"I recently visited il Centro Alimentari/Salumeria, a charming a small neighborhood Italian pasta shop selling fresh foods, imported pantry goods, and an eatery. I was impressed by the warm and welcoming atmosphere, as well as the excellent service and delicious, delicate, mouthfeel foods. You can take out orders, order online before arriving, get catering services, or eat at the salumi counter or outside seating area. Upon arriving, my husband and I were enthralled at the menu, how could we order everything as every dish read with five-star ingredients. Freshly made artisanal focaccia panini's, handmade pasta dishes, and so much more that it felt as if we were at a cozy culinary gem in Bologna, Italy. Chef Darren serves Italian classics and is intent on creating dishes inspired by Northern Italy. There are all sorts of imported provisions, Italian natural wines and specialties. I ordered the Tonnarelli cacio e pepe with fresh made pasta whole crushed peppercorns, pecorino of the highest quality, another delicacy was my husband's order of a panini capra which was served in the freshly baked artisanal focaccia, with a fig of rosemary on top, the prosciutto di parma made from high-quality pork leg slowly cured and aged for 18 months. Emilia Romagna is one of the differentiating factors that set Prosciutto di Parma apart from all other hams. The rolling hills around Parma create an ideal environment that includes the Apennine Mountains, which offer crisp breezes that flow from the Adriatic Sea and a distinct microclimate that gives Prosciutto di Parma its uniquely sweet flavor. Along with whipped goat cheese, red pepper marmaletta, truffle honey which combined had savory, refined, melt in your mouth flavors that were really lovely. The server, Jordon was kind enough to explain what was in our order, which we greatly appreciated. Overall, I had a fantastic experience at il Centro. The combination of great service and delicious food make this establishment a must-visit for anyone who want the best Italian food in Burlington, and all of North Carolina hands down. I highly recommend trying Chef's Darren handmade bronze die extruded pasta, which really absorbed sauce effectively, improving the mouthfeel and flavor of his pasta dishes. On a visit with my friend the Chef introduced us to Gnocco fritto or spoken as crescentine in Bologna. The dumplings were flaky on the outside, plump, soft, pillows of warm dough that Chef Darren created to taste like puffed clouds from heaven. He of course added melt in your mouth 25 month, Coppa, Mortadella, prosciutto speciale. On the side in metal cups were delicately cooked onions and pomodoro pelati tomatoes which were sweet, savory, and lends itself to be a great addition to the dish, along with whipped creamy goats' cheese that added more complexity to the taste. Chef's Darren's Gnocco fritto is a specialty of unparalleled goodness which was a real highlight of our visit! I highly recommend them, and give them 5 stars and a yum! Come hungry and leave with extra goodies, it is well worth the trip. If you're looking for an authentic taste of Bologna, il Centro is definitely the place to go! We took home some prosciutto puffs that were so fluffy, airy, with a blended of egg, prosciutto, cheese, and rosemary, and marinated olives castelvetrano, taggiasca, picholine olives, fennel pollen, bay leaf, citrus. We returned the next day and ordered more food to go. I could eat there every day as I know the menu will always impress my palate. Chef Darren's passion for food comes with the desire to prepare the finest, freshest ingredients, and we are very grateful for his commitment as I was transport back to Italy."
