This little Italian eatery is tucked away, and you could almost overlook it, but once you are inside, it is cozy and welcoming. Poco Pazzo is set up for a quaint little causal dining experience with tasteful décor, great lighting, and a delicious menu. I went for supper with my husband, and even mid-week, quite a few tables were filled. The service was excellent, and the food was spot on. We started with some drinks and appetizers before digging into the reason we went, the pasta.
Date Night at Poco Pazzo
We kept it simple, Bruschetta Tradizionale and a beautiful dish called Carciofi which is artichoke hearts sauteed in butter, garlic, and parsley and then baked with mozzarella cheese. The bruschetta came on freshly made Italian bread with fresh ingredients that made it taste like summer. My husband and I had to try the pasta dishes. I must confess that when I eat out, and they offer some sort of seafood pasta dish, I will order it. So, I had the Pappardelle Capesante E Gamberi, which is pappardelle pasta (long, thick noodles) topped with jumbo shrimp and scallops in a creamy white wine sauce. It was one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. It was perfectly seasoned, the seafood was cooked to perfection, and it was the right proportion of food. I will be going back just for this dish. My husband isn’t usually a pasta guy, but you can’t say no to pasta when you eat Italian. He ordered the Fettucine Poco Pazzo with homemade fettuccine noodles, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, chicken, and prosciutto in a special white wine cream sauce. He loved it, and since he’s a good husband, he let me try it, and I would have to agree it was delicious. Again, you have a perfectly balanced plate of pasta that you can’t stop eating even when you have no room for more.
About Poco Pazzo
The owner and head chef, Emanuele (aka Manny) Leonforte, was born and raised in Sicily, where he trained as a chef. Later in life, he went to the United States and continued his culinary training in New York. He and his wife Angela have been running Poco Pazzo for over a decade. Not only do they make incredible food, but they also have big hearts and love helping the community of Stittsville whenever they can. During the peak of COVID, Manny saw the hard work that the doctors and nurses were doing and wanted to help out in any way he could, so he got into his kitchen and started cooking. He made meals for our frontline workers, and Angela delivered them to the Queensway-Carleton Hospital Emergency Department.
Poco Pazzo has everything; great food, a lovely atmosphere, and stellar service. It is the perfect date night spot or a place to grab some great food with your friends. If you haven’t visited Poco Pazzo yet, you are missing out.
