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| - A very nice gentleman took me here for Lucky Gnocchi Day last night and I think I might keep him (along with the approximately 5 pounds I just put on).
I'd known of this monthly event for ages but never understood how anyone could eat enough to warrant all-you-can-eating. Gnocchi is probably the most filling of all historical foods. But I realized I didn't want to lie on my death bed wondering why I never tried to consume my weight in potato dumplings, so here we were.
My partner-in-crime got the refreshing Red Fruit Caipiroska ($9) which was tasty, but having thoroughly researched the stomach-expanding techniques of competitive eaters earlier in the day, I stuck to flat water.
We also ordered the Barbabietola (red beets, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, fresh oranges, $8) to provide a different texture to chew, which was a good idea. It wasn't the salad I'd imagined, with only 2 cherry tomatoes and maybe half a slice of orange altogether, but the vegetable addition to my meal was so necessary that I didn't mind.
AND NOW FOR THE FEATURE PASTA-ENTATION...
We were served:
- Puttanesca (spicy tuna, olives, capers, onion, tomato - our favourite)
- sage & butter (herb-y and mature - my date's other top pick)
- Crudaiola (tomato & mozzarella - my choice for silver, although the cheese distribution was uneven and there was sadly none of it in my second helping)
- Legnano (four cheese - I was looking forward to this but found it could have been a little creamier and cheesier)
- basil pesto
- Pompei (tomato & basil)
We skipped the ham & mushroom, pancetta and Bolognese, so I'm grateful they offered a fish option, especially since the spicy tuna was the gold winner. The variety kept it interesting and the serving pace kept it feasible.
The gnocchi itself is obviously the most critical factor and Piola gets it perfect: the softest, doughiest nuggets imaginable; so fun to eat and filling, yet somehow not too heavy. I had anticipated some level of gastrointestinal discomfort afterward but surprisingly, I did NOT get pregnant with a food baby.
Altogether I Sonya Thomased a respectable 7 servings and my date Kobayashied 11 or 12. We're "GNO"T "CCHI"DDING around!!!
In summation: can't speak for rest of the menu, but AYCEG is a no-brainer. Will take me at least 3 months to adequately work up appetite again. Then will be back.
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