Marco Island, FL: The Italian Deli

The Italian Deli

The strong winds and cool temperatures did not allow for poolside
sunbathing. Instead, father and I decided to walk to the Italian Deli
for some exercise and to procure the evening's meal. During lazy
Florida vacations, planning the next meal is the the only mandatory
activity.

As we arrived at the small deli, a crowd of older Italian men,
characters rather, dined on chicken parmiganos and chatted in the
small seating area. The proprietor of this establishment, a New York
City ex-patriate with sausage fingers, recommended a large feast for
the evening's family dinner. We ordered lasagna with meatballs and
pasta fagioli soup. Minutes later, we were heading back to the
apartment with a heavy tray and full bag. Our arms were quite
exhausted after a long trek carrying literally kilos of food.

At dinnertime, mother and sister prepared, or re-heated, the food and
we dined around the table. The lasagna was rich and meaty layered with
ribbons of ricotta and a sweet and vibrant San Marzano tomato sauce. A
crusty bread loaf was the ideal vehicle to soak up the piquant gravy.
The pasta fagioli soup was a nice addition as well, speckled with
beans, bacon, and pasta in a rich broth.

This deli is a great place to pick up a delicious Italian meal to eat
in the peace and quiet of your home (and avoid Marco Islands abundance
of geriatrics) Run by a charming and possibly mafia-affiliated
gentleman, this deli is a unforgettable destination on Marco Island.

(Nan, Bob, and Jess returned a few nights later for a pizza. Very thin crust and right out of the oven. We ate there and it was delish!)




Eating it all in our condo....

(It tasted 100 times better than it looks!)

Chicago: Freddy's

This Italian deli located in the rather boring neighborhood of Cicero is a true gem. We never would have found this place in a million years. Thanks to Bob for recommending it. The joint is tiny--they have fresh pastas, sauces, bread, beverages, and other authentic Italian food on their shelves. The deli counter has tons of salads, rice balls, pizzas, sandwiches to order, etc.

Everything is so fresh, authentic and inexpensive. Nan, Bob, and J shared a large salad with artichokes, feta, tomatoes olives, one rice ball, one slice of artichoke pizza, and one tomato/mozz/prosciutto salad (oh, and two drinks) for under $20. You can't eat at subway for that price. Every bite we ate was outstanding. It reminded me of a place you'd see in a small town in Italy. Normally I (Jess) prefer thin crust and this pizza was a square pan pizza ('medium crust'). However, it was still very good--especially loaded with artichokes.

Bob thought the gelato was the best he's ever had. Chicago Magazine rated it the best in Chicago. It was creamy and rich. We tried limoncello, pistachio, and fruit of the forest.

This place gets 5 stars. We will return soon!

NYC: Keste

The Goldins LOVE pizza and every trip to NYC we try a new pizza place. Last year (2009), we enjoyed the "Luzzo" pizza at Luzzo (East Village)--a tiny place with a huge pizza oven in the back. Their pizza cooked in about three minutes and it was absolutely outstanding. I (Jess) had been on a mission this time to find a pizza that was equally as good--or better.

Sure enough, Keste topped Luzzo. Keste is a Neapolitan Pizzeria located at 271 Bleeker Street (West Village). We arrived at 5pm as soon as the place opened. We were all hungry since we didn't have any lunch that day and we walked in the 95 degree heat.

Our Italian waiter was very friendly and encouraged us to order multiple pizzas. We ordered three: the "Keste", the "Padrino" and one other I'm forgetting the name of. We also ordered table wine to help us wash down our pizza. I think the four of us agreed it was THE best pizza we've ever had. The crust was 'spongey' and had a slight burnt taste. All of the ingredients were very high quality. Pictures don't really do it justice.
YUM.