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| - "A Hidden Gem" does not even begin to describe Pranzo Italiano.
Pranzo Italian occupies a small kiosk space in the Market on MacLeod. Here, you will find a friendly man in a chef's uniform delivering a small menu of high end restaurant style dishes at incredible prices.
On what will be the first of many visits, I tried the braised lamb shank. With a $15 price tag, my initial thoughts were that this was a little pricey for "market food". But, once I started watching the dish being prepared, I knew that I was in for a treat.
Beginning with your choice of mashed potatoes or rice, the base was topped with two well portioned, fall off the bone tender lamb shanks. While plating these ingredients, the chef was sauteeing a mixture of peppers and mushrooms which were served alongside the meat. All of this was then topped with a savory sauce which complemented the meat perfectly. Then, the chef whipped up, on the spot, a fresh garnish of parsley, tomatoes, onions and seasoning.
To watch all this, I forgot that I was standing in front of a cluttered station in a market off MacLeod trail. Thinking, instead, that I was watching a professional chef on tv.
Given that this is a market, the food is served on a tray and eaten in a food court setting. None of that will matter, though, once you taste the dishes. I could easily see myself paying $50 for this food in a "proper" sit down restaurant. In the meantime, I am very happy to be able to get this quality Italian from this humble location.
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