Ragazza

Happy Valentine's Day! Today is one of my favorite holidays. No, not because I enjoy getting chocolates, flowers and treated to dinner. I love today because tomorrow all the Valentine's Day candy is HALF OFF. I'm a sucker for sweets and even a bigger fool for buying discounted commercial holiday candy. I can't wait!

To continue my post about love, let me tell you about how much I loved my dinner at Ragazza last night. I loved the friendly, patient and very attentive service. I loved the reasonably priced Italian wine list that gave you the option to order by glass, carafe or bottle. I loved their willingness to make any pizza vegetarian for my non meat eating friend. And lastly, I loved the food!

My friend and I ordered housemade foccacia that only cost $1! Simply served with oil and balsamic vinegar. Oh carbs, how I love thee.

We shared a Castelfranco Radicchio and arugula salad with blood oranges, farro, gorgonzola and hazelnuts. Loved the option for a small or large salad. The only issue I had with this dish was that the arugula was long and stringy and difficult to cut. Not a dish to order on a date since you will most definitely be shoveling pieces of lettuce into your mouth in an unattractive manner.

Then we each ordered our own pizzas. Why share, when you can have your own?

 This is the Amatriciana with tomato, Boccalone pancetta, chilies, pecorino, oregano and an egg. The pizza was thin, crispy and deliciously salty from the pancetta. I pretty much ate this entire thing. It was love at first bite. I was also happy I could finally check another item off the 7x7 Big Eat 2012.

My lovely date ordered the brussels sprouts, sans applewood smoked bacon, thyme, red onion, and smoked mozzarella pizza. And added chiles and egg because any pizza tastes better with an egg.

To top it off, we also tried the Meyer lemon panna cotta. Amazing end to an amazing meal.

Go. there. now.

Ragazza