 You'll want to keep returning to Strada 18 for the pizza — but don't. There's much more to love.
Strada 18 122 Washington St., Norwalk. (203) 853-4546, www.strada18.com The best way to review a place like Strada 18 is to leap directly into the menu. For starters, chef David Raymer, an aficionado of all things fresh and local, makes his own mozzarella, smokes his own salmon, cans his own tuna, cures and smokes his own bacon, makes his own sausage and bakes his own bread sticks daily. Then there's the wood-burning oven that turns out pizza-of-the-gods (move over, Pepe's), the crunchy crust giving way to the sort of "chew" I expect as a born-and-raised New York City pizza snob. The sauce on the red pies has that tangy-fresh and well-salted tomato flavor that holds up to toppings as powerful as guanciale, Sicilian anchovies and broccoli rabe. There are 55 toppings on the menu, including 12 meats, 17 vegetables, 15 cheeses, and 11 "etc." items. The possibilities are endless. You could go to Strada just for pizza — or calzones, panini, focaccia sandwiches or salads. But don't. On two recent visits, we ripped our longing eyes away from the pizza section and delved into the world of mouth-watering items from the vast menu. Raymer had gotten some heirloom tomatoes and paired them simply with crisp, peppery arugula; mild, creamy goat cheese and a splash of Cabernet vinaigrette. The green and striped tomatoes burst with juiciness, while the smooth bits of cheese and bite from the greens provided a lovely balance. I'll order this salad every time I see it, and it was a great complement to the rich and savory chopped chicken liver crostini. To wash it down, we ordered $8 glasses of an Austrian Riesling, whose dry but apple and pear–tinged notes are a lovely match to our dishes. Next, we tried the appetizer portions of house meatballs and eggplant rollatini. Better get some bread for dipping; you won't want to leave a drop of the crush of tomatoes that cover the spice-packed, golf ball–sized meatballs. The sauce is mellowed slightly atop the rollatini, perhaps simply owing to the soft, milky mozzarella layered with the sweet eggplant. On a second visit, we were offered small bites of a special orecchiette dish. It gave new meaning to the word tease. The little ear-shaped pasta is tossed with cream, Parmesan and Romano cheeses, fresh chives and black garlic — an unusual variety of the standby aromatic. The smooth and flavorful dish highlights the garlic, which provides a sweet, almost sun-dried tomato–like flavor. Continuing with pasta, we tried the linguine with red clam sauce and the orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage, both of which come in sturdy clay baking pots. The seafood pasta is topped with fresh clams, and their brine, a salty punch from calamata olives, tangy capers, garlic and juicy tomato pieces all combine to form a heady liquid that bathes the linguine to perfection. While we didn't pick up much heat from the promised hot peppers, the dish doesn't seem to miss them. The broccoli rabe and sausage with orecchiette puts the house-made sausage at center stage. It's a simple olive oil and garlic preparation, pumped up with a dose of red pepper flakes that makes the dish pop. Finally, we tried the chicken Scarpariello, served with triangles of firm polenta. The very vinegary sauce is punchy and savory, the chicken crispy at the skin with juicy meat beneath. For dessert, homemade gelato is the way to go. We ordered caramel with fleur de sel and coffee flavors, both nothing short of sublime. Strada 18 is also passionate about wine and holds tastings on Mondays and Tuesdays, offering flights of three different varieties of the same wine for $14. They also host wine dinners periodically. Getting a seat on a busy night is a challenge, but once you try the food at Strada 18, you won't mind.
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