Last month, I dined at Michael and Caitlin Toscano’s Le Farfalle Osteria in Charleston, South Carolina. I had previously experienced Le Farfalle at all times of the day (brunch, lunch, happy hour and late night pickies), except for dinner. This “bright and airy neighborhood osteria” had a bit of a tough time when they first opened, but after enjoying this meal, I think it’s safe to say Le Farfalle has hit its stride. I had the pleasure of dining outside in the Courtyard, beneath twinkly lights on this particular evening.
To start, we ordered the Warm Rosemary Focaccia bread served with Whipped Ricotta, Tomato Sugo and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. In this first round of “Who Can Order Better?”, I competed by selecting the Johnston County Country Ham with a Cantaloupe Mostarda. In lieu of bread, our server offered petite chunks of Parmesan to accompany the starter. The ham was salty and delicious, as one would expect, but the food envy I experienced over that warm focaccia was distracting. Can you guess who won round 1?
Full disclosure: Cacio e Pepe is my absolute favorite Italian pasta dish. I simply cannot not order it. I’m sure you will be seeing a lot more of it on this blog…
However, not all Cacio e Pepe is created equal. I’m happy to report that this Fusilli Lunghi was delicious. I strongly dislike a soupy sauce when it comes to Cacio e Pepe; this plate-of-carbs contained quite the opposite. The noodles were lightly bathed in black pepper sauce, but not sopping in it. They were carefully dusted with the perfect amount of fresh Pecorino Romano; I almost forgot I was eating gluten free pasta.
My date ordered the Agnolotti – a Duck Confit Ravioli served with Funghi Misti and Parmigiano Reggiano. The waiter described this dish as his “favorite on the entire menu”, so ordering the Agnolotti was a no-brainer. Mushrooms abound, this rich dish was almost un-finishable. This dish just didn’t compare to my Cacio. Ding ding – round 2 goes to moi!
To round out a carb heavy meal, we split a side vegetable dish composed of Braised Broccoli Rabe, Gigante Beans and Pepper Vinegar. I’ve eaten this dish before but it still shocks my taste buds upon consumption. It is so starkly bitter, yet remains intriguing to the palette.
I enjoyed the seasonal dishes Le Farfalle added to the menu since my last visit. While the Courtyard was lovely to dine in, the mosquitos got the best of my legs and feet; the bar remains my preferred dining venue. There’s only a handful of authentic Italian restaurants in Charleston, but I think Le Farfalle may be on the list of contenders.
It’s outings like this that we all look forward to experiencing again soon. Until then, I will simply be dreaming of dining out… in Charleston, Los Angeles and beyond!
Setting the Table,
Anayis
