OmNoms Report - Scarpetta

It's no secret that I love Miami Spice, it's just a great way to get locals to try restaurants they would never normally try, and it brings business to a lot of places that otherwise would have depressed traffic patterns because summer is offseason here.

So my buddy, JoFi and I met up for dinner last night to take advantage of the Miami Spice Menu.  He had recommended Scarpetta, one of his favorites. I have been wanting to try it for awhile, so I was quick to agree.

People, this place is amazing. I am still thinking about my meal from yesterday, and I just want to relive that experience all over again.  It was so delicious, very balanced flavors, perfectly proportioned and great service.  The wait staff was polite and unobtrusive, knowledgable and attentive.

I am not super impressed with the decor (it's better looking when it's darker) but the restaurant does have a great view of the ocean. 

For my menu, I chose the following:

Swordfish Bresaola - This was sort of like a carpaccio, with thinly sliced swordfish over small cara cara oranges and black garlic.  The savory flavors, mixed with the bold sweet citrus was an absolutely phenomenal start. It had great flavor, but it wasn't so bold that it overpowered the palate. Instead it was fresh and delicious.

Spaghetti with Basil and Marinara - This was a strong recommendation from JoFi. It sounds simple, and you may wonder why I choose plain spaghetti at a high-end Italian restaurant, but good lord this dish is perfect. I've been to Italy several times and this is right out of any of the restaurants that I ate in.  The pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauce was bold, fresh and perfectly savory with the parmesan cooked into the sauce (how I prefer it).  I seriously did not want this plate to end. When I ran out of pasta, I mopped the rest of the sauce up with the freshly-baked bread.

Before I move on to desert, I need to sidebar to say that the bread was amazing. AMAZING.  They have bread with thin slices of ham cooked in.  Can things get any better?  They also brought out an appertif with watermelon and burrata between our appetizers and the main course. Very cute and delicious.

To end the meal, I ordered the coconut panna cotta with carmelized pineapple and guava soup. Like the appetizer, this was fresh, delicious and full of amazing flavors and textures. I am a HUGE panna cotta fan, and I loved how they pulled in local tropical fruits to give this traditional Italian desert a decidedly Miami twist.

Would I go back? Absolutely.  Scarpetta is probably my favorite Miami Spice restaurant I have ever been to (with Michy's a close second.)

The best part? The menu goes on until the end of September so go visit while you have the chance!

Miami should have something like this

A few weeks ago I went to visit family in Pittsburgh, and despite being horribly sick, I dragged myself out of bed and down to what they call the Strip District. Contrary to what you may initially think, this is not a collection of porn shops and strip clubs, it's actually a collection of grocery stores and specialty shops. And by grocery stores, I mean in the old-world kind of way. Little specialty shops, like butchers/meat shops, Fish shops, bread shops and more.

These shops are great because the meat is cut fresh, the bread is freshly baked and prices are much lower than you would expect. It surprises me that with our Latin and European populations down here, that we don't have an area like this.

Find pictures below:



This is the most famous store, and my family (all Italians) go here each time we go. The guys behind the counter talk to my grandfather and aunt in Italian, which is super cool to me. The inside:



I used to think this place smelled weird when I was a kid because of all the spices.




You can take any selection you want of salami, olives and cheeses.



There are walls of olive oils, vinegar and pastas

Across the street is a coffee shop, which I thought I would like more, but my brother snapped this cool shot, so I am posting it:


However, I was quite a fan of the Biscotti store. As you walk in, you are hit by a wave of wonderful. yummmm



And down the street from Macaroni is Woley's Fish Market, where you can get lunch or buy tons of fresh seafood:


(I made my brother pose with this guy because I found it hilarious)