Torta

They include fresh noodles, roasted chickens, savory Italian tortas, caponata and other antipasti like roasted onions in balsamic vinegar, crusty walnut breads, biscotti, and fabulous Italian desserts.

Perhaps there could be a smarter balsamic kick in the latte cotto custard, more oomph in the chocolate torta.

Internationally popular from his cookbooks and television show, Middione fills the deli case with southern Italian tortas, roasted chicken, polenta, and white bean salad.

To follow, there’s good, strong coffee and desserts such as chocolate torta with fresh whipped cream ($4.50), which comes from the divine Victoria Bakery a few steps away over the road (try their “Ugly But Beautiful” nut meringues), and gelato zabaglione ($3.50), an absolutely ambrosial yellow fluff.

The cuisine is rustic, with a decent choice of fish and meat, and great desserts like hazelnut chocolate torta with meringue doused in espresso and layered chantilly cream with bitter cocoa, or “bugies,” little fried pockets of dough filled with candied lemon zest and grappa di Moscato, then dusted with sugar.

I cooked for her as I had never cooked before: Spanish appetizers, Thai curries, and Italian tortas landed before her in dizzying, delectable profusion.

Leaving the world behind, I’d wallow in frosty solitude and chocolate torta.

He’d spoken in Italian to the woman at the door—the same words of condolence that the Scarlattas had used when visiting their grieving neighbors. People arrived bearing plates of food and fresh-cut flowers. There was a table crowded with offerings: a whole muskmelon, chocolate torta and jugs of wine, lamb stew with a skin of orange grease.