Could Coral Gables be on the way to becoming a gourmet destination? It seems that all of a sudden purveyors of gourmet foods are moving in, particularly around the areas of the Village of Merrick Park. Earlier I reported on The Gourmet Table. Word on the street is that South Beach’s Epicure is moving in where Estancia Argentina used to be, in the Village of Merrick Park office building. And now I recently discovered Bottega La Dolce Vita, 4710 South Le Jeune Road. (tel.305-967-8164) In walking in, there was my favorite dried pasta (tasty and chewy) which I’ve never been able to find in Miami — Martelli . That was a very good omen. Also intriguing was the 110 year old artisanal pasta, Trafiliata Verrigni. Then I tried some of the 40 cheeses, all delicious. They do major sales with their burrata, but they were sold out the day I went. Predictably there’s a wide variety of olive oils with the star being the Principe Pignatelli with truffle oil (note, not the aroma of truffle which one usually finds, but the real oil essence, the brand dating to 1669). They make their own sauces, a customer favorite being the pesto. Exotic fresh pastas included the cacio and pere fagottini, cheese and pear in pasta purses, and the hazelnut and goat cheese. Another eye catcher was the pomomorbidi, large sundried tomatoes that are softer than usual since they pull them before the drying process is complete. The owner recommended a fabulous party dish of burrata covered with the large pomomorbidi — imagine the soft creamy burrata blending with the tomatoes.Rounding out the offerings are a wide selection of cantuccini ,what we call “biscotti” (Biscotti in Italian is cookies). And you Nutella lovers will find a the real Mccoy here — from Italy — purer, with less oil, coming in a glass jar. What’s the best seller among Italian clients? Galeffi, Italian alka seltzer!
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Wow! You’re piling on the great finds. Thanks Karen – definitely on the weekend todo!
Best Italian Market in MIAMI …. EXCELLENT!!!