Soba Carbonara with scallops, edamame, bacon and Parmesan truffle sauce
With the many fine Italian restaurants that Philly is blessed with, I still can’t figure out why I haven’t found a well-made Pasta alla Carbonara. I find most renditions either lackluster in flavor, piled high with mushy pasta, or the sauce so overcooked that the egg then becomes a curdled unpleasant texture of lumps instead of a richly smooth sauce.
The last traditional style plate that I really enjoyed in Philadelphia was at the now shuttered Sovalo (replaced by Kong). Damn, how I miss that place. Chef Joe Scarpone made the simple but hard to make dish so perfectly with al dente penne, pancetta, and scallions, lovingly smothered in a creamy, egg-yolk, Pecorino Romano sauce the color of flan. A sprinkled of fresh ground black pepper competed the dish. I call it the perfect Italian Breakfast- hey it’s got eggs, and the pancetta can easily stand in for bacon!
Last night I had an interesting variation of the Italian pasta favorite at Morimoto in Philadelphia (7th and Chestnut St.); the Soba Carbonara. Japanese soba noodles made from buckwheat flour similar in shape to spaghetti repaces the traditional semolina pasta. When the deep white bowl arrives at your table, you immediately smell a heavenly earthiness from the addition of truffle oil. Then the grated Parmesan cheese rises up creating a sweet, yet salty aroma. The smoky bacon whispers in the background and then there’s this slight hint of herbaceousness that comes from the adornment of freshly chopped chives. The interesting addition of bay scallops and edamame although subtle in scent, provide a contrast of texture to each bite. One forkful provides an abundance of flavors and consistencies, but the trick here, is to get all the ingredients into one mouthful.
When you do, you’ll be rewarded by the delicate chew of the grainy noodles, the tender, but meaty sea-sweetness of the dry baby bays, a snappy pop from the lightly steamed edamame, a wood smoked intensity of the part chewy, part crispy dices of bacon, and a fresh onion-like bite from the bright green chives all congealed by the velvety softness of the rich Parmesan, truffle and egg yolk. There is also a secret umami ingredient in the sauce that makes it even more savory; a dash of bonito-infused dashi broth. The only missing ingredient for me, was a pinch of black pepper, which our serve was happy to add upon request. Not a traditional Carbonara and certainly not Italian either. I’d call this a well-executed, creative interpretation on a Roman, Italian classic dish that’s pure comfort in a bowl. The Soba Carbonara at Morimoto can be order in full or half-size (pictured above, $14) portions- if you’re sharing, I’d highly recommend the full size portion.
Filed under: Bites Tagged: | Best Pasta dishes Philly, Japanese food Philly, Morimoto Philadelphia, Weekly Bites
