In honor of our Escape Issue, we salute some of Boston’s best dishes that provide an authentic taste of Italy.
Shrimp scampi from Mooo....
Capalbo's Bucatini, Bambara Kitchen & Bar
Chef David Bazirgan’s Italian winter pop-up dish is served with housemade bucatini and tossed with slow cooked tomato sugo. It is then topped off with three beef and pork meatballs and pecorino Romano. 25 Edwin H. Land Blvd., Cambridge, 617.395.2509, bambara-cambridge.com
Shrimp Scampi, Mooo....
Served piping hot, the dish is filled with housemade linguine swirled in a white wine, Calabrian chile, lemon and parsley sauce and is topped with eight jumbo shrimp. 15 Beacon St., 617.670.2515, mooorestaurant.com
Potato Gnocchi, Davio’s
Fondly known as “Little Pillows of Heaven,” this hand-rolled pasta is served with potato gnocchi, organic mushrooms, sprinkled with basil and swirled in white truffle oil. 75 Arlington St., 617.357.4810, davios.com/bos
Rigatoni Emiliana, Strega North End
Chef Nick Varano saturates plump rigatoni in a rich vodka sauce that’s flavored with sausage and oven-dried tomatoes. 379 Hanover St., 617.523.8481, stregabynickvarano.com
Orecchiette Pugliesi, Quattro
This casual Italian grill and pizzeria offers an orecchiette, broccoli rabe and sausage meal worth your cheat day festivities. Served on a skillet, the dish is enough to feed you for up to two days and is made with orecchiette Pugliesi, salsiccia, rapini, pecorino Romano, homemade sausage, rabe and Romano cheese. 264 Hanover St., 617.720.0444, quattro-boston.com
Ragu Bolognese, A Tavola
Owner and chef Joe Carli’s ragu Bolognese has been an enormous favorite of his guests since he put it on the menu. Slightly altered to his own taste, the always fresh and consistent ragu is topped with tender beef, pork and veal. 34 Church St., 781.729.1040, Winchester, atavolawinchester.com
Lobster and Shrimp Mousseline Ravioli, Harvest
This Harvest special is made with housemade ravioli blanketed by a succulent tarragon lobster sauce. Finished off with braised greens and delectable shrimp and lobster, it’s sure to melt in your mouth. 44 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617.868.2255, harvestcambridge.com
Gnocchi, Grill 23 & Bar
Served with mushroom Bolognese and baby kale, this soft-dough dumpling pasta is topped off with hazelnut and ricotta cheese—adding a sweet note to the otherwise savory meal. 161 Berkeley St., 617.542.2255, grill23.com
Photography by: Courtesy of Mooo....
