After weeks of hard work, rain, and pasta cravings I decided to reach out to one of my dearest friends for lunch. We had much to discuss and I was on a mission to try Settepani, a family owned Italian-Mediterranean restaurant on Lenox with a hint of Ethiopian dishes sprinkled in.
Calamari is always a safe choice so that’s where we started accompanied with Chardonnay.
Let’s just say, Settepani knows how to fry a calamar *chefs kiss*. I’ve had too hard, too soft, soggy, rubbery, chewy, you name it calamari, this was not that.
It was tossed in what tastes like a very light batter, seasoned lightly with salt, pepper and maybe some garlic… the squeeze of lemon only enhanced the already delicious flavor.
Since I started off with white wine and seafood, I had to keep the party going and order the Branzino, served with herbs and lemon sauce.
The subtle sweetness of chardonnay coupled with the fresh flavors of the branzino, lemon and herbs did my stomach good. When you do order this, be mindful of the bones. Since it is a pretty light fish, you won’t have too much trouble getting the bones out your way.
Like good friends do, we shared the Marre, spaghetti with tender shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari, and cherry tomato. What a hit!
Of all the dishes we had that day, this was the undisputed champ. I am all for simple ingredients making a powerful impact and this made us silent after an hour of chatting and laughing. Highly recommended. 10/10. 
After stumbling out of on a full stomach and food drunk, I headed to another friend’s apartment. She just moved in so we had to celebrate her new accomplishment. A fellow lover of Settepani, she convinced me to pedal on an electric bike to Settepani to order some cake. It was sooo good, we devoured before I remembered to take a picture.
Something about Settepani brings people together.
When you stop by tell Leah I said hi for me!