino. However, eyeing our neighbor’s pizza there seem to be many other delicious varieties that I have yet to try.

The arugula con prosciutto consisted of arugula greens topped with prosciutto di parma. It was delicious despite it also being on the drier side.

If you like the taste of truffle oil, you will really enjoy the truffle pecorino pizza. The chewy pizza dough was topped with mozzarella di bufala, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, fresh egg, with tartufo and truffle oil. The egg was blended on the pizza table-side.

While completely full after our fabulous meal, the site of a nutella pizza on the menu was too good to resist. And so of course we had to try it. It was the same pizza dough slapped with generous amounts of chocolaty nutella, crunchy hazelnuts and strawberry (instead of banana as requested). One thing that we all noticed was the aftertaste of garlic. It ruined the taste a bit…but not enough to outweigh eating all that nutella.

Overall, we all really enjoyed our meal at Nomad Pizza and will definitely be going back for their next movie night

Philadelphia

A Vetri-licious experience at Amis- Washington Square (Philadelphia, USA)

February 26, 2013 6 Comments

Marc Vetri’s Amis is on the top of every Italian restaurant list in the city (and arguably the country) and of course was on my list of places to try during our year in Philadelphia. My visit came in a timely fashion right before the James Beard Foundation released its nominations for this year’s culinary awards. Marc Vetri was just nominated for Outstanding Chef and Brad Spence was nominated for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic for his efforts at Amis. After dining at Amis I can’t say I am surprised for their nominations. Simply put- dining at Amis was one of the most amazing Italian food experiences I’ve had (in and out of Italy).

If you are looking for large, red sauce-drowned portions of cheap Italian including the likes of eggplant parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs do yourself a favor and skip Amis. But if you are looking for a sophisticated Roman Italian food experience that one would expect only at a trattoria in Italy, then do yourself a favor and make yourself a reservation at Amis.

I was introduced to the fine italian cuisine of Marc Vetri after visiting Osteria very early in our time in Philly. Of course, Osteria blew us away and I had no doubt that Amis would too. I had studied the menu prior to our visit like the food geek that I am and knew exactly what I wanted to try (see menu).

Antipasti-

The night started off with bountiful glasses of red wine and a basket of fresh baked bread and cheese. As the cheesemonger that I am- I first ordered the baked pecorino.

The baked pecorino ($10) was, well…like the name states- baked. Drizzled with almond honey with two slices of grilled bread. The salty flavor of the pecorino cheese, the sweet honey and crunchy almond made for a perfect dish. I could have had more of that all night and I would have left satisfied. But there was more… much more.

The eggplant caponata ($8) was served inside of an eggplant. Chopped and cooked pieces of gooey eggplant, tomatoes, olive oil and more of that delicious bread.

The swordfish meatballs ($10) ( a first for me) is another popular item on the menu. Three pieces of fish balls served over creamy polenta and crunchy pine nuts. It was my least favorite dish of the evening (only because there were so many other tasty treats).
The fried cauliflower with pecorino and salsa rossa ($9) was a beautiful colorful serving of meaty cauliflower, fried and sprinkled generously with pecorino cheese and salsa rossa. I’ve been seeing a lot of cauliflower on menus these days and I have to say that it makes me happy. It’s such a beautiful vegetable and if cooked right can be absolutely delicious. The charcuterie platter consisted of three different meats along with complimenting spreads. The pate and mortadella were my favorites. Pastas:

I was quite full by this point but could not resist trying some of the handmade pasta dishes offered at Amis. First off was the Paccheri with swordfish and eggplant fries ($18). What an amazing combination of flavors and textures. I rarely eat fish with pasta but the swordfish was so meaty and full of flavor. And there’s nothing I enjoy more than eggplant in any shape or form. The eggplant fries were such a wonderful additional to the pasta. Overall, I loved this creative pasta dish.

We also ordered the pasta special for the evening which was a bucatini pasta with almond pesto and jalapenos peppers. I’ve never tasted something quite like it. I’m still dreaming of this dish. The bucatini was cooked to perfection in a creamy sauce with the added crunchy texture of the almonds and a spicy kick from the jalapenos. Simply amazing.

Dessert:

I know what you are thinking. This girl can eat! And yes I can because to me no meal is complete without a good dessert. And boy did Amis deliver in his category once again. I’m still dreaming of the rice pudding and the hazelnut chocolate cake special.

The “tartufo al bacio” a round chocolate and hazelnut semifreddo with amarena cherries ($10) was perfection.

The Tiramisu was perfection! Exactly what a tiramisu should be. Creamy yet light layers of mascarpone cheese, rum and espresso soaked lady fingers and bittersweet chocolate powder for taste. If you want to try the best tiramisu in town you should definitely try one at Amis. What really won me over was mom’s rice pudding ($8) and the hazelnut chocolate cake special. The rice pudding took me back to my own mom’s rice pudding she used to make when we were young. It was absolutely delicious. Milky and creamy topped with pistachios and amareno cherries. I highly highly highly recommend it.
I was a kid in a candy store. Every single dessert plate was fantastic and absolutely the best dessert I’ve yet tasted in any restaurant (no exaggeration). The special for the evening was a hazelnut chocolate cake which let’s just say I singlehandedly polished clean. No words or photos will do justice to just how amazing this was. As a lover of Nutella, anything that combines chocolate and hazelnut will win me over. This cake was so decadent, so rich, so good. I hope they make it a regular part of their menu. Everyone deserves to taste a piece of heaven.
And so with that our evening at Amis came to an end. Now I understand why Anthony Bourdain made a point to dine here on his two day trip to Philadelphia. It simply is one of the best Italian restaurants offering authentic Italian cuisine.

Philadelphia, USA

Osteria- Fairmount/Art Museum (Philadelphia, USA)

July 25, 2012 2 Comments

It has almost been a month since our move to Philadelphia and I have settled in familiarized myself with the city and the dining scene. After some research online I found the top 50 best restaurants in Philadelphia on PhillyMag‘s website. Determined to find out for myself I started my culinary adventure at a James Beard Foundation 2010 Winner Osteria.

Jeff Michaud won best Mid-Atlantic Chef in 2010 and the restaurant was nominated for the ‘Best New Restaurant’ in 2008. Not surprising given that everything from the decor to the wine and house made pasta was beyond perfect.

We went on a Friday night with reservations…a good thing since the place was full. The restaurant is beautiful. It has a rustic yet industrial feel to it. The best part was the glass covered patio looking onto the church next door. It was quite the experience.

As soon as we were seated, we were given our regular menu and an ipad for the wine list. That was a first. Is that what restaurants are doing these days? Anyway, I found it to be a bit confusing and wonder what the not-so-tech-savy crowd would do when selecting their wine.

The menu offers homemade pastas, thin crust pizzas and wood grilled meats and fish. We skipped the antipasti and went straight to ordering our entrees: the lombarda pizza (thin crust pizza with baked egg, bitto cheese, mozzarella and cotechino sausage- $18), the robiola francobolli (postage stamp ravioli served with royal trumpet mushrooms, butter and thyme- $16) and the farfalle pasta (farfalle pasta served made with smoked chorizo, zucchini and aged goat cheese- $16). See Menu

The Lombarda pizza was served exactly as it was described on the menu. The crust was perfect and crispy yet not burnt on the bottom. A few burnt bubbles on the top but not enough to ruin the taste. The flavors of the cotechino sausage and baked egg with the cheese blend and sprinkled herbs made for a perfect combination. The Count and I both loved it and found ourselves eyeing the last piece. I of course always get the last piece since the Count is too nice to say no (but mainly because there was so much more good food to come).

The primi pasta dishes were both delicious. However, we both agreed that the robiolla francobolli was the better of the two dishes. The dish was creamy and covered with butter and Parmesan cheese and quite literally melted in my mouth. It was the first time I tried such a pasta and thoroughly enjoyed every bite. I would have licked the plate if I could but it was a classy joint so I held myself back.

You can really taste the freshness and superior quality of all the ingredients in each bite. Hand made pasta is just something else and in my opinion should become the norm in all Italian restaurants.

Dessert consisted of the butterscotch bonet and chocolate flan with pistachio gelato. When our server described the butterscotch bonet I pictured something resembling a creme caramel. Hence, my surprise when I took the first bite. It was very rich in texture and nothing like a creme caramel. It was doughy and very heavy, drizzled with caramel sauce. It was the one thing I did not like all night. But of course it depends on personal preference.

The Count ordered the chocolate flan and advised me against the butterscotch bonet. So, with eyes that said ‘I told you so’, he refused to share his dessert. You may remember that we refer to him as Count Chokula for his love of all things dark chocolate. Of course he gave in and ended up sharing with me as he always does! That’s what husbands are for afterall. The chocolate flan was warm and gooey in the middle. It tasted like a flourless chocolate cake. The combination of the chocolate and pistatchio gelato made for a perfect dessert.