In celebration of an anniversary of sorts, MSO and I tried out a new restaurant the other week: La Pizzella at 2080 St-Mathieu, Montreal. Conveniently located just a few blocks down the street from MSO’s apartment, it was a perfect spot for an impromptu weeknight dinner.
As soon as we walked in, I was struck by the coziness and authenticity of the place. The walls were covered in warm red brick and the room lit with coach lanterns, Italian music drifted from the speakers at just the right volume, and middle-aged waiters sporting red bowties strode about purposefully. Cloth tablecloths and napkins were a nice touch.
Our meal started with an amuse-bouche on the house – always a good start! The thin‑crust pizza topped with tomato sauce and basil and cut into wedges was simple but satisfying.
We ordered a bottle of red (Folonari Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon) and an appetizer of tomato & bocconcini to share. It was a generous serving, 7 or 8 slices of tomato topped with thick pieces of the creamy cheese. The basil flavour was perfect and not too strong. However, I thought the dish was a little bland overall.
For mains, I ordered the tagliatelle carbonara, which was absolutely divine. Perfectly creamy, just salty enough due the right amount of bacon, and a generous but not overly large portion.
MSO ordered penne with oyster mushrooms. I would definitely recommend it; it contained a good amount of mushrooms and the pasta was fresh and perfectly al dente, although it was not nearly as flavourful as my meal, which MSO coveted throughout the entire dinner. Lucky for him, I couldn’t finish the last several bites, which he enthusiastically polished off. He then asked me to remind him to order the tagliatelle carbonara next time!
Our meal was followed by walnuts in the shell served at our table in a pretty porcelain bowl with a nutcracker. Very odd, I must say… I’ve never seen anything like it before, but strangely satisfying after our pasta. A good combination indeed.
Overall, a terrific dining experience. The staff—REAL Italian waiters with thick accents—were extremely attentive and charming, patiently indulging our pathetic attempts at speaking their language (embarrassingly limited to grazie, prego and scusi!). And tucked away in the back corner of the quaint resto: an authentic wood-burning pizza oven… a perfect excuse for a return visit! As if we needed one.
