If you were one of the lucky 200 who got in to Coda del Pesce over the weekend when they softly opened the doors to see what would happen, you likely enjoyed some amazing yellowfin tuna. Chef Ken Vedrinksi reports that the yellowfin tuna arancini and the chitarra nero were the most popular dishes of the weekend.
We have yet to sit down for a meal at Vedrinski’s new place, but the sound of that chitarra nero dish is quite compelling. Freshmade chitarra (guitar) pasta (blackened with squid ink, perhaps?) and served with a topping of raw yellowfin tuna crudo? Oh dear. Just the thought of that makes me crazy to get out there and eat it up. And apparently, I’m not the only one. The restaurant officially opened yesterday and has been fielding reservation requests ever since.
It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of Vedrinski’s way with pasta and seafood, and his new place puts the highlight on both of those, with the added benefit of a less noisy dining room and an amazing view of the Atlantic Ocean. He spent the last several months renovating the old Huck’s and turning it into a space worthy of the Amalfi coast (OK, maybe I exaggerate a little, but it is really nice).
The menu is broken down in the traditional Italian way: antipasta, primi, and secondi. Some items that have caught my imagination include flounder braciole (rolled flounder filet? light tomato sauce?), triggerfish, peperonata, and chicken sugo (red peppers and tomato sauce?). Google Translator tells me one thing, but I won’t know the full story until I get over there and try some. That’s the truth about Vedrinski’s food, you can pretty much close your eyes and pick something and end up loving it.
Have you been yet? Have you made your reservations? Here’s the link if you’re tempted to do so right now.
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