New Eats: Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

Image
I hate to break it to everyone, but this week's review is far less exciting than the Cowford experience from last week. Zach and I headed to Cheddar's for an impromptu dinner last week and were sorely disappointed. I get it...every new restaurant has its learning curves. We were expecting average, slow service, but our unfortunate experience went far beyond that. Food For the record, we ordered totally normal food and I did no prior research on Cheddar's specialties. Honestly, the food isn't even worth discussing. It was somehow a combination of cold and overcooked with average flavors (at best). The spinach and artichoke dip appetizer was the best part of our entire meal but still completely average when compared to other restaurants. Service Our poor server. He couldn't have been over 16 years old and was waiting on close to 15 tables. With sweat drenching his shirt and an overwhelmed demeanor, we only got to see our server about once every 20 minutes.
1 comment

Recreating the BEST Meal I Experienced in Italy

Osteria del Gato e la Volpe makes the best pasta I've had in my life, and I don't say that lightly. It was so good that I had the same dish, Pici alla Senese alla Burrata, 12 times during my six-week stay in Florence. There's just something about piping hot pasta lightly tossed in the most perfect sauce and topped with a cold chunk of burrata...I'm drooling on my keyboard. Coming home put an end to my Pici alla Senese habit, so last night I did my best to recreate it. Here's how it went:


I'm a good cook, but my palette hasn't reached the level of refinement to guess a recipe I haven't eaten in over a month. So, I enlist the two best chefs in my life, my mom and good friend, Kevin. My mom taught me just about everything I know involving food, and Kevin is a chef at his family's restaurant. Both have greatly contributed to my overindulgence in pasta over the years, so they were the obvious choices.

After everyone arrived at my place with the groceries I asked them to bring, we opened a bottle of Syrah (obviously) and designating a great cooking playlist. I ate this pasta dish so many times that I
was able to point out the main ingredients, consistency of the sauce and notable flavors.

Pici alla Senese alla Burrata (Notes from my amateur interpretation)


  • Roasted, burst cherry tomatoes 
  • Small, thick slices of pancetta
  • Pureed tomato base
  • Sauce used sparingly; just enough to coat the noodles
  • Sweet sauce
  • Gel-like consistency of sauce (most likely reached with pasta water)

Italians cook with such simplicity. Americans, like my mom, Kevin and I, aren't so used to the minimal ingredient list. Kevin is a kitchen dictator (in the best way possible, Kev), so he takes the lead whenever we cook together. We started by cooking the pancetta in olive oil until crispy, then adding minced garlic, diced onion, dried basil, sugar and red pepper. So...we were already getting away from the simple recipe description I provided above. We popped the cherry tomatoes into the oven until adequately roasted then added them and the pureed tomatoes to the pancetta mixture.

Taste Test #1: We're Getting There
This was actually the most successful test of them all. We were so, so close to the perfect sauce I remember. I recommended we add more sugar and definitely the reserved pasta water. 

I turned around for five minutes and must have missed the countless ingredients they added! Taste test #2 was moving in a different direction. Still an amazing sauce, but not the magical Pici alla Senese. 

Taste Test #2: New Sauce, But I'll Take It

Yeah, the complex sauce sitting in my spoon had far more garlic, red pepper and salt than what we were going for. Still, crazy good though. I told Kevin to put down the spices, add the pasta water and step away from the stove. The only thing remaining was to add the pasta water, and boy did it pull the whole thing together!


We served the pasta with sauteed spinach, lightly baked crostinis and a huuuuuge piece of burrata. Was it the same sauce I had in Italy? No. But do I want to add this one to my recipe book? Heck yeah. 






SaveSave

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New Eats: Il Desco

Image
Il Desco ? More like "Eh" Desco. I really don't like writing negative reviews, I mean it. I'm a fan of the Forking Amazing Restaurant Group so it never  crossed my mind that the food at their modern Italian restaurant would fall flat. When the bill is over 100 bucks, the atmosphere and food should reflect it. Drink We ordered a yummy full-bodied Tuscan red and it certainly didn't disappoint. I spotted a wine from "Montepulciano" on the lengthy list and I didn't hesitate. I made a quick day trip to this Tuscan hilltop town while spending my summer in Italy and couldn't resist reminiscing on the flavors from that day. 15 or so samples later in Montepulciano and I was totally sold on the town's wine. Food When I see burrata on the menu you can bet I'm ordering it. What can I say...I'm a sucker for cheese soaked in cream. Unfortunately, the complexity of this dish was that of a brand new chef preparing burrata for the first tim
Read more

Forecasting the Food: Cowford Chophouse

Image
Alright, this is a totally new spin on my "New Eats" blog. The highly anticipated Cowford finally  opened this week and I scored a reservation for this Friday. Heck yeah. Regardless of my excitement, I'm valeting my car and walking in with a very concise set of expectations (take note, Cowford's chef). I know good food, and I certainly know a good piece of steak...so listen up as I chronicle my hopes for my Cowford Chophouse experience. Food Trust me, I've done my research. Prices aren't listed on the online menu, but I've never let that hold me back from ordering food! Clearly, I'm starting with the Duck Fat Cornbread. Maine Lobster and Crab? Yes, please! I'm not so sure if this appetizer will take the shape of a filling skillet of spoonbread or a small sliver of cornbread...all I know is it'll be in my stomach a few minutes after I'm seated. My entree order isn't as obvious as the appetizer. There are 17 choices on the "C
Read more

New Eats: Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

Image
I hate to break it to everyone, but this week's review is far less exciting than the Cowford experience from last week. Zach and I headed to Cheddar's for an impromptu dinner last week and were sorely disappointed. I get it...every new restaurant has its learning curves. We were expecting average, slow service, but our unfortunate experience went far beyond that. Food For the record, we ordered totally normal food and I did no prior research on Cheddar's specialties. Honestly, the food isn't even worth discussing. It was somehow a combination of cold and overcooked with average flavors (at best). The spinach and artichoke dip appetizer was the best part of our entire meal but still completely average when compared to other restaurants. Service Our poor server. He couldn't have been over 16 years old and was waiting on close to 15 tables. With sweat drenching his shirt and an overwhelmed demeanor, we only got to see our server about once every 20 minutes.
Read more