πΊπΈ Best Italian Restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea! π
π΄ PortaBella π Ocean Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921 Visited this popular handmade pasta spot with friends last weekend β and wow, it blew my mind! π For me, the ultimate test of an Italian restaurant is their Carbonaraβ¦ and this one was rich, creamy, and absolutely PERFECT π₯π³ It shot straight to the top of my list of best Italian restaurants outside Italy! (Havenβt been to Italy yet π’ but Iβve tried plenty across Europe β and this beats even my previous fave, Joya in Bath! π) Their creamy pastas and risottos are fantastic, though the tomato-based dishes are a bit less impressive. The meat dishes are solid but not mind-blowing. Hereβs what we triedποΌ π Pasta Alla Carbonara Smoky guanciale + egg yolk & cheese sauce clinging to wide handmade noodles. Rich? Yes. Worth it? ABSOLUTELY. β οΈπ₯ π Classic Wild Mushroom Risotto Perfectly cooked rice (not too al dente β great for Chinese taste buds!), loaded with wild mushrooms and cheese. So flavorful! π¦ Roasted Corn and Crab Bisque Bowl Sweet, creamy, and generous portion. Shared between four of us! π π₯© Oven Braised Short Ribs Tender, juicy ribs with deep red wine sauce. Veggies were simple but fine. π Fresh Tuscan Pappardelle Al Pomodoro A bit underwhelming β sauce was light and lacked depth. Good noodles though. π€ Skewer Grilled Jumbo Prawns Pretty standard β nothing special. β³ Wait was long but worth it! Perfect after a beach walk ππ #UCBerkeley #StudyInUSA #BayAreaFood #HiddenRestaurantGems #CarmelByTheSea
