Vettel Basks in Truffles at Eataly’s Il Tartufo; Sula Dines on Authentic Oaxacan Fare

Truffle season is in full swing and Il Tartufo is a decadent experience worth splurging on. Phil Vettel reviews the pop-up restaurant, located inside Eataly until the end of the year, and finds a host of riches. "Delicate, vivid-yellow" tajarin pasta in a white-truffle butter sauce is made "heavenly" with the addition of even more truffle, and pork-veal agnolotti also pairs nicely with it. Veal breast served on polenta with sautéed mushrooms gets "more depth to the flavor" with a shower of shavings while roasted monkfish, "meaty in texture but delicate in flavor," is a "keeper, with or without truffles." Capping off the three star meal are seadas, fried pastries stuffed with ricotta and truffle and topped with honey. [Tribune]

Kie-Gol-Lanee is an exciting taste of Oaxacan cuisine, writes Mike Sula. The new Uptown spot offers "exactly the sort of dish likely to be prepared in those pine- and oak-covered mountains." The tlayuda, aka Mexican pizza, is a cornmeal flatbread smeared with black beans and topped with veggies, cheese and items like chicharrones and dried beef. Tamales feature "silky-smooth cornmeal that bursts with its filling," while "fall-off-the-bone" barbecued lamb with rich sauce is a "homey, comforting plate." Guests can even snack on chapulines—tiny grasshoppers that are popular in the state. Dessert includes uncommon sweets like moist caramel-drizzled zucchini cake as well as sweet squash with cinnamon and piloncillo. [Reader]