Dinner at Il Gatto

On my way to work one morning last week, I heard Minnesota Monthly food critic Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, offer her take on Il Gatto during a segment on The Current, which reminded me that I had a recent visit to report on.

She was talking about Italian options in MSP, and the news that respected chef and James Beard Award winner Tim McKee was recently put at the helm of Il Gatto (which is very exciting news indeed). She also offered her assessment of Il Gatto in its current state - a less than favorable critique.

What I caught of Dara's review focused mostly on the seafood-driven items on the menu, which I'm admittedly not very well-versed in. But I have to say that the couple of times I've been to Il Gatto since its introduction last year (locals will remember that it replaced Figlio), I've actually been quite impressed by the menu.

On this most recent visit, my friend and I shared a few plates. The first of which was a prosciutto and fig bruschetta. It was phenomenal. My friend and I both agreed that the prosciutto was well-paired with the fig and brie. It was a little difficult to eat with so much piled on top, but the struggle was well worth every bite.

We also ordered the calamari, which comes with spicy peppers and lemon mayo. The peppers were an interesting addition, and the calamari was very good. Not really a key differentiator though.

Lastly, we ordered the meatball pizza. Wowza. This was fantastic. Fresh out of the wood oven, it had large, delicious meatballs. Again, a little difficult to eat (especially with your hands), but totally worth the extra effort.

In revisiting Il Gatto's menu online, it looks as though some of my favorites have already been replaced with the new direction. However, I will note the Tortellini Baronessa (prosciutto, peas and mushrooms in alfredo sauce), which is still listed. I had this during a previous visit, and I think it might still hold the title of my favorite pasta dish in Minneapolis-Saint Paul...for now anyway.