Continuing down the New Jersey waterline
There is a little ocean city familiar to most from the area, Belmar. Boasting some of New Jersey’s cutest beaches and seaside homes, Belmar is a quick and sweet (or, dare I say, dolce) escape from city life just a 2-hour drive away. During this summer’s escape, La Dolce Vita was on the menu and after a day in the water and sun, much needed.
An “Italian seafood grill”, the menu has everything from homemade meatballs, to linguini with clam sauce, to veal chop parmigiana. Pastas to mains, all meals sounded rich and delicious. We went with the Burrata al la Pesto and Crab Cakes- Italian and seafood.
Upon reading the words “burrata a la pesto” you may have gathered from some slight Italian language knowledge the words burrata and a pesto sauce, assuming over pasta, are combined. This is what I call elevating la pasta game. As you can see above, that is exactly what we have here! Fettuccine pasta in a basil pesto cream sauce with grape tomatoes, artichoke hearts topped with imported burrata cheese.I will repeat, the pasta dish, which is heavenly alone, is then topped. with. burrata. cheese. Let’s start with the pasta. Italian restaurants owe a debt to the name they adorn to get these dishes right. I say this because the texture and how well cooked it was (leaning towards al dente but not overcooked) did the Tuscans justice. Add a pesto alfredo sauce and you are swimming in a pool of pasta perfection. Fettucine tends to be accompanied by a thinner sauce and meat since it can carry the weight but the artichokes and grape tomatoes were a fine touch for substance while keeping it vegetarian.
Since burrata is its’ very own special type of cheese, it gets its very own special paragraph. Solid and cold on the outside, and oozy and buttery on the inside, this is not your ordinary cheese. Burrata (literally translates to butter) cheese, while consisting of mozzarella, is also formed into a sphere and then filled with soft, stringy curd and cream. And while it is made with mozzarella, it is a completely different type of goodness. While a more indulgent cheese, it’s certainly not too heavy and can be served with good bread, fruits, meats, or just some quality EVOO. Place it on a well-done fettuccine and you have what must be the most clever use of burrata and a most brilliant vegetarian dish that is sure to fill and delight!
Moving on to the main meal (that’s right now an appetizer) of Crab Cakes. Two pan-seared jumbo lump crab cakes are topped with a citrus mango chutney. When I say jumbo, I mean jumbonormous. These things are massive! They are filled with lump crab cake, which makes a significant difference, and the fill of bread crumbs and seasoning makes the cakes lean towards savory from the sweet crab meat. Then you add the mango chutney for a kick of additional sweetness and just like that, you have a near-perfect crab cake recipe. Served with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus- it’s fresh, it’s light, it’s filling, and just so satisfying on a hot summer day.
It is no wonder the restaurant’s name is Italian for “The Sweet Life,” life really is good at Belmar’s La Dolce Vita.
