Osteria 57

Italian.  There’s no substitute for authenticity and a world of it is on display at Osteria 57.  The server, atmosphere, not to mention the cannolis, imported straight from the motherland.

My meal began with the mela verde e barbabietola (green apples, beets, baby arugola, escarole, goat cheese, almonds, avocado mustard).  An abundance of ingredients all the more impressive considering the brilliance of their integration.

The ribollita Toscana couldn’t have been simpler, but don’t mistake the humble nature of this garden vegetable soup for lack of wow.  There were also multiple seafood specials which begged exploration.

The lobster paccheri, possessing the sweetest of meat, was an ideal counterpoint to its spicy tomato sauce.  It was soon rivaled by the pan seared black sea bass, complete with asparagus, roasted potatoes and kilometers of flavor.

When immersed in Italia, it is just plain wrong to skip dessert.  The vanilla panna cotta with mixed berry coulis was poetry on a plate and I have not even gotten to the best part.

Remember the cannolis?  They arrive from Sicily, semi freddo and ricotta filled.  It doesn’t make a difference if you’re not a cannoli person.  Or a ricotta person.  If you’re an “I want one of the best desserts of my life person”, you should not miss your chance.

This will make you an uncontestably wise person and a supremely ecstatic one at that.