Starting off the new year at Panza’s

Last night I took a trip out to Panza’s on Saratoga Lake for dinner.
Panza’s is another one of those Saratoga gems that is tucked away
outside of town but SO worth the short drive. With that being said, the
all around experience was outstanding.

The restaurant itself has a ton of history, dating back to the 1800’s
when Ma Panza traveled over from Italy and without even being able to
speak English, made a name for herself with her cooking. Since then, her
great grandsons have taken over the family business, and I’m sure are
making their great grandma proud.

Enough about the history, time to talk food. As I promised, I didn’t
forget my camera this time, so prepare to salivate upon viewing the
following pictures.

Very often, I’ll ask the waitress what her favorite item on the menu
is. Last night, I was told the Penne Alla Jillian, (named after Chef
Tony’s wife) was the golden ticket. I was not mislead. This dish is
served with sauteed broccoli, chicken, sausage and sun dried tomatoes
topped with basil leaves and reggiano cheese.

Yum. How beautiful is that presentation? You better believe it was as
good as it looks. The chicken and sausage complemented each other along
with the freshness of the broccoli and the sweet taste of the sun dried
tomatoes. I’d also like to mention the cheese to garlic ratio was
pretty phenomenal as well. Oh and I almost forgot – the portions are
huge. This is the half size.

Here’s a look at what my dining companions had to eat —

Rigatoni Alla Michael: Homemade sausage, tomato sauce with a splash of cream.

Definitely my kind of sauce, with a great balance of acidity, herbs and sweetness.

Long Island Duck a’La Flicke: Crispy, semi boneless duckling with a fig honey glaze.

This meal was bomb – meaning well, it blew me away. I was 100%
content with my Penne Alla Jillian, but next time I will without a doubt
be getting this duck. The skin was so crispy and delicate while the
inside was so moist and tender. The honey fig sauce drizzled on top
really pulls it all together giving it a sweet and tangy addition to the
already perfect meal.

One thing I really love about Panza’s is that while Tony and his crew
do a great job with the food itself, they consistently impress me with
their simple yet lovely presentations.

Enter the Mississippi mud pie with oreo crust, drizzled with caramel and chocolate.

No words.

And for the grand finale, I present to you the famous fallen chocolate lava cake:

When the waitress came back over to ask how everything was all I had
to do was look up and smile at her and that was it. No one deserves to
go through life without trying this. Beneath the chocolate swirl is a
warm, gooey, delicious piece of chocolate cake filled with more warm and
gooey chocolate.

After I finished this I sat back in my chair and sighed because I was
truly sad that it was over. I couldn’t have chosen a better place to
start off the new year with. A big high five to Panza’s for being truly
fantastic. I can’t wait to go back again.