Savory Sorriso - Boston

I thought that only the North End had good Italian, but thanks to Sorriso, I stand corrected. Everything was fabulously flavored, and despite the somewhat inconvenient location, there is very little that would stop me from coming back. Overall the food was a bit saltier than I’d like, but that seems to be the norm for Italian.  Even the pizza had salt, but it fits snugly within the range for someone with different taste so I can’t really dock or complain. 

The service was commendable – our server knew everything about the menu, and her descriptions were right on. And you know the service is good when even your Aquarius (i.e. the guy refilling your water glass, couldn’t resist the Roman reference…) asks if you’re enjoying your meal. 

Biting into the Zucchini Blossoms releases a halo of ricotta, which emitted a bright circle of golden batter. It manages to be reasonably rich without being nauseatingly flavorful. Not the prettiest dish, but the yum-factor is unmistakable. The light frying and the rich cheese make it the perfect plate for the pregnant and the premenstrual.

The gnocchi in the Gnocchi with Oxtail Ragu was a bit too mushy in texture for gnocchi, imo, but the ragu was ridiculous enough to distract me from the gnocchi. Oxtail is a highly underrated meat – it’s close to the bone, so it soaks in the flavor, and its long shreddy texture adds a contrast to the smooth round gnocchi.

Buffalo Mozzerella Pizza is the authentic Italian pizza. It took me right back to the vineyards of Tuscany, and although I morally oppose the $3 extra charge for the authentic Italian pizza upgrade (from the white-people Margherita Pizza, as described by our impressively knowledgeable waitress). However, I would gladly pay $3 to see someone actually milk a buffalo…

The bottom line: For every hell there is a heaven next door, and for every Les Zygomates, there is an adjacent Sorriso. Thank god for Sorriso or I’d avoid South Street like the 10 plagues. I will be back for the pork belly appetizer, please go easy on the salt for me.