Good Evening!
Yes, DR MBarnum, I am feeling better.
I went up to school for about an hour, and practiced. Well, more like piddled. I did, however, finish going through the remaining scales I had yet to cover, and I spent about 30 minutes on some filligree passages. I just wasn't into it tonight. I just knew it was not going to be a productive practice session. But after five days in a row, I guess I was due for a little break. I also had dinner - food - on the brain, so...
I decided to give this new Italian carry-out place a try. The guy who runs it has two very good Italian restaurants in town, and this little spot is his latest venture. There's a small selection of Italian groceries - pasta, beans, olive oil, cookies, etc - in addition to the hot food offerings. It's a small menu concentrating on pasta and pizzas.
For my "trial supper", I chose:
The House Salad - When I opened the styrofoam container - remember, this was a carryout place - the salad didn't look too appetizing. However, after a few bites, I realized that the mix contained some wild greens and herbs. Very tasty - they just didn't look like a "typical" salad. Oh, and the dressing was a simple mixture of very good and green(!) olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
-Oh, and the "croutons" were two nice wedges of bread studded with sesame and fennel seeds which had been buttered along with red chile flakes and minced garlic. Some of the best "garlic bread" I've ever had.
Suppli al Telefono - These are the classic mozzarella-stuff rice croquettes. Well, I guess I should say, "These were..." And they were good too. -The "telefono" comes from the look of the melted cheese after you bite into them and stretch the rest of the croquette from your mouth. The strands of cheese look like telephone wires. Well, like telephone wires in Italy, I guess.
Spaghetti Carbonara - A very classic preparation of a classic dish. Pasta, eggs, cream, pancetta and freshly ground black pepper. Very simple and very satisfying. This also turned out to be the bargain of the meal too. Besides there being lots of bits of pancetta, I'm guessing it was a full pound of (al dente) pasta. I actually have leftovers! And all for $7.00! -I also liked that it was served/came in a large soup container - those cardboard type ones. It made it very easy to eat, and I didn't have to re-wrap up the leftovers.
I wanted the vanilla gelato with figs for dessert, but they were out of figs, so I passed. Next time. I guess that just means I'll have to head out later for dessert.
All in all, a very good meal. They also serve breakfast, and I may give that a try sometime soon. Their "breakfast pizza" intrigues me: pancetta, mortadella or sausage with onion and a cracked egg. That's enough to make me get out of bed "early" someday in the near future.
OH! And going along with the names of his other restaurants: Mamma Zu's, and Edo's Squid - this place also had a slightly cryptic name - although it wasn't cryptic to me (and probably not to other HHW-ers):
8 1/2
(in a very Italianate decorative font, of course)
End of review.
