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We asked you to nominate your West Side favorites in dozens of categories. Then we compiled the top three vote-getters in each one and asked you to once again cast your ballot at the Best of the West party at Market Square at Crocker Park on May 12. Read on to learn about the winners.
Stories by: Chrissy Kadleck, Myra Orenstein and Ann-Marie Vazzano
RESTAURANT // BISTRO 83 A staple on Bistro 83’s menu for five years, the Calabrian Shrimp Pasta is named for the unique specialty chili pepper featured in this popular entrée, says Tony Martorello, general manager and executive chef. In fact, he developed this dish after a food purveyor introduced him to the slightly spicy pepper that comes bottled in oil directly from Italy. 36033 Westminister Ave., North Ridgeville, 440-353-2828, bistro83.com LOCALLY MADE ITALIAN SAUSAGE: Holiday Italian Sausage won Martorello over in blind taste testing years ago, and it’s the only sausage he’s used since. In this recipe, he roasts the crumbled sausage and then adds it to the sauté pan. CHABLIS: Martorello uses Chablis white wine from France to deglaze the saute pan. “It’s a clean wine and it’s unoaked so it doesn’t really change the characteristic of the dish too much. It adds a little bit of acidity and some zing to the dish.” HEAVY CREAM: The cream adds fat and helps pull the hearty dish together.
KARIN MCKENNA
SHRIMP: Five wild-caught shrimp, sized 16/30, are tossed in and sauteed in the sauce.
ROASTED GARLIC BUTTER WITH CALABRIAN PEPPERS: Martorello starts with garlic roasted in-house and purees it with the red Calabrian peppers. “The peppers have got a little bit of spice to them but they’re not overwhelmingly spicy,” he says. That mixture is blended with softened butter to create the compound butter that will be the base for the sauce.
FRESH ARUGULA: Baby arugula was chosen for its small and tender greens that work well in pasta dishes, Martorello says. “It also adds a bit of texture and a bit of pepperiness to the dish.” CHERRY TOMATOES: Fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes are sliced in half and added to the sauce. They add color, freshness, texture and acidity to the dish.
PARMESAN CHEESE: “We add Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to basically thicken up the sauce and to add more flavor,” Martorello says. PAPPARDELLE: The dish is complete with a portion of Ohio City Pasta’s pappardelle, a large, flat, wide noodle. “We use Ohio City Pasta because we like serving the best,” Martorello says, adding that they also like to support local companies whenever possible. “It’s a consistent, very high-quality pasta. And this is a particular noodle you don’t see at a lot of places so it adds a bit of uniqueness to our dish.” CLEVELANDMAGAZINE.COM
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