Photograph by Catherine Grace
There’s nothing quite like Sotto, the Boca Restaurant Group’s pasta-forward speakeasy. Getting there is an adventure. It’s easy to overlook and difficult to find if you don’t already know the way, but beside Boca’s red door, a staircase leads below street level. Sotto lies down those steps, and there are a lot of steps, which gives you the perfect excuse to indulge with less guilt when you arrive.
Photograph by Catherine Grace
Taking notes from Boca’s dedication to excellence, Executive Chef Jacob “Woody” Wood took over the kitchen after the departure of Chef Danny Combs in 2022 and continues the good work with owner David Falk. They aim to bring Italy’s rustic charms to the city. That translates to a lot of Italian table wine and food made by hand with love. Like any good antipasti menu, Sotto’s will challenge your self-control. Surrender is inevitable, but the grilled bread with goat cheese, hazelnuts, and honey will make it sweet. It contrasts the bulk of savory entrées perfectly.
Photograph by Catherine Grace
If you’ve never visited Sotto during truffle season, you’ve never tasted heaven. Available only when the prized mushrooms are at their best, the tajarin con tartufo is a superb demonstration of masterful Italian technique. The silky pasta, made with egg yolks, is a decadent base for the star of the show: a mound of shaved black truffle dusted with parmigiano. The textures melt together, and the truffle absolutely shines. It isn’t an add-on or afterthought. It’s simply perfect, which could be Sotto’s motto.
118 E. Sixth St., downtown, (513) 822-5154, sottocincinnati.com
Facebook Comments