White Truffles In Miami

Sought After ‘Shrooms Found Only at Select Restaurants this Season

While the warm weather in the Piedmont region of Italy has caused a great scarcity of white truffles this season, those seeking these coveted treasures are in luck – a few South Florida restaurants have nabbed these hard-to-find delicacies and offering them up in various forms.

At Quattro Gastronomia Italiana, Lincoln Road’s bustling northern Italian eatery, tableside shavings of white truffles are offered to guests and run market price per gram (around $25-$30). In addition, the restaurant is currently featuring a special white truffle menu through the season, which includes dishes like the fonduta tartufata con crostini with poached egg and toasted biova croutons ($24) and medaglioni di vitello – veal scaloppini in a truffle butter sauce, served with asparagus and multicolor cauliflower ($38). According to twin chefs Fabrizio and Nicola Carro, who hail from Piedmont, “We just visited our home town and very little white truffles have grown this year because of the unusually warm weather.” Quattro is located at 1014 Lincoln Road and is open for lunch and dinner daily. For reservations, please call 305-531-4833, or visit www.quattromiami.com

Scarpetta at Fontainebleau Miami Beach features two truffle pastas: agnolotti dal plin ($90) and tagliolini ($90). In addition, the restaurant offers a supplemental truffle shaving, available for $75. Scarpetta is located within the Sorrento Tower at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, 4441 Collins Avenue and is open for dinner daily at 6 p.m. To make reservations call 305-674-4660. For more information please visit http://www.fontainebleau.com/web/dining/scarpetta

At The Dutch, the newly opened, Miami outpost of the wildly popular Soho eatery, Chef Andrew Carmellini offers a special off-the-menu white truffle pizza for diners who want a special treat. The Dutch is located inside W South Beach Hotel & Residences, 2201 Collins Avenue, in Miami Beach. Breakfast, lunch and dinner served daily. For reservations, please call (305) 938-3111 or visit www.thedutchmiami.com