Famous Death Row Last Meals
Debunking Beer Can Chicken: A Waste Of Good Beer, And Dangerous
Mamma mia! This morning's pasta pic has us stuck in noodle-craving mode. Comforting, hearty Italian eats never get old for us Slashfoodies, so we put together a list of our unforgettable, lick-the-plate clean faves from red-sauce trattorias to fancy-pancy eateries.
As with our sandwich post and followup (in which you continue to comment, nominating your beloved sub shops) we want your vote. What'd we miss? Which chicken parm or scallopine di vitelo should we be booking plane tickets to feast upon? Hit us up in the comments, and in a few days we'll post a master list of Slashfoodies' favorites.
Savelli's, Knoxville, Tenn.
Blink and you'll drive right past the hole-in-the-wall where Mama Savelli's Chicken Surprise, bursting with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and a creamy lemon sauce, will take up permanent residence in your best food memories bank. We really amore the BYOB policy. -- Gretchen Roberts
Vetri, Philadelphia, Pa.
Marc Vetri's cozy 40-seater has its share of naysayers, but with impeccable service and amazing food in a warm, intimate setting there's no better spot to celebrate a special occasion. -- Mike Pomranz
Franny's, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Known for its thin-crusted tomato, mozzarella and sausage pizza, this petite Brooklyn joint also whips up silky pastas with natural local ingredients like spinach and farm fresh eggs. -- Max Shrem
Augustino's, Hoboken, N.J.
Double-thick sautéed pork chops topped with hot and sweet peppers cause jaws to hit tables. We didn't come up for air until our plates were spotless. -- Sarah Christine (aka The Hungry Bride)
Convivio, New York, N.Y.
A well-crafted love letter to Southern Italy that is refined without being fussy with dishes like expertly charred octopus and malloreddus -- a weird, wonderful marriage of sea urchin, crab and gnocchi. -- Rebecca Flint Marx
...the final three after the jump!
Aurora, Brooklyn, N.Y.
This Italian eatery in Brooklyn serves up pasta so fresh, we realized what we've been missing. -- Sara Bonisteel
Lupa, New York, N.Y.
Yes, it's famous, but this chill trattoria is hard to beat for pasta and features the meanest spaghetti with red sauce we've tasted (though we plan a trip to buzzed-about Scarpetta, too). -- Alex Van Buren
al di la, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Good luck getting a seat in this wee, no-rez, shabby chic Brooklyn fave. Chef Anna Klinger's Swiss chard and ricotta malfatti with brown butter and sage will haunt you to your dying day. -- Kat Kinsman
4-22-2009 @4:59PM Jim said... While I do like B&B, I'm rather partial to the Batali/Bastinich Enoteca San Marco both at the Venetian in Las Vegas. Mostly the kind of food that is found in much more humble establishments in Italy, there is an authenticity that is startling given the location. Is this the best in America? Maybe not, but it is one of the best I've enjoyed. Il Mulino at Caesar's Forum Shops is also pretty nifty.
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4-22-2009 @5:00PM D-Lish said... al di la, hands down. The seppia & oxtail over polenta app is to die for and the seasonal salads are always complex and utterly satisfying.
Lupa is a close second.
To call Franny's Italian is a bit misleading. Yes, there's pizza, but everything else on the menu (which in my humble opinion is better than the pizza) is purely local American. I realize cooking in this style is very Italian in and of itself, but none of these dishes likely is familiar to anyone from the old country.
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4-22-2009 @6:38PM Vanessa said... Well, this list seems heavily east Coast skewed!! I am on a quest to find exactly this establishment, and I have started with San Francisco for the quest in my blog, www.italyinsf.com.
I think my current favorite Italian restaurant in this country is Trattoria Angelini in LA, tied wit La Ciccia in San Francisco. While Angelini is a native of my region, Romagna, and speaks to my heart wit his home-brewed flavors, La Ciccia specializes in Sardinian food, keeping a honest take on very simple flavors that never fail to astonish me.
Last, let me just add a Comment: Italian cuisine and Italian-American cuisine are different- both good, but certainly different! Pasta with chicken can be delicious, but it's not an Italian dish!
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4-22-2009 @8:23PM nithyadas1 said... I am pretty surprised as well that Franny made the list. I've only been there once but we found the pizza to just be okay. Lucali in Carrol Gardens is a much better pie. Also agree with @D-Lish, Franny doesn't strike me as Italian Italian...interesting list though with some places I'll definitely try out!
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4-22-2009 @9:34PM Alex Van Buren said... @nithyadas1: Oh, man, Lucali! I personally think it's all about the calzone at Lucali-- a "pillow of cheese," Peter Meehan called it at the Times.
@Vanessa: Hey, help us become less eastcoastcentric, please! And thanks for chiming in.
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4-23-2009 @9:54AM Kat Kinsman said... Echoing Alex's sentiment -- we're doing these polls 'cause we realize that many of us are in an NYC bubble. Clearly we don't have a monopoly on Italian fabulousness, so shine a light on other venues worthy of attention.
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5-04-2009 @4:17AM ItalianRestaurants said... It's so hard to choose...most of the Italian restaurants are great!
www.italianrestaurant.com
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5-12-2009 @5:33PM Sandra Campbell said... I think everyone should what I think is the rest italian restaurant in America
il Boccaaccio in Hermosa Beach Ca.
http://www.ilboccaccio.com/
Every time my husband and I take guests they just rave about how great the food is and what a nice place it is.
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5-29-2009 @11:53PM ralph said... Italian food, you are looking for
go to,
IL CASALE, in Belmont Ma.
Sorry, no pizza.
Ralph, from Mangioni Club
our friends love IL CASALE
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