Food Issue: Rigatoni Food Fight - Teresa Caffe vs. La Mezzaluna

In this "food fight" of epic proportions, Street Contributor Edric Huang compares the rigatoni served at Teresa Caffe and La Mezzaluna. And out of the epic clash of pastas there arose a champion. Read on, dear reader.

Teresa Caffe: Mezze Rigatoni $17

When I stepped into Teresa Caffe, the scent of freshly baked dough teased out the undisciplined carb-loving foodie in me. By the time I left, said carb-lover was sinfully fulfilled, especially following the restaurant’s adventurous Mezze Rigatoni recipe.

The dish’s presentation seems inevitable; the smooth, dark brown of the balsamic reduction mirrors the restaurant’s rustic interior. But the sauce is more bold than homely. Its strong vinegar base is tamed with dashes of sweetness, creating a cream with a cool, tangy aftertaste. The sauce was never overpowering with the other ingredients; it was gentle on the taste buds but aggressive in making me pick up my fork time and time again.

The rigatoni, a tube-shaped pasta, was al dente — chewy, buoyant and satisfying against a light sauce like the balsamic reduction. Cubes of chicken were scattered throughout the dish and were also scattered in tenderness and size. Some pieces were not bite-sized, others a little too tough. Thankfully, however, the chicken was resilient against the balsamic reduction, not soaking up too much flavor. Sprinkles of asparagus were a surprising treat, adding some spring to the dish. The vegetable complemented the balsamic sauce much like the chicken with its mild, earthy flavor.

Though simple in parts, Teresa Caffe’s rigatoni recipe strikes a perfect balance and deserves to be served with a glass of wine by the sea.

La Mezzaluna: Rigatoni $19

It’s as though La Mezzaluna’s owners chose a minimalistic décor in order to surprise customers with a punch of seasoned dishes. The rigatoni in orange cream was vibrant against the neutral colors of the tables and seats, and its taste was no less intense.

But it got to be a little too intense at times. The pancetta, or un-smoked Italian bacon, was nicely tough enough to withstand the weight of the creamy vodka sauce. However, its saltiness had me drinking water (out of a rather fancy cup) more often than usual. Contributing to this was the sauce. It warmly melted in my mouth at first, but midway through, the shallots and two grape tomatoes were lost in its cheesy complexion. The occasional garlic, however, mellowed the taste by soaking in the sauce and allowing me to appreciate the dish’s liveliness once more. I would only have wished there were more.

The pasta also provided a relief from the monotonic taste. However, its flabbiness confirmed my general feeling that the dish felt too easy, too safe; my teeth did not work enough to chew out a taste beneath the initial, convincingly strong punch.

La Mezzaluna works until the halfway point — that moment in the night when you realize you have a bit too much on your plate.