Corso Italia, a new Italian restaurant and market, opened in the 5,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Gastrome in Scottsdale.
Chef and owner Corrado La Macchia’s goal was to open a small version of Eataly, a store founded in Torino in 2002 by Oscar Farinetti as a place were people could eat, shop and learn about Italian food and ingredients. The concept began expanding internationally in 2007.
On a recent visit, there was hustle and bustle behind the cheese and salumi counter centered in the back of the market. La Macchia was shaping orecchiette pasta by hand (orecchiette translates into little ear, a reference to the shape of the pasta). He cut a piece of dough with a bench scraper, covered the rest with clingfilm, divided the dough into two parts and rolled each piece into a long log. Then, using a dinner knife, he cut small rounds, flattened them and pushed them against his thumb for the signature indentation.
Beyond the market, which features products like Italian coffee, olive oil, pastas, pasta sauces and sweets, including a bakery case of sfogliatella, torta della nonna and tiramisu in jars, as well as sampler bites from the deli, Corso Italia ristorante offers a white table cloth, sit-down experience. Whether you opt to dine-in or enjoy something from the market, you’ll be seated. But the menus are different.
What to expect at the Corso ristorante
The ristorante features crudo, antipasti, salads, soup, pastas, entrees from the land and sea and sides. Some examples include oysters, fritto misto, pastas like orecchiette and cavatelli, New Zealand lamb chops and branzino. Guests can choose a cocktail or wine to pair with their dishes.
My dining companion and I ordered orecchiete ($36), which is ususally served with handmade dried-aged beef and pork meatballs and tomato sauce, however when the waiter saw my interest in the sweet sausage, Romanesco broccoli, garlic and oil that came with cavatelli, he kindly offered to switch the cavatelli for orecchiete. We also ordered Faroe Island salmone and a side of papate Corso Italia ($42), Parmigiano crusted smashed potatoes with truffle dust ($14) and calamari brodetto ($22).
Food arrived at the table in a reasonable amount of time and I appreciated that the kitchen divided the shared entrees before bringing them to the table, presented elegantly on white plates and bowls.
One dish was accompanied by house made bread, which had a beautiful, light texture with an open crumb and crispy crust. It was perfect for sopping up the spicy tomato broth of the calamari brodetto, a red stew with chunks of tomato and calamari tubes, sprinkled with parsley and topped with torn basil leaves.
Writer Antonio Attorre likened brodetto to jazz improvisation, open to many interpretations and iterations. In northern Italy the fish stew is made of 13 types of fish; in the south, nine. Corso’s is made of just one, calamari. In this dish, the texture of the squid is just right. In every bite, I enjoyed tender pieces of calamari mingling with bursting, juicy and acidic tomatoes. The basil added a pungent pop. Just add a sprinkle of salt and it’s perfect.
During my visit, the pistachio-crusted salmon was cooked to perfection with the nuts adding an earthy crunch. At the time it was served with a side of sauteed spinach and a parmesan-crusted potato. I added a squeeze of lemon to the fish to brighten the dish.
The other plates were less memorable, but the portions were generous.
What to expect at the Corso Italian market
On the market side, guests are seated at a round table or counter. The menu features hot and cold paninis, salads, pinsas and one or two pasta dishes. I tried the Lasagna al Forno($19), a hot panini called the Norma ($15), a cold panini called the San Danielle ($18) and the Alba pinsa ($22).
The paninis are served with a side of tangy giardiniera (pickled vegetables), which adds the perfect acidity and brine to the sandwiches.
The Norma is stuffed with grilled eggplant, ricotta and basil. Though the grilled eggplant was light on salt, adding the giardiniera with its vinegary brine and basil for an aromatic and piquant kick created a beautifully balanced bite. I also enjoyed the crunchiness of the bread against the creamy ricotta.
Overall, the best dish by far, from either the sit down or deli menus, was the pinsa.
If you go to Corso Italian, don’t skip the Alba pinsa
If you order nothing else at Corso, order the Alba pinsa.
Pinsa differs from pizza in a few ways. The dough uses different types of flour and more water, which means the finished product is lighter. Oval rather than round, it’s hand shaped not tossed.
Alba pinsa is in the binache section (sans tomato sauce) of the menu and is made with porcini mushrooms, truffle sauce and stracchino cheese. As much as I love the flavor, with truffles less is more or their flavor can overpower all else. La Macchia’s restraint in using them made it so that they shone in each bite, but also allowed the earthy flavors of the other mushrooms and the tanginess of stracchino to come through. This is a must-try dish if you love mushrooms.
Plan a visit to Corso Italian
While I appreciated some of the restaurant dishes, the market is a refreshing choice for a business lunch midweek or a light and fun lunch with friends on the weekend. It’s the side I’ll be returning to for Alba pinsa and to try more sandwiches or to pick up a loaf of bread.
Don’t miss: Pinsa, calamari brodetto and fresh bread.
Grand opening: Oct. 7 from 1-6 p.m. The restaurant will provide complimentary food and live entertainment.
Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday – Sunday. Closed Monday.
Details: 7704 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale. 646-645-7083, corsoitalia1.com.
Reach the reporter at BAnooshahr@azcentral.com. Follow @banooshahr on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Dining and Cooking