Fall weather triggers a craving for comfort food, and it doesn’t get any better than pasta. Whether it’s the savory spice of a stir-fry straight out of Singapore or the zesty flavor of a San Marzano tomato sauce in a classic Italian pasta dish, nothing staves away your cold weather woes like a hearty bowl of noodles. The following plates sound so agreeable to us, we’re standing with our forks and spoons (or chopsticks) at the ready. Care to join us?
Fettuccini Verde alla Salsiccia
The spinach fettuccini noodles in the fettuccini verde alla salsiccia ($17.95) are made fresh in Arezzo’s own kitchen and cooked al dente, giving them that delicate but firm mouthfeel. They are tossed with a spicy Italian sausage and a tomato sauce that is made with the sweet San Marzano tomatoes grown just outside of Naples, Italy—the only kind they use here. Another popular item is the moretti alle vongole voraci ($19.95), a staple on the menu and an all-time favorite Italian dish, made with squid ink fettuccini, which is sautéed with fresh clams, asparagus and a white wine sauce. Arezzo hired a new chef just a few months ago, who is creating all-new daily specials and tweaking the menu just a bit, but owner Adam Smith assures us that things won’t change drastically. “We’ve been here over ten years; our customers wouldn’t like it if we changed the menu too much,” he says.
5057 France Ave. S.; 612.285.7444
Hours: 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Mon.–Thurs.; 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 5 p.m.–10 p.m. Fri.–Sat.; 5 p.m.–10 p.m. Sun.
Chilean Sea Bass Yuzo Miso
Walking the line between sour and salty, the Chilean sea bass yuzo miso ($25) at Raku starts with a filet of sea bass marinated with yuzu, a sour citrus fruit native to East Asia, and miso, the fermented soy bean paste. The fish is grilled to create a crispy crust on the outside while it remains tender on the inside. The thick, chewy udon noodles are prepared in a bonito broth with carrots, cabbage and mushrooms, before the sea bass is laid on top of the noodles. This signature entrée has been on Raku’s menu, which also contains an entire section of dishes featuring udon and soba noodles, since it opened about a year ago.
3939 W 50th St.; 952.358.2588
Hours: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Fri., 12 p.m.–11 p.m. Sat., 12 p.m.–10 p.m. Sun.
Cantonese Pan-fried Noodle
Do you love the textural contrast that you get with crispy stir-fried noodles? Then order up some Cantonese pan-fried noodles ($10.95–$11.95) from Hot Wok, made with egg noodles that are pan-fried until they are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The dish includes an array of vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, pea pods, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, onions and carrots; and it can be ordered with beef, pork, chicken, shrimp or a combination of meats. On the verge of its 20th year in business, Hot Wok also offers a popular chicken lo mein ($7.95) and Singapore rice noodles with curry and pork ($7.95).
7515 France Ave S.; 952.835.6161
Hours: 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m. Mon.–Sat., 12 p.m.–9:30 p.m. Sun.
Spicy Lamb Meatballs
Inspired by that classic American comfort dish of spaghetti and meatballs, the spicy lamb meatballs ($17.95) at Crave are made with ground lamb seasoned with spices, garlic, fresh herbs and Parmesan, then roasted until golden brown. The meatballs are then simmered in homemade tomato sauce, tossed with fettuccini noodles and garnished with crispy fried basil and shaved Parmesan. The shrimp Andouille pasta ($19.95) is another longstanding favorite on Crave’s menu, made with black tiger shrimp, smoked Andouille sausage, olive oil, garlic and Cajun spices. It’s served in a light cream sauce, reduced with tomatoes and vodka to add some richness, and tossed with spinach and broccolini.
Galleria, 3520 W. 70th St.; 952.697.6000
Hours: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Mon.–Thurs.; 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Fri.–Sat.; 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Sun.
House Mai Fun Noodles
The platter of House Mai Fun Noodles ($12.99) is so generous that you’ll want to bring a friend or plan on taking half of it home for your next meal. The dish, which began as a chef’s special, is made with thin rice noodles, chicken, pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, onions and pea pods in a light sauce. Due to its popularity, it has now been added to the daily menu. The vegetable chow fun ($11.99) is another recent addition that vegetarians love, made with a wider noodle and pea pods, carrots, onions, bean sprouts and mushrooms; meat can be added to the dish. Red Pepper offers a variety of Szechuan, Cantonese and Hunan specialties, and serves a “dinner for two” special in the evenings that includes an appetizer and two entrees for $15.99.
2902 West 66th St.; 612.869.6817
Hours: 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Fri.–Sat.
Butternut Squash Ravioli
Butternut squash ravioli is pretty much the epitome of an autumn dish. The one at Pinstripes ($14) is garnished with a brown butter sauce tossed with diced acorn squash and gorgonzola, then topped with shaved parmesan. Another favorite pasta at Pinstripes, where all of the pastas are made fresh, is the fettuccini bolognese ($14). Black pepper fettuccini is tossed in a veal stock-based broth, with pomodoro, shallots, leeks, carrots, pancetta, and ground veal, pork and beef. This American Italian fusion spot recently brought on a new executive chef, Joel Del Fiacco, who released a new menu at the end of summer.
3849 Gallagher Dr.; 952.835.6440
Hours: 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Sun., 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. Mon., 11:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m. Tues., 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. Wed.–Thurs., 11:30 a.m.–12 a.m. Fri., 10 a.m.–12 a.m. Sat.
Stir-Fried Udon Noodles Shanghai Style
Customers are really crazy about the stir-fried udon noodles ($13.95) at Great Wall, which offer a little bit of a twist on the classic Shanghai noodle, using Japanese udon noodles instead of the thick Shanghai noodle from China. It’s still prepared with pork and cabbage, though beef or shrimp can be substituted. Likewise, the beef chow fun, made with a wide rice noodle ($13.75), is also very popular.
4515 France Ave S.; 952.927.4439
Hours: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sun.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Fri.–Sat.
