LOCAL Houston | The City Guide APRIL 2015 | Page 21

Local April.qxp_002houston 3/23/15 2:15 PM Page 21 Bar Area NORTH ITALIA CHEF: Jonathan Wills | CUISINE: Italian 1700 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 190 | 281.605.4030 | www.northitaliarestaurant.com Mon–Thur: 11am–10pm | Fri: 11am–11pm | Sat: 10am–11pm | Sun: 10am–10pm Pizza For pasta and pizza dough made from scratch daily, the new North Italia in BLVD Place at Post Oak and San Felipe should definitely be on your radar. The vibe when you walk in the doors is chic and inviting, good for couples or groups looking for a nice place to dine out. Like its sister restaurant, True Food Kitchen, running parallel to the length of the bar are bar seating areas – tables for two or four – attractively lit by clear bulb chandeliers, that make it easy for you to sit or stand and mingle while nursing a drink. The menu looks simple, but packs enough of a punch so that you have plenty of choices. I recommend starting with a cheese and charcuterie board accompanied by a sangria, glass of wine or a craft cocktail like the Julietta, made of vanilla- and ginger-infused Smirnoff with St. Germaine, lime and Prosecco for a bit of added fizz. For small plates, don’t miss the grilled cauliflower, which comes topped with a fried egg with a runny yolk and crispy toasted bread crumbs, with additional pings of creaminess from a pancetta cream – two thumbs way up. Follow that with a plate of greens like the Tuscan Kale salad as well as one of the signature pizzas. We sampled a thoroughly enjoyable daily special spicy pepperoni pizza the night we were there, but other favorites include “The Pig” (all meat pizza with pepperoni, soppresatta, salumi, Italian fennel sausage) and the “Bacon and Egg” because, well, who doesn’t like bacon and eggs? Another must-not-miss? The pastas. Hand-made daily from scratch, you can watch the process in the open kitchen if you happen to be there at the right time. I highly recommend the bolognese served on tagliatelle, and the spicy shrimp served on a special, ribbon-like mafaldine pasta, Chef Jonathan Wills’ personal favorite. april 15 | L O C A L 21