Last Sunday, inspired by the unexpected sliver of warm(er) weather, the Mister and I decided take a stroll around the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. A planned hour walk turned into three so we happened to be in the area during dinnertime. We stumbled up upon San Carlo Osteria Piemonte, a cozy and newish resto specializing in Northern Italian cuisine, specifically from the Piedmont region (hence the name, obviously) and decided to dine there. I had worked up an appetite walking around all day, so I was excited for some rich and delicious Italian feasting.

Piemonte is most known for being Italy’s best wine region, but their food offerings are far from shabby. Piemontese meals traditionally start with an Antipasti - so staying true to the culture, the Mister and I began with the Calamari Grigliati e Carciofi ($17). For those that don't read Italian, this dish was comprised of four perfectly grilled calamari pieces drizzled with a delicious artichoke puree and topped with artichoke slices and pickled onions. These little nuggets were an amazing way to "open the appetite,"as they say