Stephen Starr got it all wrong.
Maybe not all wrong - I do enjoy an occasional giant golden Buddha watching me eat, or seared tuna with whatever trendy fusion seasoning is in fashion at the moment.
But sometimes you need a traditional, unassuming Italian meal. No bells and whistles, just good pasta.
That's where Cucina Forte comes in.
A romantic little BYOB just a few blocks south of South Street, Cucina Forte seats about 20 people, and its menu offers only Italian staples.
The small scale means lots of attention to detail, however. The bread is freshly baked and homemade - my date said to "cancel my order and get me a loaf of bread!" - and there is an extensive special pasta menu that changes daily. Everything is cooked to order.
I got the gnocchi - one of Cucina Forte's signature dishes - for an appetizer, but I easily could have eaten it for my entire meal. The potato-based pasta isn't heavy and weighed down like at so many restaurants. Cucina Forte's gnocchi are light little pillows that melt in your mouth. I recommend getting half in marinara and half in gorgonzola sauce to get a taste of both.
My date started with a buffalo-mozzarella and tomato salad. Both the vegetables and the cheese were incredibly fresh.
I chose a special pasta for my main course, a saccetti specially made for Cucina Forte. According to our very knowledgeable server, saccetti means "sack," and the pasta looked like bundles filled with cheese and proscuitto. There were no heavy sauces with this pasta, only light oil, garlic and fresh shrimp.
No matter how carb-overloaded you may be by the time you finish your main course at Cucina Forte, save room for dessert. There are only a few options, but almost all are homemade. The gelatos got a hearty recommendation from our server, but we opted for tiramisu and a heavy flourless chocolate cake. They were so rich we couldn't finish them, but they were well worth feeling stuffed.
Cucina Forte is perfect for a long, tipsy meal with good friends or an intimate dinner for two. The food will make you feel like you're in Italy. Just don't go there on a first date - the chefs use way too much garlic.
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