Carefully crafted Italian

I began my journey by dining at Broders' Pasta Bar in Minneapolis with my good friend, Laura. We had dined here previously and found it to be just as good as before, with some refreshing surprises.

This restaurant does not take reservations but you are able to call ahead and be placed on the list. Often times, you still have to wait once you arrive but it is well worth the wait. The restaurant is small and the bar area is a fun place to eat if you are dining by yourself or with one other person. The evening we dined here there was a mix of single people, couples and families with younger children.

The server was well informed about wines as well as the food options. The menu was varied enough to appeal to a variety of diners yet small enough that it wasn't overreaching.

I enjoyed the white wine which was similar to a chardonnay but with a slightly sweet taste. (Notice the wine dispenser at the bar. I would love to have a smaller version of this in my home some day!)

The bread basket was a perfect blend including flatbread and focaccia. The flatbread was far from bland, unlike most flatbreads in a bread basket.

The quadrucci con pollo dish was a perfect blend of flavors and textures - large pieces of flat house made pasta, field greens, asparagus, chicken, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar and mascarpone and finished with almonds.

Laura enjoyed the ravioli di zucca, which was refreshingly light and not as sweet considering how naturally sweet this dish can be. I have had some overly sweet butternut squash ravioli in the past and this surpassed my expectations while maintaining the traditional ingredients of this dish.

There were two gentlemen dining next to us at the bar who highly recommended the risotto del giorno. One of them ordered it and said it was the best he has ever had and he makes it quite frequently at home.

The dessert was beautiful both in taste and presentation. I appreciated the tiramisu in the way it was made more like a piece of pie rather than a square piece (and the crust on the edge was made from two large ladyfingers). There was just enough rum in the bottom layer to remind you of tiramisu but not enough to overpower or overwhelm the palate.

I would highly recommend this restaurant, but be prepared to wait (with somewhat limited elbow room while waiting) or go early.

www.broders.com