Via Emilia 9
Your Goto Italian Neighborhood Restaurant

 

Photos By Jason Hesch

This small quaint Italian restaurant and soon to be opened market is tucked away off of busy Alton Road (Miami Beach). Via Emilia 9 is an authentically regional, first of it’s kind, found on the beach. Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti with meatballs, you will not find those items on this menu. No sir. no Americanized Italian knockoffs here, only the real deal. From the window, a pasta machine sits on a wooden table, much like a sewing machine in a home, in front of the window for passersby to see.

 

 

The “Sfoglina” or pasta maker hand rolls a variety of pasta and ravioli as we dined, Everything is homemade at this family-operated-business, where everyone, from grandmother, wife (Valentina), and children, takes part. The husband, Chef Wendy, takes great pride in his three-year-old establishment, importing all the essential ingredients from Italy, including the bread, which is brought in from the Vasalli Bakery in Ferrara, Italy. The only thing not imported are the ingredients better obtained fresh and local, like eggs, flour, fruits, and vegetables.

 

 

I was excited to see an open kitchen design, having first experience this new kind of restaurant concept in Seattle. This kind of design emulates the atmosphere of casual dinner-house party where your friends or family sit around the kitchen conversing the night away, while the hostess prepares the meal. Remember those days. The atmosphere brings in a local crowd who rave about the place. “Definitely in my top five in Miami Beach, in my opinion,” Said one patron. The menu is printed on newspaper paper, complete with ads, or in this case, everything Emilia. But picking the menu up, you can’t help have the sensation of sitting in a coffee shop reading the local newsletter or newspaper. Soup cans are used as light fixtures. A clever reuse of the old.

Eating at this establishment is like trekking down the main merchant road in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. Traveling from Modena to Bologna one can stop at each town along the path and sample the unique cuisine each is known for. Thus this is their inspiration for the named of their restaurant. ViaEmilia 9 is Miami.

 

First Course – A cutting board of cured meats over a bed of arugula and lettuce and mini bread. Proscuitto di Parma, age 18 months and Bresaola, aged 3 weeks in salt.

 

 

Second Course – First of three pasta dishes of the evening. Tortellini filled with Parmesan Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese, Proscuitto, and pork. The Proscuitto added a unique combination in tastes from other tortellini’s I’ve tried.

 

 

Third Course – Fazzoletti, a triangle shaped past, filled with Mushrooms and cheese and cooked in a butter and sage sauce. Very velvety smooth dish.

 

 

Fourth Course – Cappellacci di Zucca, was filled with pumpkin and cheese, and served with a hearty meat sauce.

   

 

Fifth Course – Dessert was Tenerina al Cioccolato or chocolate cake. with three spritzes of a custard mascarpone icing on the side sprinkled with powder sugar. It’s warmer center brings out the flavor of the chocolate.

Every summer they close for about 3 weeks for remodeling, slowly with sweat equity building their brand and business. They first redid the dining room, which I say they did a fine job. Next, on their list is redoing the bar area. Their new market will open in July and be located on Biscayne Blvd and 29th street.

Located on 1120 15th Street in Miami Beach and is open daily Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. for both lunch and dinner and Sunday from 12:00 Noon to 11:00 p.m. on weekends.