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| - Chinato puts the same emphasis on decor and ambiance as L'albatros. But the overall feel/look is much different. Chinato feels modern, yet cozy and intimate, yet airy. I loved the openness and soothing color palette.
The menu carried the same authentic charm.
My friend Jenn and I wanted to sample of variety of Chinato's offerings. If you are trying out a restaurant for the first time and want to sample it ALL, go with my method: a little bit of this, a little but of that
We ordered an appetizer, starter salads, a side, soup and a "small plate" version of a pasta entree (I love that Chinato offers this figure-friendly portion!)
We started with Jenn's selection, the Suplee, pan-seared risotto balls with fresh mozzarella cheese. Balls of heaven. These crunchy morsels held cheesey, gooey goodness that had us saying "mmmmmmmmmmm" and "nomnomnomnom!" I tried to limit myself to just a two- we had a full meal ahead!
Next up, arugula with julienne of pumpkin, roasted turnips, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. One of the main things I was looking forward to in this salad was the PUMPKIN. Unfortunately, there wasn't much of it. I was expecting more of a pumpkin punch! Although I suppose others might find my typical love of pumpkin a bit too intense, so subtle may have been the right route to take.
For my main "meal," I enjoyed the Ribollata, a dish explained as a "minestrone-like stew." This soup was delicious! I couldn't even count count all the veggies! Jenn and I both couldn't believe how much flavor was packed into each bite! I have GOT to try and get some details on this recipe next time I'm at Chinato. I think the key is cooking the pork and letting it get all nice and smoky before incorporating it into the soup with the roasted veggies.
Jenn was kind enough to share her main dish with me: Gnocchi with tomato, basil, toasted garlic, butter and parmesan. wowzer! Best.Pasta.Ever. No joke. And I live in LITTLE ITALY! This gnocchi was sensational. Each pillowy noodle melts in your mouth and sets your taste buds into overdrive. I'm quite impressed that I was able to stop myself from grabbing the dish from Jenn and inhaling it in all its buttery glory.
On the side, Jenn and I both loved the white beans I ordered. These were seasoned with parsley and were so simple and satisfying. I didn't think a side of white beans could be so delicious... And the presentation was adorable!
Jenn and I both agreed that it just wasn't right to judge a new restaurant without ordering dessert! The Tiramisu was fantastic! I loved the nutty layers of breading/walnut and how they complimented the light cream so nicely.
But as amazing as it was, it didn't hold a candle to the delicious Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Cake. When angels cry, I'm certain it's because they ran out of this cake in heaven. Seriously.
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