My wife and daughter have raved about VV The Italian Experience for quite some time. First, they loved the drinks, and now they love the food options, too. They finally brought me along with them on an early weekend morning. You can order things to-go from the counter, or there are some tables to sit and have table service. We lucked into one of the last available tables and were soon greeted with drinks and a quick breakfast.

Cornetti

As we were in a little bit of a hurry I was glad to see some savory options in the display cases. I went with a ham and cheese cornetti, which is essentially the Italian version of a croissant. I loved that there was some extra cheese on top, as it was very tasty and the layers of dough were crispy, light, and flaky. It was very good and I look forward to trying other items at VV!

I have no idea why it took me so long to give Forno Osteria & Bar a try. I guess I don’t get down to East Hyde Park very often, even though it’s only barely over a mile from home. It will definitely not be long before a return visit. Be sure to book an online reservation before going. We did and were treated to an outdoor table of our choice.

Arugula Salad

To start my wife and I split the arugula salad with golden raisins, capers, shaved cauliflower, pistachios, citronette dressing, and parmigiano reggiano ($13). The serving was very generous and the salad was full of flavor. I loved the crunch of the pistachios and cauliflower.

Basil and Ricotta Tortelloni

I ordered the basil and ricotta tortelloni served with pomodoro sauce, parigiano reggiano, and basil oil ($25). The freshly made pasta is stuffed full and cooked perfectly. The sauce was rich to complement the subtle flavor of ricotta.

Asparagus Gnudi “Cacio e Pepe”

My wife ordered the asparagus gnudi “Cacio e Pepe” ($21). Gnudi is similar to gnocchi, but the dumplings are made of ricotta cheese and semolina instead of potato flour. These were very light and served in a Vermont butter sauce with asparagus. It was a very flavorful dish, despite the simple presentation. I think I enjoyed the tortelloni better, but both are worthy of ordering again on a future visit.