Il Pizzico: Finally, Truly Authentic Italian Food

Italian food: it seemingly everywhere and the average Joe knows what it is.  There's pizza, pasta, and anything else that's covered with tomato sauce and/or cheese.  I, like many adventurous people, understand that way of thinking is wrong.  Italian food is very diverse and regional, just like many major cuisines.  Don't believe me?  Let me introduce you to Il Pizzico.

At first glance or thought of this place, you might think it is your typical pizza joint.  Wrong.  But don't worry that's my family thought too.  Looking at the menu, there is no spaghetti and meatballs or fettucine alfredo.  I see this as an opportunity to try something new and exciting.  Oh, did I mention that they make their own pasta?  Yes, every pasta they serve here is made in house: spaghetti, ravioli, tagliatele, bucatini, penne, rigatoni, gnocchi, and maltagliati.  I bet you didn't even know half of these.  And finally, there is nice modern decor in the interior.  

We start with two appetizers: prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella dressed with olive oil and grilled calamari with balsamic vinegar.  The mozzarella made with water buffalo milk is rather dense and packed with flavor you won't find in regular mozzarella made from cow's milk.  The calamari was a appetizer special for the night and had a very nice grilled taste.  

Mom: Spaghetti allo Scoglio (spaghetti with mussels, shrimp, calamari, and scallops in a tomato sauce)

Seafood and pasta: a good combination.  Fresh shellfish and handmade pasta: an amazing combination.  Not to mention a light tomato sauce that complements each element of this dish.  The pasta itself is dense, starchy, and cooked al dente: a true sign of homemade goodness.  Before serving, it is lightly tossed with the pasta and seafood in a pan so that every element is incorporated together.

Sister: Ravioli di funghi al pistachio (mushroom ravioli with pistachio cream sauce)

This is the most unique pasta I have ever seen.  Homemade pasta filled with diced mushrooms and served with a sauce made from something I would have never expected.  This dish traces its roots to Sicily, where pistachio nuts are cultivated.  The pasta itself was soft and complemented the mellow mushrooms stuffed inside.  The sauce is both creamy and aromatic.  This is Il Pizzico's best selling dish, which explains why it was the best dish of the night.

Dad: Grilled Mahi Mahi 

This was one of their dinner specials of the night.  A thin slice of fillet that is grilled, topped with onion crisps, and served with roasted potatoes.  The fish itself wasn't fresh at all, which was shocking for a special.  Maybe he should have just stuck with a pasta.  Oh well as least there are potatoes to help fill the void.  

Me: Duck Breast in Cherry Sauce and Balsamic Vinegar

This is another dinner special offered that night.  This is rift on the French classic, canard à l'orange (duck in orange sauce).  So I will call this anatra alla ciliegia.  The breast was crisped on the skin side, cooked medium, and then thinly sliced.  But there wasn't that much skin on this piece, but it made up for it in the meat.  The cherry glaze and fresh sour cherries gave the dish a sweet and sour taste that goes well with the duck.  Sour cherries are usually used for cooking unlike its sweet counterpart.  It's served with broccoli rabe and potatoes.  I liked this dish quite a bit, and I don't even like cherries.  

I think that this is a lovely place in a location which can kindly be described as a "shithole."  If you are familiar with the intersection of Gude Drive and 355, you know what I mean.  When you're sandwiched between a car repair shop and a gas station, next to the Metro line, and near the industrial part of town, it would be a little uneasy for most people to come by.  The parking lot behind the restaurant is also sketchy, which probably explains why there aren't many luxury cars parked even though the clientele can certainly afford them.

But despite this, the pastas and service make it worth the trip for me.  I mean what other restaurant serves truly authentic Italian or even makes their own pasta?  This place is a prime example of a hidden gem.  But now that I have mentioned it, it's not so hidden anymore.

Il Pizzico
15209 Frederick Ave
Rockville, MD 20850

Lunch Specials: La Canela

Update: I would like to start a new series I like to call Lunch Specials.  I reveal some of the best deals and steals wherever I go to eat what some consider the least important meal of the day.

If there was one restaurant that I have recently visited that has caught my attention, it would be La Canela in Rockville.  When I had dinner there it was one of the most exciting meals I've had in a while. There were new flavors and interesting ingredients that we have never tasted before.  Since it was my birthday, I family and I decided to celebrate by having lunch since I have other commitments at dinner time.  Little did I know that lunch and dinner time at La Canela would be like night and day.

It was very bizarre walking into the restaurant as my family and I were the only diners.  It was too quiet.  I quickly realized that this was the normally the case since since the surrounding Town Square looks like a ghost town.  Despite the amount of workplaces in the vicinity, there isn't much activity during lunchtime.  Either they prefer to bring there lunch or don't have the time to sit down and eat.  That's a shame because there is a great deal to be found here. The highlights of there lunch menu include a two-course meal or single dishes for $15.  I chose a single dish while the rest of family had the two courses.

To my surprise, we started out with a complementary amuse bouche of a warm ceviche wonton with hunacaina sauce.  The ceviche consists of mahi mahi, citrus, and aji chili.

For the first course, my mom got the yuquita rellena, or fried yuca stuffed with crabmeat.  It was served with salsa and a sauce made with rocoto peppers.  It's a chili pepper grown in Latin America and is quite spicy.  My dad got the calamari with apparently came with yuca fries, making it a smaller version of appetizer we got last time.  My sister had yuca fries with huancaina sauce.  The amount of yuca we had was astounding considering how starchy and filling it is.

Now to the main event.  Mom and sis have the pesto fettuccine with a breaded beef cutlet.  Once again, the pasta was cooked al dente and the beef was perfectly fried, just like last time.  What was also perfectly fried was my dad's trout with even more yuca fries and garlic and olive oil scented rice.  The rice was shockingly fragrant and tasty.

And my single dish was cabrito guisado, a braised lamb shank on a bed of polenta.  To me, there is nothing than meat slow cooked until it falls off the bone.  The polenta is more chunkier than what I'm used to.  Most places would add a lot of cream or milk to make it look like mashed potatoes.  But here they don't use as much, giving it a consistency similar to oatmeal. And to make it clear, polenta is cornmeal not cheese.  But regardless, each entree was very filling and similar in size to the dinner portions.

Although it was tempting to have dessert, there was just no room for that with all of the starchy yuca we had.  Nevertheless, it was very filling and a great deal.  Although it was awkward eating in a nearly empty restaurant, it is a lot brighter inside since the lights are during the night, which is especially important if you want to take good pictures.  This visit reinforces how much I enjoy this restaurant and its food.  I'll be going back there on occasion and so should you.

Cool Fish from Temari

Smelt (Shishamo/シシャモ)

These are small saltwater fish from Japan that are fried to the point where they can be eaten whole, head to tail.  When I bite in it, it is not the flesh I taste but the roe.  There isn't a lot of meat in it, so it is mostly the eggs.  So eating it was a bit of a surprise.  Instead of melting in your mouth, there is a salty crunch to it.  A little fun fact: shishamo means "willow leaf" based off of its appearance.  ($5.95)

Pacific Saury (Sanma/サンマ)

Commonly marketed as mackerel pike, this fish is surprisingly smaller and thinner than I had expected. It's about a foot long and about 1.5 inches thick.  This fish is loaded with omega 3 fatty acids and little bones, making it a delicious but difficult fish.  But I'm a strong believer of working for your food, which makes the eating experience more exciting.  And what makes this fish great is that, once you finish the meat, you can eat the head whole.  It's a crunchy, salty goodness that only fish like this can deliver.  ($15.95)

Black Cod (Gindara/ギンダラ)

This fish is actually called sablefish and is very similar to Chilean Sea Bass.  It is both flaky and very buttery.  The taste reminds of a very mellow sweet cream.  It is one of the most amazing fish that I have ever tasted and I have tasted a lot of fish.  Like the sanma, this fish is simply broiled.  This fish was apparently made famous by Nobu as part of his signature dish, black cod with miso.  First created in his New York restaurant, it is has been imitated by many chefs due to its simplicity.  In fact, I have had this version served at EN Japanese Brasserie in New York's West Village.  But Temari's version is much more rustic and simple.  Just a couple of bone-in filets that are seasoned with salt and then broiled skin side down.  ($23.95)

Temari Japanese Cafe
1043 Rockville Pike

Rockville, MD 20852