On Thursday evening, my wife and I re-discovered an old favorite Italian restaurant-Sapori Trattoria Italiana. It is located in Collingswood, New Jersey. We have visited Sapori many times over the past decade. What we never realized is that they have a covered outdoor dining area. Dining outside during the CORONA19 Virus is a must. Though indoor dining is now allowed (with severe restrictions), my wife and I are not ready for that. Outdoor dining comes in many styles. Some restaurants put a couple of tables on the sidewalk, a few feet away from passing traffic on the street. That is technically outdoor dining. But there are some, where al fresco dining existed long before the Pandemic. It was a part of the complete dining experience they offer. Sapori is one of the latter.
At Sapori, you are seated far enough from the road that the noise and car exhaust do not overwhelm or interfere with the outdoor ambience they have created. Though we missed the dark, romantic indoor space with the wooden furniture, they have succeeded in making the outdoors not just viable, but very enjoyable. The light rain falling nearby, made us appreciate that there is a permanent roof above, while the large opening at the front and rear allowed the smell of fresh rain to augment the experience, rather than dampen it. No Barnum and Bailey feel here (sitting under a big tent and feeling like you are at the circus rather than dining at a nice restaurant).
The Food
Most importantly, the food is still exceptional and the prices have not been jacked up to help pay for the loss in business during the Pandemic. Sapori has an extensive list of freshly made pastas, all with interesting pasta types and sauces. But first, we decided to share a couple of appetizers. First, Fungo Ripeno. Is anyone else afraid to mispronounce this? Though small, it was amazing (and eaten before I thought of taking a picture of it). It consisted of A portobello mushroom, topped with goat cheese, black truffle and toasted almonds, baked and drizzled with balsamic.
Our other choice was Insalata di Speck-Baby rucola and red beets, tossed with smoked prosciutto, toasted pine nuts, goat cheese and roasted peppers in a fig balsamic dressing. Our waitress was kind enough to bring out two plates to share that both looked like the one below.
For our entrees, I chose the Pennette con Pancetta E Melenzane-Pennette pasta tossed with smoked pancetta, onion, and eggplant in plum tomato sauce. It was amazing. (Pictured below, left).
My wife chose the Casarecce Con Gamberi Zucchine E Zafferano-Diced Maine shrimp, sautéed with zucchini, grape tomatoes, shallot and garlic in a white-saffron sauce, tossed with casarecce pasta (below right).
I had never heard of or tried either type pasta before. The Pennette was like a longer, lighter penne. The casarecce pasta (below, right) was also light and delicious.
Having perused the online menu ahead of time, I decided to bring these two winners (pictured below);
- William Heritage Winery 2019 Pumpkin Hill Vineyard Chardonnay – I was anxious to try this since previous vintages have been among my favorites. It did not disappoint. This Chardonnay was very recently released. The grapes come from a single vineyard on a northwestern slope and gently aged in French oak barrels. A limited release winner!
- Turdo Vineyards 2016 Turis Etichetta D’Oro Sangiovese-Made with all of the aging and quality assurances that a Brunello would have (the only missing requirement it that the grapes were grown in New Jersey, not in Tuscany). Awesome, bold, full-bodied, with silky smooth tannins and a finish that goes on forever. This is the best Sangiovese I have ever had!
Cheers!
Coming Attractions
- Cooking at Home & NJ Wine
- NJ Uncorked & Unplugged – another in a series of posts about Local Wineries and Live Music
- Dining out in South Jersey with NJ Wine
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