We started our dinner at Chioda’s Trattoria with the Aracini Balls: Risotto stuffed with provolone, breaded and then deep fried. This came as 3 large (meatball sized) balls with a small portion of marinara on the side. The breading was nice, but not too thick, and added a nice crunch of texture to the softer risotto mixture inside while keeping the balls together. These had a very nice flavor themselves, and the complement of the marinara gave a nice overall flavor. The portion size was plenty large for 2 people to share.
For dinner I had the Penne alla Vodka: Penne, tossed with garlic, shallots, onion, tomato, spinach, crushed red pepper and Romano in a vodka marinara. Again, a good large portion and a nice presentation. If you like hot spicy food, this dish is for you. The cumulative heat was fairly strong, but not overpowering, and provided a nice spicy counterpoint to the creamy vodka marinara marrying together to create a really great overall flavor. The pasta was perfectly al dente, giving texture against the soft tomato and spinach for a really nice mix of textures. This dish was a great mix of flavors and textures.
