Steve and I love discovering hidden gem restaurants in our travels. Pasta And… Margate Florida is one of those very special hidden gems!
Huge serving of Caprese di Burrata
Though we lived in South Florida for 38 years before becoming full time RVer, Pasta And… was not on our radar. It’s tucked in a strip mall in Margate Florida, but don’t let that deter you. This place is AMAZING!!!
When we walked up to the front door I noticed several tables of diners enjoying their meal al fresco. But the summer heat and humidity is just too intense for us to enjoy dining outdoors. We opened the door to go in to the very tiny dining room and we were immediately greeted with “Buona Sera”, and seated at one of the 4 or 5 tables. Our party of 6 was totally impressed with the ambiance. It was quite elegant, but relaxed and comfortable at the same time.
The staff was attentive, knowledgeable and delightful. Our friend Jackie and her beau had been to this Northern Italian restaurant before, and the sommelier remembered them and engaged them in fun banter. Jackie could not remember a wine that he’d recommended on their last visit, so he brought a couple of tastes of wine for her to try. As it turned out a Barbera d’Alba was The One.
Pasta e Fagioli Genovese
All six of us were drooling as he described the specials. Two couples ordered the House Made Salami and Pecorino plates to share. The third couple ordered the Pasta e Fagioli Genovese, the popular soup of homemade pasta with mix beans, and pesto, along with the Caprese di Burrata. And while we waited for our first course, we nibbled on fabulous freshly baked bread with seasoned olive oil. Our appetizers were so delicious that we couldn’t stop raving about them.
For our mains, Steve ordered the Ravioli di Porcini alla Crema Tartufata, I had the Gnocchi al Pesto Genovese, Jackie had the same dish as me, but with linguine instead of gnocchi, Art ordered the special of Risotto with Crabmeat and my cousins shared the Branzino Grigliato con Salsa di Limone e Pomodorini. Everything was spectacular!
House Made Salami and Pecorino with Sweety Drop Peppers
I can speak in detail about what Steve and I ate, starting with our appetizer. The house made salami was rich, garlicky and had a nice chew that you want in salami. And that Pecorino was divine. It looked like irregular chunks of crumbly cheese. But when you put it in your mouth it melted on your tongue like butter, only way more luscious. And for a perfect counterpoint there was a garnish of adorable teardrop shaped Sweety Drop Peppers (Amazon Affiliate Link) from Peru which added a sweet and tangy note with a whisper of heat.
My Gnocchi al Pesto Genovese from Pasta And… Margate Florida
My gnocchi was pillowy and tender with that lovely herbaceousness that really fresh pesto imparts. Nothing can beat the flavor of blended fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan, and garlic!
Steve’s Ravioli di Porcini alla Crema Tartufata
And Steve’s ravioli was savory with plenty of porcini mushrooms in the filling and lovely winter black truffle sauce on top. The umami filled black truffle slices shaved on top put the dish over the edge.
I did taste Art’s Risotto with Crab, which was so good I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So when he’d practically reached his breaking point, I helped him polish it off.
Our dessert was a work of art! Chocolate Hazelnut cake with Zabaglione, fresh fruit and Nutella drizzle
Even the dessert was incredible. Chocolate hazelnut cake with custardy zabaglione, fresh fruit and Nutella, that was so rich and delicious that one order, along with cappuccinos and coffees, satisfied all six of us. And it was so exquisitely presented that everyone at the table snapped photos of it!
Now that Pasta And… Margate Florida is on our radar, we will make it a regular stop when we return to SoFla.
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