Spring Break
On The Town
Gnocchi - Three Triangles
Kat Sacks
Issue date: 3/12/04 Section: Entertainment
Tucked away at the point where Passyunk Avenue meets South Street lies a bit of Philadelphia's version of Italy. With its small open kitchen and frescos on the wall, Gnocchi makes for a pleasant night out for Italian specialties.
The small dining room of Gnocchi sets the stage for the Americanized but still Italian fare. Our first courses were generally pleasing. The baked artichokes, served over white beans and carrots, were delightfully flavorful, the artichoke melting in my mouth and the beans adding a thick, deep flavor to the dish. The caprese and pomodoro were not as satisfying, and the thick slices of tomato not quite ripe enough, but with a bit olive oil, salt and pepper, the dish, with its very fresh buffalo mozzarella, managed to do just fine.
The light and fluffy potato dumplings were definitely worth being the namesake of Gnocchi. The Gnocchi tre Formaggi featured smooth gnocchi that were cooked a little too firmly but served in the most delicious three-cheese cream sauce, which was flavorful and not too thick, as cheese sauces tend to be. The dish was served with thin slices of radicchio, shiitake mushrooms, which gave it a woody taste, and red peppers, which gave a sweet bite to the dish. The spinach gnocchi served with Alfredo sauce was cooked to perfection, the dumplings smooth and creamy, and the spinach added just enough flavor to the dish to not be overpowering. The salty Alfredo sauce was creamy and light, creating an impressive dish. Although I was surprised the pasta was not served with freshly grated parmagiano reggiano, the entrees were surprisingly satisfying.
Gnocchi fared similarly with their deserts as they had their appetizers and entrees. The tiramisu was extremely dense, the rich cream and coffee flavors running through the moist cake. Not at all like the light and fluffy creams of other tiramisu, Gnocchi makes a richly thick and very pleasing dessert. The coconut sorbet, a very sweet, creamy sorbet with thick chunks of fresh coconut, was also enjoyable. Both were an excellent way to end the meal.
Gnocchi offered an excellent dinner, the food tasty for the most part, and the atmosphere was enjoyable. Although the prices are incredibly low, make sure to bring cash to this BYOB, or else you may end up running to the nearest ATM after dessert.
The small dining room of Gnocchi sets the stage for the Americanized but still Italian fare. Our first courses were generally pleasing. The baked artichokes, served over white beans and carrots, were delightfully flavorful, the artichoke melting in my mouth and the beans adding a thick, deep flavor to the dish. The caprese and pomodoro were not as satisfying, and the thick slices of tomato not quite ripe enough, but with a bit olive oil, salt and pepper, the dish, with its very fresh buffalo mozzarella, managed to do just fine.
The light and fluffy potato dumplings were definitely worth being the namesake of Gnocchi. The Gnocchi tre Formaggi featured smooth gnocchi that were cooked a little too firmly but served in the most delicious three-cheese cream sauce, which was flavorful and not too thick, as cheese sauces tend to be. The dish was served with thin slices of radicchio, shiitake mushrooms, which gave it a woody taste, and red peppers, which gave a sweet bite to the dish. The spinach gnocchi served with Alfredo sauce was cooked to perfection, the dumplings smooth and creamy, and the spinach added just enough flavor to the dish to not be overpowering. The salty Alfredo sauce was creamy and light, creating an impressive dish. Although I was surprised the pasta was not served with freshly grated parmagiano reggiano, the entrees were surprisingly satisfying.
Gnocchi fared similarly with their deserts as they had their appetizers and entrees. The tiramisu was extremely dense, the rich cream and coffee flavors running through the moist cake. Not at all like the light and fluffy creams of other tiramisu, Gnocchi makes a richly thick and very pleasing dessert. The coconut sorbet, a very sweet, creamy sorbet with thick chunks of fresh coconut, was also enjoyable. Both were an excellent way to end the meal.
Gnocchi offered an excellent dinner, the food tasty for the most part, and the atmosphere was enjoyable. Although the prices are incredibly low, make sure to bring cash to this BYOB, or else you may end up running to the nearest ATM after dessert.
