ICORSINI
South Beach just became even more appetizing!
ICorsini is a new Italian restaurant with the most beautiful courtyard I have ever seen. You would never imagine that the corner of Washington and 6th Street could be this serene, but the enclosed courtyard has an amazing array of foliage and flowering plants that keep the noise out while allowing you to soak up the lovely Miami Beach weather.
Recently, on a warm breezy day, while basking in this atmosphere, we savored classic Italian dishes and a few not so classic dishes. The menu is the creation of Beppe Galazzi, formerly the chef at Sardinia, a favorite Italian restaurant in Miami Beach. At I Corsini Beppe has melded traditional Tuscan food such as Ribollita, a thick full flavored soup that take days of preparation, with Florida inspired favorites like pan-seared tuna with papaya and mango salsa.
For antipasti we had Calamari Ripieni, stuffed squid with an enticingly fragrant and delicious basil lime sauce, and Tartare di Manzo, a beautiful take on steak tartar that you mix yourself. The meat was incredibly fresh and came topped with a raw quail egg nestled in its shell. The surrounding accompaniments were Dijon mustard and finely minced anchovies, capers, and onions.
We had to have one more antipasti, the Trippa Brasata, braised tripe cooked to its juicy tender best with black olives, pine nuts, and fresh rosemary. The broth from braising became rich with the flavors of each ingredient, coating the bits of tripe. We didn’t order the braised cannelloni beans with Guanciale and it’s been on my mind every day since. Guanciale is a salt and pepper-cured pig’s jowl known for its rich texture and flavor. Until recently it was impossible to find in the States.
Our pasta course was Cappellaccio di Zucca, giant tortelloni stuffed with pumpkin and sprinkled with fresh sage leaves and pistachio nuts. This classic dish from Lombardy dates back to the 1500’s. The homemade pasta was deliciously textured, cooked to perfection, and seasoned with just a hint of rich nutmeg.
We lingered over our lunch in the beautiful courtyard and had one final course. The fish course was Capesante Dorate, a plate of four enormous Maine scallops sitting on slices of sweet potatoes and topped with fresh basil pesto, all nestled in beautiful scallop shells. We felt like we were on vacation in our own neighborhood.
I Corsini has an extensive wine list which includes many wonderful choices for wine by the glass. We enjoyed a glass of Barbera that went well with our picks.
