When you walk into the warm, cozy, candlelit, and very romantic space, you feel very relaxed, you are hit with “La Dolce Vita”. The walls, the floors, the 25 or so seats, and the food all bleed Florentine. Carmen is molto sexy, and is, quite honestly, one of the more romantic spots in the city. Owners Jeff and Carmen Malloy built Carmen using inspiration from their travels to Florence. The cozy bar area seats six people and these, to me, are the best seats in the house. The back bar is visually and gastronomically decorated with jars of various “small plate” marinated vegetables, roasted beets, olives, peppers, and Brussels sprouts. The back bar also provides the backdrop, through large windows, to the charming and historic North Square, a real Italian piazza if I’ve ever seen one.

Jeff and Carmen Malloy are veterans of the restaurant wars, having learned their skills as chefs and as managers in the trenches of New Jersey. They both refined their skills in Boston, at some very solid joints; Pulcinella in Cambridge and Pomodoro in Boston. Jeff also worked at Il Panino and at Prezza, both North End heavyweights. The lovely and charming Carmen, whose Italian roots trace back to Calabria, was chief coordinator for a VIP catering company for three years in Spokane and moved to NJ and worked as the catering manager for the Max’s Group (where she met Jeff). After the main characters, the supporting staff is friendly, non-intrusive and knowledgeable. Our server, Corinna Cespedes, not only knew the menu front and back, she also accurately matched the perfect wine with each course. The chef, Tom Gerard, in conjunction with the executive chef, Malloy, work in tandem to offer delicious, minimalist, and fresh Italian food with little twists and turns to make the dishes distinct.

A large bowl of ocean fresh Steamed Wellfleet Clams were served in a fragrant, creamy broth with a touch of homemade mustard and quickly cooked, sweet and crisp fennel. The flavors combined Sicilian, French, and American flavors. The broth was too good to leave behind, and I didn’t. Two generous circles of tasty, not too smoky, Grilled Smoked Mozzarella were served with fresh oven-roasted tomatoes, thin slices of soppressata, and a delicious salsa verde with roasted pignoli. This was an excellent interpretation of a traditional antipasto combining the core ingredients.

The Warm Goat Cheese Salad came with a nice big piece of herb and bread encrusted goat cheese. The greens were extra fresh with sweet grape tomatoes and an incredibly balanced Balsamic Vinaigrette made with smoked bacon. This was a real killer salad for the salad traditionalist, no frills, just solid and disciplined. These first tastes told me a lot about Chef Gerard - he doesn’t over season his food and he balances the expression of flavor. I enjoyed a nice glass of Sardinian “La Cala” Vermentino. It was supple, crisp and dry, with fullness of flavor and very slight acidity.

Now it was time for some starch. Seared Scallops with Butternut Squash Risotto featured large, fresh perfectly seared sea scallops. The scallops had that deep and sweet, wild sea flavor with nutty nuances. The risotto’s texture was in the true Italian manner, firm-al dente. The sweet cubes of butternut squash played harmoniously with the applewood smoked bacon, and the deep and earthy sage brought everything in balance, from the sea and from the land. A circle of the very expensive and very good Rubio Balsamic (imported by Salumeria Italiana) made for a pleasing palate teaser.

Next was a hearty and wintry dish of Braised Duck with Spinach Tagliatelle. The al dente tagliatelle actually tasted like spinach. The duck, cooked confit, was tender and juicy. Combined with the roasted root vegetables (which included parsnips) with a very rich and deep duck stock, and with several dollops of goat cheese, this was indeed a pasta dish to celebrate. Cheers!

The Spice Crusted Tuna was seared rare and nicely seasoned. So good, it was, that it tasted like a filet mignon. Malloy hand picks his seafood at the fish pier daily. It was served with a Celery Root and Potato puree that was straight out of Grandma’s New England Kitchen, just so homey and so comforting. The Phantom Gourmet describes the Slow Roasted Rack of Pork as a “dish worth traveling for”. That may be an understatement. This impressive and massive piece of bone-in pork is succulent, juicy, intense, and tender. Cooked perfectly (which does mean a little pink in the middle) it’s served with a delicious and lightly piquant sauce of mustard, vinegar, grape, and jalapeno. Accompanied by a sauté of vinegary braised cabbage, Cortland Apples, pancetta and potatoes, this was again a New England meets Italia dish.

This nondescript, little, and charming Ristorante, can be lost in the maze of more easily identifiable and centrally located restaurants. Follow the Freedom Trail and you will find Carmen’s next door to Paul Revere’s house. Once you do find it, however, it will become your little Florentine vacation spot.

Click here to visit Carmen's Web site.

“Intrigue” as defined by Daniel Webster; to arouse the curiosity or interest of by unusual, new, or otherwise fascinating or compelling qualities; appeal strongly to; captivate. Tresca is definitely Intriguing. Right off the bat I was lured in by the warm décor, the Italian country ambiance, and the homemade onion focaccia, hand-rolled peppery and salty breadsticks, and an unrivaled rustic, airy, and crusty ciabatta. Welcome to Tresca.

I really love to try and taste as many of the truly “intriguing” dishes on any menu. Tresca offers a well planned and balanced menu that facilitates either sharing many appetizers and pasta’s, or sitting through a luxurious 4 course dinner with wine pairings. General Manager, wine expert, and face of the place, Massimo Tiberi will assist you on finding the perfect wine to pair with your meal. Massimo trained in hospitality and as a Sommelier in Italy. Besides running the day to day operations, he also consults on the menu with Chef Jason Tucker. Massimo’s knowledge and expertise in all that is Italian, is the driving force behind Tresca. Let’s talk about the food.

A well seasoned, tender, and moist Filetto Piccolo, a 5 oz. bone-in filet mignon, came with a lightly dressed, very fresh arugala salad. It really satisfied a meat craving, but as an appetizer left plenty for more. Capesante are extra large fresh diver scallops, firm, nutty, and pure in taste. The cider and balsamic glaze combined with a “butternut, potato” risotto, made the dish multi layered and harmonious. Crostata di Aragosta, is a buttery tart with savory rows of spinach, watercress, sorrel, besciamel sauce and mouthfuls of succulent lobster meat. Decadent, rich, and very sinful, the lobster tart was satisfying like dessert. Gamberoni Veneziane is a preparation that has been overdone in many restaurants, shrimp ragu with beans. Tresca stays true to tradition serving firm and “snap” to the bite jumbo shrimp in a creamy, smooth, and soothing, garlicky and herby white bean ragu.

Next course for any self respecting Italiano is, of course, the pasta. Ravioli di Casa, made in house, filled with woodsy chantrelle mushroom and ricotta. This dish took me back to La Sila, in Calabria. Imagine the provisions from a harmonious country setting that go into making this dish. The pig for the pancetta, the corn from the fields, the ricotta from the cows, the mushrooms from the forest, the wheat from the fields, the eggs from the chickens; all these ingredients from the culinary eco-system. I sensed that this aspect of the restaurant is also interpreted through it’s rustic decor, and deep country style comfort, using soothing colors, warm lighting, and deep earthy tones. Equally as deep and as rich in tradition is a skilled kitchen that maintains the basics as the foundation of the preparation and finality of the food. The chef, Jason Tucker, has taken the task of producing deep and soulful Italian food while maintaining deep traditions. Unlike most chefs that try to stick to a culinary backbone, he hasn’t over done and exaggerated popular regional dishes to make them solely “his” creation. His training and chef positions throughout the years have always involved the “Italian” element. I applaud the way the flavors maintain their individuality and equally complement all the other flavors. One night a special house made fresh porcini flavored tagliatelle pasta in a pleasurable and minimalist porcini broth was welcome and comforting on a cold evening. The generous shavings of black truffles from Alba were a steady reminder of where Tresca is going, it’s direction. The “sink your teeth into” Tagliatelle Bolognese is on my top five Bolognese sauces in Boston. This rich and chewy sauce with veal, pork, and beef, hint of garlic and a subtle sweet anise flavor resonated of earth and soul. Once again those two words keep coming up, earth and soul.

The Main Courses are equally as good and varied as the rest of the menu. The eighteen ounce Delmonico steak was served juicy and succulent on the bone. The gorgonzola reduction accessorized the meat stylishly, not too flashy. Whipped potato was simple, clean and sweet, not over bearing. Cioppini Amalfi, in a delicate and well seasoned saffron and tomato broth was chock full of well cooked fresh lobster, shrimp, clams, and mussels. Agnello Sardo, joyously seasoned Aussie-American rack of lamb with a dainty and herbaceous green puree was top notch. The very tasty pecorino cheese and polenta dumplings once again showed a knack of conscientious and precise pairing of contorno. You won’t leave any meat behind, I gnawed on the bones. A hearty and stick to the ribs Brasato di Manzo, melt in your mouth beef short ribs braised in a Nebbiolo wine with a smooth and creamy polenta was another “hit the spot” dish. The sauce was deep crimson in color and deeply layered in flavor, and the crispy parsnips gave the dish a sharp, contrasting edge. An old style, Italian-American favorite are the succulent and sweet tasting Pork Chops with sharp and tangy vinegar peppers and lightly truffled rustic potatoes. Tresca’s preparation is a notch above the rest. The Chef uses Hatfield pork which is known for their high standards of feeding and raising their animals.

Dessert at Tresca is on the level of the food, home-made and traditional. The Pistachio Nougat Tiramisu was rich, fluffy, sweet, and creamy. Sogno Cioccolato, a molten chocolate “dream” has a heavenly and gooey ganache center. Tresca’s version of bread pudding is it’s chestnut milk and Chocolate Panettone Pudding, which yielded impressive results. The texture and the sweet combinations of the raisins and the chestnut milk once again brought us to the earthy and soulful aspects of this stylish, fresh, and steeped in tradition, new member of the North End family. Welcome to Little Italy.

Click here to visit Tresca's Web site.

Trattoria Il Panino is the kind of place that one would expect to find along the Amalfi Coast. It is a warm, friendly, non pretentious, and food focused environment. From the casual and positive energy of the atmosphere and wait staff, to the serious and professional energy of the kitchen, a desirable marriage of front and back of the house is formed. Il Panino is what it is, thank god. The misuse of the word “Trattoria” may cause non-Italians to think that a Trattoria is something it’s not. Trattoria is a no frills and authentic dining experience, an informal restaurant that serves dishes steeped in regional tradition. Capice?

This is Frank DePasquale’s first location and his baby. Opened twenty years ago, complete with chefs from Sorrento training the staff on all things “Neapolitan”, nothing has changed, it’s as good as day one, if not better. Chef Willie Lopez, his energetic and experienced kitchen staff, and manager Antonio Chioccarelli work to provide a real and heart warming food experience. There are no elaborate and over-done dishes, no crazy garnishes, and not too many words that don’t really mean anything to anyone.

Raised Sicilian, by a mother whose delicate, magical touch with food, both spoiled me and ruined me, make me very fussy. There are dishes that I will never order on any menu, in any Italian restaurant – the main one being a stuffed artichoke. Through the insistence of Antonio, I broke my rule and ordered the Carciofo Ripieno. It was unbelievable. This large artichoke was stuffed with a breading of olives, capers, pancetta, and chopped artichoke stem. The hints of garlic were very subtle and combined well with the fruitiness of the extra virgin olive oil and the sweet, lightly tannic artichoke. Sitting atop a light, lemony, warm, and homey artichoke broth, the flavors reminded me of my childhood; seated with the entire family and mangia-ing on Sunday afternoons.

Melanzane alla Parmigiana, Eggplant Pie, appearing as a thick wedge of layered apple pie, was in fact layers of thinly sliced, egg-dipped eggplant, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, and San Marzano tomato. One ingredient did not overpower the others, minimal amounts of good quality product blended together for pleasing mouthfeel. The way the grated and shaved parmigiano were sprinkled on top gave the appearance of caramelized sugar and flaky pie crust. This preparation reminded me that Parmigiana, when prepared the right way, is something very special.

Fried Zucchini Flowers were stuffed with light, whipped buffalo ricotta and cooked prosciutto. The imported and expensive Ricotta di Bufala is not too widely used in restaurants because of the expense. Alas, what a difference it makes. The flavor, lightness, and subtleties of this fresh ricotta make all the difference in the world.
Italians have been preparing raw and lightly cooked seafood salads for centuries, but somehow the Japanese get all the credit. Octopus Salad arrived as tender, delicate thin slices of octopus simply prepared with celery, diced pepper, high quality extra virgin olive oil, a hint of lemon, and aromatic parsley. I will take that salad over any rubbery and flavorless Tako-Su served in any sushi joint anywhere, and that’s the truth.

One of Trattoria Il Panino’s famed servers, Maria, noticed how we were enjoying every drop of every dish. When asked how everything was, “fabulous” was my only response. She nodded in agreement and said, “The boys in this kitchen here make everything with love.” It’s now making sense why everything is on point. These guys love to cook and it shows.

A nightly special, Tagliolini con Granchio, are homemade tagliolini served in the body of a Jonah crab with a very rich, deep, intense red sauce made with a crab stock reduction, brandy and tomato and essence of tarragon. The flavors were purely from the ocean, a dish that I can see myself eating on a cliff overlooking the bay of Naples. Each bite went down joyously with sips of fantastic Greco di Tufo. However my disappointment grew as each bite left me less pasta to eat. However, I reminded myself that this was work and I had to eat on for the readers benefit.

Pasta Amatriciana was made in the authentic Roman way, with tiny cubes of sweet, smoky rendered pancetta, and onions that dissolved in the sweet, aromatic, San Marzano tomato sauce. Once again, this kitchen showed that all things Italian should be served in the least complicated, highest quality method. Chef Willie shows that he doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to classic dishes; he makes the dishes exercising professional restraint for integrity.

The traditional Neapolitan Aqua Pazza (“crazy water”) was prepared with jump-out-of the-ocean-fresh striped bass. The fish was white and pearly with clean intense flavor. The very light and aromatic Aqua Pazza broth once again demonstrated a disciplined, and light hand that would never let the garlic overpower, a mistake that is made in so many other Italian restaurants. Did I mention the fish is cooked is sea water?

The Costata di Vitello alla Milanese, is a thin pounded, breaded and pan fried to a crispy golden brown, veal loin chop. Served with Arugola and baby tomato salad this is another dish that is so traditional and homey, yet ruined by over zealous chefs who need to personalize everything. The secret, I believe, is a well seasoned house made grated bread and good quality extra virgin olive oil that is heated to the right temperature, not to a temperature that is too high, which burns the sensitive oil and impacts the final flavor. The veal was outstanding, tender to the fork as well as to the bite, with light garlicky hues and clean parsley finish. I ordered this dish knowing it would be prepared right, the kitchen earned my trust after the first couple of dishes.

Probably the highest form of flattery that I could give Il Panino is that this is a place I would take my mother for dinner. The next form of flattery is that this is a place that I know she will enjoy. After eating through half the menu, I can honestly say that this is the kind of restaurant that makes me want to come back for more and more and more ....

Click here to visit Trattoria Il Panino's web site.

This cozy, sexy, upbeat Italian ristorante is named and decorated after the famous and very mysterious Strega Liqueur. Strega is a delicate liqueur with digestive qualities. It is made up of a number of herbs such as mint, fennel, and saffron (the world's most expensive spice) which gives it a bright yellow color. It is also known as “the witch’s love potion”. They say that Strega is an aphrodisiac, you be the judge.

Walking into Strega for the first time, one may feel as if they crashed a family gathering. Don’t turn around and leave, give it a second, pazienza (patience).You will be welcomed as if you belong, as if they were waiting for you, the guest of honor. People are standing, seated, walking around, sipping martinis, and having a great time. There is a group of middle aged Italian-Americans harmonizing in perfect rhythm at the end of the bar. The waiters are hugging and giving the traditional two-cheek kiss to the guests. The hostess smiles and works the room, making sure that all the guests are happy. The bartender seems to know everyone and what they are drinking. People are pointing to the TV screens and reciting their favorite line from their favorite gangster movie. Did I walk into a private party? No, I didn’t. This is the Strega atmosphere. The room is very warm, full of old school charm and with flair of modern Italian design. The colors and the trim on the walls resemble the colors of the very mysterious Strega Liqueur’s bottle.

It took me three visits to sample all the fare and to sample the out-worldly atmosphere. First and foremost the two best waiters, hands-down, in all of Boston are Carlo and Bruno. Not only do they know the entire menu and all the right wines, they can also coerce Salvatore, the chef, to whip up special dishes that aren’t on the menu (a great way to impress your guests).

Salvatore Firicano, born and trained in Sicily, is that rarity; the Italian born Italian restaurant chef. His homemade focaccia, (soft, oily, salty, and pleasantly yeasty, accompanied with an assortment of olives soaked in extra virgin olive oil) alone is worth a trip to Strega. An amuse-bouche of smoked mozzarella wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma and freshly roasted red peppers reminded me how good and simple real Italian flavors are meant to be. Gamberi alla Grand Marnier, expertly sautéed, firm large gulf shrimp and very fresh flash seared sea scallops were served with a Grand-Marnier demi-glaze. The sauce was thick, citrusy, syrupy and clung to the seafood. It was absolutely delicious. This dish is not on the menu, however, ask and you shall receive.

The Rollatini di Nico, from what I gathered, are Rosetta’s (Nicky’s mom) special stuffed eggplant rolls that Nicky grew up on. Light, fresh whipped ricotta and spinach, with a delicate eggplant wrapper, then finished with a sweet San Marzano tomato sauce and sprinkled with Parmigiano made this popular version of “Stuffed eggplant” much better than all the pretenders’ versions. Il Tegamino, a casserole full of fresh mussels and clams with a flavorful, ocean savory white wine brodino, and fresh Mediterranean herbs, once again, show that old-school Italian cooking can’t be beat. The clam and mussel meat remained attached to one side of the shell, proving that they were indeed, very fresh. Diner beware: when the meat is attached to both sides of the shell, you have a bad piece of shellfish. That doesn’t happen at Strega.

Hand-made Porcini Gnocchi, potato and porcini mushroom pasta dumplings were light in texture, happily bouncy to the bite, deep in flavor, and served with an amazing black truffle, cream and thyme sauce spiked with truffle oil. The generous little bites of truffle were eagerly anticipated and thoroughly appreciated. Risotto Frutti Di Mare, al dente Arborio rice with shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, and calamari gave off very clean flavors at the start, followed by slight and tasty undertones of thin sliced garlic. As the flavors developed on the palate, the spicy tomato sauce lingered toward the end, giving compound “sapori” that made the dish ultra fascinating-Fantastico!

I rarely order a simple Veal Marsala at any restaurant. Marsala’s, Piccata’s, Francese’s, all dishes that have been used and abused by Italian pretenders. However, knowing that Salvatore and Nicky are both Southern Italians, I figured I’d take a shot. It was a great calculated risk, I hit gold. The veal was fork tender and had that subtle, fresh, nutty flavor. The sauce was rich and thick, salty and sweet, like caramel on a sundae. Of course the boys at Strega use real Marsala, imported from Sicily. One night the fab waiters suggested the Parmigiano Encrusted Rack of Lamb. Why not, I’ll follow Bruno and Carlo to the end of the culinary world. The tender, succulent chops were served medium rare, with a light and creamy gorgonzola sauce and roasted walnuts. The balance between the strong and pungent sauce, the deep and full lamb, and the sweet, slightly nutty Parmigiano, made for a complex yet satisfying mouth feel. I found myself tearing off whatever meat was left on the bones and then using the bare bones to scoop up the rest of the sauce.

You say you can’t get a good steak in the North End? You can. La Fiorentina a Prime Aged 20 oz. Porterhouse, prepared in the traditional Florentine manner. Sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and olive oil are rubbed all over the meat. The steak is then grilled and served with lightly dressed, fresh, spicy, and leafy arugola with shaved Parmigiano. My steak was rich in its classic simplicity. True unmasked flavors of aged steak were thoroughly enjoyed. A bite of steak, a bite of salad, and a bite of Parmigiano, methodical yet scrumptious.

The personality and charm of Nicky Varrano attracts all kinds of celebrities, personalities, and local big-wigs. Mr. Varrano has trained his staff well, they are as gracious, hospitable, and warm as he is. I ran into Kevin Millar, former Red Sox and current Oriole, at 57 Nobu in Manhattan. The first thing he said to me was that he was celebrating his wife’s birthday at Strega the following week. I asked him, “Why are you coming all the way to Boston to celebrate, nothing good in Baltimore?” His reply was, “Nicky makes us all feel like family, there’s no other place I would rather be than Strega”.

Click here to visit Strega's web site.