With its ionic columns, draped windows, and stonewashed walls, this little spot blends in with the rest of Wynwood’s Italian restaurant transplants. And while the stuffy white tablecloths and seductive ‘70s slow jams don’t do much for the atmosphere, there’s sincere effort coming from the kitchen. It shows in the pasta.
Dinner starts with a thud. The appetizers, like watery fried zucchini blossoms and a creative (but bland) tomato tartare, are disappointing. But everything changes when the cacio e pepe and carbonara hit the table. These housemade pastas are grilled over charcoal, which gives them this subtly smoky backdrop and a satisfying springiness. So skip the appetizers, zoom in on the primi section of the menu, and finish with their juicy cotoletta.
Food RundownUovo
This single $26 egg is breaded, fried, and topped with truffle. It would be fine if the cheese foam were a bit saltier, and the dry mashed potatoes didn’t ruin the whole thing.
Tartare Di Pomodoro
There’s a lot of stuff going on here: stracciatella, grilled beets, and tomatoes chopped like tartare. You’d think it would explode with flavor, but it barely registers.
video credit: Virginia Otazo
Risotto Gorgonzola
By this point in the meal, another complicated dish is a justifiable red flag. This risotto comes with pieces of champagne gel, green apple cubes, and is prepared tableside. Thankfully, it gets it right where the appetizers got it wrong. It’s delightfully refreshing and creative.
video credit: Virginia Otazo
Carbonara Alla Brace
The noodles in both the cacio e pepe and carbonara are finished on a grill, which imparts a smoky flavor that coats the pasta. But the carbonara is also just a great version without that step. It’s yellow from the egg yolk and comes with diced guanciale.
video credit: Virginia Otazo
Cotoletta Alla Milanese
Big, thick, and crunchy (but not overcooked).
video credit: Virginia Otazo
Dining and Cooking