New York has always been entangled in a wild love affair with Italian food. From the culinary delights of Little Italy to the family-style service of Carmines to the masterful refinement of Felidia, Cipriani and Sant Ambroeus, our romance with Italian food centers on its expansive range of flavors, regions, and cooking styles. This fall a new wave of Italian eateries will open all over the city begging the question, is there room in our hearts for all of them?
As a lover of all things food, one would think that I've tried everything. Don't get me wrong, I've tasted things most people would never dream of eating (breaded veal brains with butter and capers, anyone?), but in the last few months I have found myself exploring some of the city's most sought-after Italian restaurants -- Maialino, Quinto Quarto, Laconda Verde and Caccio e Pepe to name a few -- in pursuit of the best Italian delicacies. When I discovered the traditional dish caccio e pepe this summer I instantly understood why a restaurant would name itself after it. I was amazed that such a simple, three-ingredient dish could be so sinfully rich and decadently satisfying. Even the presentation was exhilarating -- our waiter mixed the pasta and the oily and pungent caccio cheese in a hollowed out wheel of caccio right at our table! I left dinner that night feeling as if I had fallen in love with pasta and cheese all over again. Maybe that's what it is about Italian food that keeps us craving it again and again... the over-the-top touches that truly make the most simplistic dishes memorable!
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