The Clean Plate Club
By Ellen Spear
Illustration By Leonard Kenyon
WE ALL GET FOOD CRAVINGS. Sometimes only butter pecan ice cream will do. Other days, it is a face full of grilled cheese. On still others, it is a perfectly made salad, maybe with a few charred vegetables in it. This column will help you address those occasional hankerings by providing a guide to restaurants turning out best-in-class dishes that will satisfy your yearning for food that nourishes not only your body, but a need in your soul. Why do we even get cravings? Researchers tell us it could be a sign that something is out of balance—certain hormone levels dipping, for instance. Or it could be that you haven’t had enough water, or that you are, well, stressed.
We start with pasta.
Depending upon which expert you talk with, pasta is either a wonder food or the bane of our existence. There is a mound of research venerating pasta as low in cholesterol, a source of folic
acid, and a food that aids our bodies in producing a hit of serotonin when we need it (why sometimes we crave the stuff when we are feeling blue). Pasta is a quick source of energy. Some researchers link pasta cravings with a sleep schedule that might need some attention.
Then there is the camp that maintains that pasta’s high calorie properties and propensity to carry fat-laden sauces and accouterments to our mouths is not so good. I skim those studies quickly.
That we all like to talk about it—and more importantly, to eat it—tells me all I need to know.
There are numerous restaurants in the Berkshires that have a pasta dish or two on the menu. We focused on those that have a decent selection and that specialize in the magical combination of flour, water, and sometimes eggs, made from scratch. We are more conscious of the needs of people who must eat gluten-free food these days, so we sampled both GF and high-test versions of dishes.
Sibarita’s
1264 East St., Pittsfield
413-448-8244 • sibaritascafe.com
For those of you who mourned the demise of Elizabeth’s, cry no more. To address a serious pasta Jones, this is the place to think of first. Megan and Ronald Gomez serve breakfast and lunch until 3, and dinner items all day. The house-made pasta, both gluten-free and regular, can be ordered with a variety of sauces and crowned with even more delights, if you choose.
First, pick your pasta shape. (I tried the gluten-free bucatini on this trip.) Then, your sauce (Cacio e Pepe for this outing). In addition to the pasta/sauce idea, Sibarita’s also features stuffed and baked pasta dishes. At our table, the Three-Cheese Mushroom Ravioli, stuffed with pecorino, ricotta, goat cheese, and portobello mushrooms bathed in a light yet fulfilling Alfredo sauce arrived. On previous visits, I tried the regular linguini done up Cacio e Pepe style. Other options are three versions of lasagna, Pappardelle in Cream Sauce with sautéed Ecuadorian shrimp, or Ink Gamberetti—house-made squid ink linguini drenched in tomato basil sauce with calamari and shrimp on top, then a splash of house-infused rosemary EVOO.
I became a member of the Clean Plate Club after every dish I tried here.
The pasta was cooked perfectly on all occasions, and this is the one place where the gluten-free pasta was indistinguishable from the regular version, save for a slightly rougher exterior texture to the noodle.
The Chef’s Calamari appetizer is highly recommended. It has a voluptuous feel in your mouth as the calamari plays nice with the sauce, and it is delicious sopped up with the crisp crostini accompaniment.
Trattoria Rustica
27 McKay St., Pittsfield
413-499-1192 • trattoria-rustica.com
Chef Davide Manzo has been turning out beautiful food from his wood-fired oven for many years at this Pittsfield standout. So much is good here that concentrating on just the pasta required extra focus. The list of house-made choices includes a Linguine alla Puttanesca, a Penne all’ Arrabiata, a baked Gemelli alla Sorrentina that comes out of the oven dripping with homemade mozzarella, and several options of pasta with seafood.
Perfectly cooked pasta comes in portions that leave room for a Secondi— salmon, pork, veal, lamb, salmon, or a vegetarian Eggplant Melenzane.
But the pasta is the star. I had the Puttanesca, loaded with garlic with its anchovy umami, lovely olives, and capers. On other visits, the Gemelli, Linguine con Vongole, and the Ravioli alla Tarantella all addressed the need for noodles.
Clean Plate Club honors go to the Gemelli.
Mazzeo’s
1015 South St., Pittsfield
413-448-2095 • mazzeosristorante.com
Mazzeo’s has been serving generously portioned Italian food for 35 years. Try not to fill up on the Pan Anglio, although it was hard for me not to devour the entire basket before the rest of my dinner arrived. Others at the table had the same restraint issues around Calamari Fritti and Bruschetta. For many people, these appetizers alone would be satisfying enough to constitute dinner.
We are here to talk about pasta, however. Mazzeo’s serves half or whole portions, so of course, I ordered two half portions, which could easily have fed four people. The Fettuccine Di Mia Arrabbiata arrived with perfectly cooked house-made pasta. Expect heat in this dish—it is satisfyingly spicy for those of us who love the rush of hot stuff in our food. The heat was tempered enough so that it didn’t overpower the ability to taste the sauce.
As I ventured, elbow deep into the Arrabbiata, the Ravioli Alla Florentine arrived. The gracious plate of ravioli stuffed with spinach, garlic, and parmigiana swam in a thick white sauce. One can choose to add more cheese or short rib to the dish.
On other outings, the Garganelli Vegetali, the Clean Plate Club pick, was a lighter choice, with lovely pasta mixed with plum tomatoes and well prepared seasonal vegetables, olive oil, and cheese.
Frankie’s
80 Main St., Lenox
413-637-4455 • frankiesitaliano.com
The website for Frankie’s declares that their cuisine is “traditional Italian American fare … like your mama used to make,” which may be especially true if your mother was not Italian.
This is a great place to take a house full of house guests that might include a few under 10. They are accommodating and friendly toward children at the table—as evidenced by any given night during spring break, when half of the seats at tables of six and eight are populated by children.
There are many options to guarantee your friends and the little ones will find something to their liking, ranging from your basic Spaghetti E Meatballs, or “con Clams,” Carbonara, Bolognese, and Seafood Fra Diavolo.
At our table, we tried both the Wild Mushroom Ravioli which came in a truffle cream sauce bath, and gluten-free Pasta Alla Norma. This came with a commercially made gluten-free roll. Frankie’s uses “Banza” brand chickpea pasta for their GF option. The “alla Norma” had generous amounts of eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and a nice sauce. The pasta was clearly gluten-free and might have benefitted by a minute less cooking time, not quite standing up as well as the regular pasta would to the rugged sauce. The ravioli will appeal to those who are craving a gooey cream and comfort hit. ■
Some other locales serving gluten-free and regular pasta dishes:
Mario’s Restaurant
US 20, New Lebanon, New York
518-794-9495 • mariosrestaurantnl.com
Timothy’s
54 Main St., Lee
413-243-8220 • timothysrestarantinlee.com
Zucchini’s
1331 North St., Pittsfield
413-442-2777 • zucchinisrestaurant.com
Grazie
26 Marshall St., North Adams 4
13-664-0044 • graziena.com