Smoked potato gnocchi with grilled octopus and crab at Fiola Dish of the Week: Gnocchi
Where: Fiola, Palena, Proof
Gnocchi are lovely little bundles of potato-y goodness. However, due to the high level of starch involved, they are difficult to get right. If you’ve ever had gluey mashed potatoes or jaw-locking knodel, then you understand how easy it is for gnocchi to turn out gummy.
Fortunately, there are some great restaurants in town that get gnocchi just right such as Palena and Proof. A recent favorite is the gnocchi at Fiola. Rather than confining gnocchi to ordinary potato, Chef Fabio Trabbochi smokes the potatoes before mashing them up and shaping them in to pillowy bundles of pasta. He finishes them with octopus, crab, and a spicy tomato-basil sauce and a delicate cheesy foam. The octopus is spot on – grilled to an easy to chew tenderness with slightly charred and crisp tentacles. You can order a half portion—the Italian way—so you can enjoy some of the other great items on the menu as well.
And if you’re a fan of white truffles, January is definitely the month to head to Fiola. They will be serving truffles at cost. Pick the truffle size you want, and you’ll be given a shaver to allow you to decorate your dishes how you want. They’ll have a number of dishes on the menu that will do well with truffles such as cheesy risottos and sunny side-up eggs. You should probably make your reservations now.
Small Bites
Spuds McKenzie?
And speaking of potato-y goodness, Sixth and I is hosting a Battle of the Spuds this weekend. Competitors will square off to make the best potato-based dish, such as latkes, gnocchis, and items that include potato vodka. Admission is $12 in advance and $15 on the day of the event, and includes a drink ticket.
Make the chicken dance
If you’re around town during the holidays without much to do, head over to the Museum of American History to see Julia Child’s kitchen before it closes on January 8. But don’t fret, the kitchen will be utilized in a new exhibit focusing on food that opens during the summer of 2012.
The prodigal returns
Chef Carole Greenwood, most recently in D.C. of Buck’s Fishing and Camping, and Comet Ping Pong, has launched a series of pop-up dinners under the name Orange Arrow that focus on local ingredients and food as art. Her next pop up meal will be at Artisphere on January 13 at 7 p.m. The meal will be inspired by The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook. Tickets are $150. But be careful, you might want to check before you take pictures.
