Shanea Savours: Made in Italy Gourmet
A Taste of Italian Authenticity in Wynwood
There is a delightful new Italian concept market /wine bar/ restaurant in Wynwood, Miami located at 10 NE 27th street right around the corner from Beaker and Gray. I hear it is the brainchild of native Italians Pietro Monelli and Francesco Belcaro. They did a marvellous job transforming a large warehouse into what I can only describe as a scene out of a Tuscan village.
Made in Italy Gourmet has a wine bar and a retail market with items such as oils, sauces, pasta, and Italian artisanal products. There is also an Italian wine library with over 2,000 bottles in all price ranges. And don’t forget the cheese and cured meat counter. Their motto: Taste, Live, Share. They really follow these ideals. They even offer food and wine courses, demonstrations and tastings throughout the year. On the day that we ate there, there was culinary food tour of about 20 people happening. They say at a beautiful long communal table.
We indulged in a carpaccio di manza, which was thinly sliced beef served with arugula, and sliced parmigiana in a balsamic dressing. We then tried two luscious plates of pasta. One was on the regular menu, which was a house short rib ravioli. The stuffed ravioli was in a sinfully rich and creamy mushroom sauce topped with truffle oil. I need to do a few more sit ups tomorrow. We also tried a special of homemade fettuccine with seafood in a tomato and wine sauce. It had a nice spicy kick to it.
The food was really authentic Italian. The chef creating the pasta dishes is from Sicily and you can watch him do his magic in an open kitchen. The pasta is not cheap but you can see the quality ingredients that go into each dish and the labour involved. Since he is the only one preparing the pasta you must be patient as it is cooked a la minute. But the wait is well worth it as you enjoy your fresh, hot out of the pan creation.
For dessert we enjoyed a panna cotta with a strawberry compote on top, and some fresh ricotta cannolis with espresso.
They also serve salads, panini, Italian wraps, antipasti, cured meats and cheeses, fish, meat and a nice pasta selection. They also offer some contorni (vegetables). This new gem is a place to shop, taste and savour. Recommend.
Happy Dining, Shanea
PS Just an aside, I bought a cheese at epicure with truffles for a ridiculous price of $55. The exact same cheese at Made in Italy was $20 cheaper!!!
I may not be a professional writer, but I consider myself a professional eater. I love to eat, read about food, travel, shop, take in the arts, and explore new places. Focusing mostly on Toronto, my home base, Miami, my second home and New York and Italy where I travel to the most, while also featuring other places I’m fortunate enough to visit, I’ll share with you my most savoury tidbits along the way. Happy Dining!
