Broders' Impeccable Pasta

There are good meals and then there are great ones... My most recent visit to Broders' Pasta Bar was one of the greats. Broders' always floats to the top of my mind when I think about solid restaurants where I know I can get a consistently good meal, and that consistent standard is no small order given the variety on their menu. Their whole roster of sauces ranges from classic to truly unique and their perfect homemade pasta serves as the ideal platform for which they deliver their bold, unique and impeccable flavors.

Since Jess and I were celebrating a special night we decided to forgo just simply ordering one of their behemoth bowls of pasta (easily enough for a meal), but rather enjoy our meal over a number of courses complete with a nice bottle of Chianti gifted to us by my incredibly generous parents. After our awesome waitress waltzed us through the menu with an astonishing level of detail and knowledge we decided to start with and arugula pesto and roasted garlic crostini.

It's amazing how such a simple sounding dish can be so amazing. The rustic bread was toasted to a perfect crispness offering a light crunch with a slight give as your teeth ventured together. The intensely green arugula pesto had a tremendous bite at the beginning, but mellowed as the flavors dispensed across the palate yielding to the more traditional cheese and garlic tones that linger at the end of a well-crafted pesto. Calling the roasted and caramelized whole cloves of garlic "sweet" would be like calling James Beard a "fan of food." It offered a perfectly malty and smooth component to excite your buds even though it was following the peppery presence of a pungent arugula. It's amazing how two such different sensations can yield such a satisfying result. They also provided a nice little olive oil sidecar that was perfectly earthy, while adding a nice layer of richness to the dish. I could have eaten a few more slices as a meal and been completely satisfied.

The next course was an insalata primavera -it was too hard to pass up the Sicilian inspired blood orange and olive oil dressing. A good portion of mixed tender greens showed up, and we split them across two plates. As we spooned the greens up we noticed the slightest bit of dressing rolling off the leaves so we got to moving quickly to salvage every last drop of the precious stuff. Broders' doesn't mess around with their olive oil, so I knew the dressing would be solid and the blood orange juice delivered the same citrus component that I grew to appreciate and quickly love when I spent my all-too-short (except for the Sicilian parking authorities) time in Sicily. Whenever food transports you back to a point in time, you know you are enjoying something special.

Now, the degree to which we enjoyed the first two courses is pretty amazing considering I normally just want to get straight to the pasta. I ordered the fettuccine with chicken, olives, grilled artichokes and fresh herbs. The sauce was incredibly light, yet flavorful and the pasta was perfectly tender with just the right amount of chew that to me, is the signal of a wonderfully al dente pasta. The grilled artichokes were light, and took on a nice twist from a slight char on the grill, while the dark portions of chicken incorporated into the sauce yielded a robust result. As much as I liked my pasta, it was a clear second place in comparison to the new front runner for my dish of the year - the tagliarini di Locanda de Lupo. This naughty pasta features prosciutto de Parma, truffle pesto and cream. It's bewildering to think that such few ingredients can create something so amazing. A single bite practically stopped my heart (not sure if it was because I was falling in love, or because I was struggling to process all cream). The pasta sauce was pure velvet, with an indescribable richness from the truffles. The cream and cheese mingled perfectly over the silken pasta, and the little slices of tender prosciutto produced just a slight edge of gaminess that could only be tamed by the decadence of the other ingredients. It was simply amazing.

We had yet another great meal at Broders' and the only thing that could possibly rival the food was the quality of my company. Their dedication to perfect pasta is what makes their classics, classic and their non-traditional dishes inspiring. The only problem is that just about everyone who appreciates good pasta already knows that this is the place in the Twin Cities to get the best, so you may have to be patient to get a table. Thankfully enough, Broders' is expanding their outdoor antipasti bar service so you can enjoy an even wider variety of their awesome antipasto outside. If there is a wait, I would take solace in the fact that it buys you a little more time to enjoy a glass of wine and some of their awesome starters on a cozy outdoor patio. Believe me, the wait is worth it.

A note about the pictures: The food was so good that I forgot to take them until we were half way done or almost finished! It's that good.

Happy Eating,

-Teddy

Trattoria Tosca

I couldn't help but notice a bit of buzz around the Turtle Bread building in Linden Hills last night. Thinking with my stomach, as always, I decided to slow down to take in the commotion. At first I just thought it was for the emergence of outdoor seating, but then I realized that most of the traffic was near the Trattoria Tosca side of the building. I think I had stumbled upon a soft launch. There were several folks near the door and I could see others sitting at set tables complete with wine glasses and everything. There is even a sign up, so I figured they must be getting close. I decided to lob a call in to Turtle Bread to see if the menu was posted and to just be a little nosey and the worker I spoke with mentioned that their first official night would be tomorrow night! A second call to the Chicago Ave. location confirmed the opening tomorrow. I've been excited to check this place out ever since the word first started floating around a few months ago and will get there asap - though due to all the launch delays, I remain cautiously optimistic. My guess is the neighborhood will flock to it, much like some of the other recently opened establishments in the area. Stay tuned for more information to come!

Happy Eating,

-Teddy

Rinata: Al Vento's Twin Sister

The Uptown area has been buzzing about the opening of Rinata (the twin sister-restaurant to Al Vento), an Italian joint that has been breathing new life into the old Georgio's space on Hennepin Ave. Georgio's had fallen off pretty significantly towards the end, and the arrival of Rinata and chef Jonathan Hunt brings a new and credible restaurant to an area in much need of an oasis for good Italian food.

Hunt has been toiling at Al Vento for a few years now, and must have felt the itch to expand on a good thing, because the comparison between the two restaurants is staggering. Much like Al Vento, Rinata's menu is focused and diverse, with a wide range of offerings surrounding the pasta/risotto and pizza category. I've been a huge fan of Hunt's traditional pasta dishes for several years, but noted that he appears to have not carried over his heralded "Mother Sauce" from Al Vento - at least he isn't merchandising it on the menu.

The service at Rinata was friendly (again, an identical trait from Al Vento), but running a bit thin for the crowd that had compiled on a Tuesday night. Our longer then usual wait for first contact was quickly forgotten when our waiter walked us though the menu and displayed his knowledge of the preparations and recommendations. I was feeling like a simple pasta, but after everyone placed their order for more traditional dishes, I decided to test the range of the kitchen by ordering a risotto with braised boar. I'm a huge fan of boar and am quick to order it when I find it on a menu. The only other places I can recall finding it on a menu are Broders' and Heartland. Needless to say, my anticipation was high.

A few moments later our wine arrived accompanied by a nice fresh basket of Rinata's perfectly salty, crispy crusted, but soft centered focaccia. I could have eaten a whole loaf on my own with my earthy red wine, but held off to allow ample room for my risotto. Our waiter ushered our order out much faster then I had anticipated and we all quickly analyzed our dishes before digging in. I couldn't help but notice how soupy the risotto looked. It seemed a bit over sauced (Al Vento is always heavy on the sauce, too) for risotto, but I didn't let that deter me too much.

The boar was more of an extra flavorful pork and lacked the gamy finish I've come to associate it with. It was tender and delicate, indicating that it had been well prepared, but I was expecting a bit of a stiffer bite from a traditionally rich and bold protein. Similarly, the risotto which is typically known for it's creamy texture and comforting finish, was a bit grainier then I expected. The difference between undercooked and overcooked can be a matter of seconds, so it is a fine line to walk and of course everyone has a varying opinion. It still absorbed the flavors of the bold and perfectly crafted sauce, as risottos traditionally do, but lacked the laborious smooth texture I enjoy so much.

I did manage to steal a few bites Jessi's spaghetti and and the two enormous homemade meatballs that accompanied it. The tomato sugo was bold and a step above the sauce you find in most pasta places and the meatballs were second to none. The meat was rich, flavorful, moist and just all around perfect.

I'll be back to Rinata for sure, but will likely stick to something not so dependant on a unique ingredient or move to their lauded pizza. I feel like the Al Vento staff can better handle the more unique offerings, but will make sure to take advantage of the classics that Rinata seems to perfectly craft. Regardless, Hunt has created a second outlet for great Italian food in an area that really needs it, and I look forward to my return.

Happy Eating,

-Teddy