Italian at Bocca Lupo

I feel so lucky to live within walking distance of Bocca Lupo (391 Henry St., on the corner of Warren St., 718-243-2522), the new-ish restaurant in Cobble Hill that serves small plates of deliciousness, Paninis and has a long wine & special cocktails list. They have a great brunch too, but today I'll be focusing on some of their dinner options.

We ordered a salad, an appetizer and the special pasta of the day, all which arrived at the same time. We got the Roasted Beet Salad over Frisee with Toasted Pine Nuts and Ricotta Cheese. A light dusting of salt and pepper covered the entire dish, which enhanced the taste wonderfully. The beets were tender and slightly pickled by vinegar, the greens were fresh and the ricotta was smooth and a great alternative to the standard goat cheese usually found in this type of salad.



We also got the Veal and Porcini Meat Balls which were out of this world. They were almost creamy in texture with a subtle yet complex. They come piled upon a big, thick slice of crusty bread and slathered in tomato sauce. YUM!



The special pasta was Congilio alla Cacciatore (penne with hunter's style rabbit ragu). The rabbit was earthy and game-y (in a good, "deep" way) and the sauce was light - it didn't overpower the flavor of the rabbit. This was served with a shaving of pamesean cheese and slivers of basil.



Then, for dessert, we ordered one of the most amazing dishes ever - the Mascarpone Cheesecake with Apricots in Rum. This - was - heaven! We were so drawn to it that we started eating before I was able to snap a photo. The cheesecake has a slight crust, the Mascarpone was light, fluffy, smooth and decadent, and the apricots were juicy and savory. Incredible. I'd come back just for this and an after dinner drink alone! A sprig of mint sits atop the cake.



I highly recommend this place for a nice evening out. Our friends over at Gastronormous also have a review of Bocca Lupo if you want more info.