We went to the little Italian place on 5th for our anniversary — the one with the checkered tablecloths and the hand-written specials board.
The cacio e pepe was the best I have had outside of Italy: black pepper actually cracked in the pan, cheese emulsified into that glossy sauce, no starchy tricks. The burrata with tomatoes arrived so fresh it barely held its shape.
Two things I stole for my own kitchen (with permission, obviously):
- They finish the cacio e pepe with a splash of pan water + extra pepper right before plating. That is where the gloss comes from.
- The burrata was dressed with nothing but good oil, salt, and basil — the cheese does all the talking.
We will be back. I have already started eyeing their Sunday menu.