By Madelaine Braggs | Rose Law Group Reporter
Acqua Di’ Mare in Downtown Chandler offers an upscale pasta dinner in an intimate atmosphere. Its namesake, translated from Italian, means water of the seas and the restaurants décor is designed to transport you to a coastal European town. Thick boat ropes hang from the ceilings, bright blue velvet chairs fill in a modest sized dining room, and the table salt comes in a little dish with a spoon.
Their signature pizazz comes from the rolling stovetops, brought to you by chefs who cook your food with high flames and charismatic personality.
The menu, brought to life by Chefs Nikola Hristov and Gustavo Heredia, is inspired by European cuisine, including French, Italian, and Greek.
Inspired by the name of the place, I ordered a seafood dish, Acqua Di’ Mare Pasta with shrimp, scallop, octopus, mussels, house tomato red wine sauce, and capers. The seafood tasted very fresh, but the dish was light on the seasoning and I regretted not adding more salt until I was half finished. However, I appreciate the option to keep my sodium intake low.
My taste testing mate ordered the Short Rib Pappardelle, which was much more flavorful than what I ordered. The short rib was tender and marinated in a red sauce topped with parsley. There’s several entrees that caught my eye. I’ll have to go back for the Lobster Pasta, Rack of Lamb, Tuscan Veal Chop or the Wagyu Tomahawk Steak.
One of their most recognizable dishes is the Cacio E’ Pepe, which is like an alfredo pasta cooked in the center of a hunk of cheese wheel, melting as the noodles are tossed. It’s quite a show to have at the edge of your table.
It was also noticeable how deeply the staff cares about the customer’s dining experience. I overhead one chef fretting about the music volume being just right. After a slight increase it was the perfect setting set to the backdrop of a wall to ceiling seaside mural.
Friendly waitresses, great wine selection, and an impressive selection of dishes. Good luck choosing what you’ll eat when you visit!
