Speck serves up pasta perfection downtown
I liked it so much that I immediately booked another reservation.
Dining the news: Speck opened in 2023 in the heart of downtown, offering an "interpretation of Italian cuisine in a vibrant and eclectic setting." The pasta is made fresh daily — and it shows.
My first trip, I had crab crusted in parmesan atop a mound of black spaghetti (apparently dyed with squid ink) covered in saffron cream.
The second, the limone — a candy-wrapper-shaped pasta filled with goat cheese and garnished with pistachio, mint and pomegranate.
The intrigue: The unusual flavor combinations immediately hooked me.
I also sampled my colleagues' sausage ragu and cacio e pepi, and those simple traditional dishes deliciously stood out, too.
Best bites: The mussels are an appetizer I'll order every time, served in a spicy broth with house scacciata bread for dipping.
What's next: Speck's owner (also behind Veritas) is now working on the Mexican-inspired Rosalita, expected to open on nearby Gay Street later this year.
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