More than half the menu offerings at the bustling Bistro 83 are centered around seafood. From its incredibly popular lobster tails (they sell about 300 a week at cost for $14) to entrees with scallops, salmon or branzino, it’s no wonder why this North Ridgeville establishment reeled in the win for Best Seafood.
General Manager Tony Martorello credits his extremely talented staff, adding that he is meticulous about sourcing the best and highest quality seafood, with an emphasis on local whenever possible. “Beyond that, the reason that our food wins a lot of awards is because I like layers of flavor and texture,” he says.
Let’s deconstruct the layers of Bistro 83’s best-selling Shrimp Pesto Pasta:
Pasta: Made fresh by local Ohio City Pasta, this dish features a new-to-many noodle called Twisteti, a spiral about the length of rigatoni but a quarter of size. “I’m Italian and I’ve never even seen it before,” he says. “So immediately you’d get a different texture than you’ve ever had on pasta. We always like to add a uniqueness to dishes and introduce people to new things.”
Pesto: Made in house from fresh basil, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and Parmesan. “It’s herby and garlicky but we keep the pine nuts out of it so that way it appeals to more people and we avoid allergies.”
Heavy cream: Pesto is combined with a bit of heavy cream to add creaminess to the final sauce.
Shrimp: Five large prawns (16/20 count, peeled, deveined and tail off raw) that are sauteed in butter.
Asparagus: Bite-size pieces are sauteed in butter with the shrimp to give the dish an added texture and crunch.
Yellow tomatoes: Roasted to a delicious sweetness and tossed in the sauce for color and added flavor.
Once all together, the Shrimp Pesto Pasta is topped with shaved Parmesan, an Italian staple that adds salt and flavor.
