Carbone's Prime Rocky Hill steakhouse

Michael Stern wrote in the highly regarded Road Food, "We have long believed that the Northeast has the most and the finest Italian food in America. In the big cities – Boston, Providence, New York – and in lesser ones from Newark to New Haven to Northampton, you can count on there being a significant, deep-rooted Italian neighborhood that will likely include salumeria and pork stores, pastry shops and gelateria, brick-oven pizzerias, and at least one grand old family-run restaurant. In that respect, Carbone’s is the crème de la crème."

So, before we dig into the meat, let's take a look at Carbone's Italian food options. You can start with the raw bar, but for a Carbone's exclusive, check out the Mozzarella Bar for Italianate offerings like charcuterie tray (with some outstanding meat) or the homemade ricotta. Other Italian-based menu options include the Crispy Rhode Island Calamari, Cavatelli Primavera and Prime Bolognese. The Italian influence carries over into the carnivorous options, like the Sirloin Tips Marsala and Veal Chop Parmigiana, both excellent.

Steak options prove that Carbone's is not shy about indulging customers with magnificent meat, like an eight-ounce filet and fourteen ounce pork chops and veal chops. There are also fourteen-ounce versions of twenty-eight-day dry-aged New York strip and boneless ribeye. To amp up the overindulgence, and have a dinner of many different bites, consider the Sauce Flight and mix it up with black truffle butter, gorgonzola butter, prime steak sauce and salsa verde.

Finish with vanilla bean creme brulee or a classic tiramisu, the most popular of all the Italian desserts.