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<\/a>Cafe Porta Alba<\/a>\u00a0has experienced an upshot in popularity since relocating to the more trendy Hilldale last year.\u00a0 Just a few steps from the Sundance\u00a0Cinemas\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0and various boutiques,\u00a0the restaurant\u00a0is a top choice for theater-goers and shoppers\u00a0not only for its proximity but by it’s friendly atmosphere and consistent preparation of top quality food.\u00a0 Once in awhile on Friday or Saturday evenings\u00a0they have “La Posteggia Napoletana”.\u00a0\u00a0My friends Bill and Colleen Foley liven up the place with some Neapolitan music on the\u00a0mandolin and guitar.\u00a0 You might also catch me one of those nights singing some tunes.\u00a0 Recently, Keith and I had the pleasure to dine there with J.M. and\u00a0Nichole of MadisonAtoZ<\/a>.\u00a0 Everyone had pizzas except for me.\u00a0 Keith had the Margherita con salame, J.M. had the Margherita, and Nichole ordered the Napoletana (margherita with anchovies), my favorite.\u00a0 I warmed up to her instantly.\u00a0 Obviously she is a woman of great taste.\u00a0 I decided to get the\u00a0recently added pasta dish, paccheri al rag\u00f9 <\/strong>(pictured below).\u00a0 My dinner companions agreed that the pizzas were superb.\u00a0\u00a0More on the pizzas here<\/a>.<\/p>\n A packed evening at the restaurant and the rag\u00f9.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The rag\u00f9, aka rag\u00f9 guardaporta (doorman’s rag\u00f9), is named because it takes about 6 hours to cook and a doorman is\u00a0one who would be well suited to attend to the slow cooking sauce.\u00a0 Compared to the Bolognese style<\/a>,\u00a0the Neapolitan version<\/a> uses chunks of pork and beef instead of ground, red wine instead of white, no milk or cream, more onions and herbs, and more tomatoes (because\u00a0it is abundant in\u00a0the region).\u00a0 Did you know that Naples started the industry of preserving tomatoes?\u00a0 The San Marzano <\/a>variety is its most popular export.\u00a0 The large tube\u00a0shaped pasta called paccheri<\/a>, meaning “slaps”, \u00a0is the traditional accompaniment to the sauce.\u00a0 When one eats a plate of\u00a0paccheri al\u00a0\u00a0rag\u00f9, the pasta makes a slapping sound\u00a0upon lifting\u00a0a piece with a fork.\u00a0 Convenienty, the paccheri was also used to smuggle garlic across the Alps in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance.\u00a0 Prussia, today’s Austria, had less than satisfactory garlic crop while the highly prized southern Italian variety were large and flavorful.\u00a0 In order to protect their economy, Prussia closed its border’s to Italian garlic.\u00a0 Highly sought after by Prussian and Hungarian princes, Italian pasta makers invented the paccheri to hide and transport the choice garlic.<\/p>\n I know you’re dying to hear how it tasted.\u00a0 The rag\u00f9 was spectacular!\u00a0\u00a0I actually got a little dizzy after my first bite, it was so good.\u00a0 Each ingredient was discernible without being overpowering and yes the pasta made the slapping sound!\u00a0 A perfectly executed dish.\u00a0 A new favorite.\u00a0 Just like the\u00a0rest of Cafe Porta Alba’s dishes (yes I’ve tried them all) the taste was elegant in its simplicity.<\/p>\n For dessert we\u00a0sampled some gelati (champagne, hazelnut, espresso,\u00a0fior di latte, chocolate,\u00a0and apple).\u00a0 Need I say more?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/driftlessappetite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/cafeportaalbamadison1.jpeg\" "\\"cafeportaalbamadison1\\"")
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