Azzurro brings Italian Coastal Cuisine to the Woodlands

Italian cuisine is far more than red sauce on pasta, but a few years back, you wouldn’t know that if you dined in the Woodlands. The Italian cuisine in the Woodlands was both limited and tired, and the market was ripe for new ideas.

The Orioli Restaurant Group is on a mission to change that in the Woodlands. They now operate four Italian restaurants in the Woodlands proper, bringing a variety of different regional Italian dishes to hungry Texans.

Their restaurant at Hughes Landing, Azzurro Italian Costal Cuisine, focuses on the cuisine of coastal Italy; specifically the Amalfi coast. This region of the Mediterranean is blessed with an abundance of fresh seafood, and the region’s culinary creations proudly reflect this. The Orioli family has built an cozy, romantic hideaway at Hughes Landing that brings the charm and flavors of Amalfi to the Woodlands.

The Setting – A Cozy Hideaway on the Lake

Located across the street from Restaurant Row, Azzurro is a charming, intimate space. Expansive windows offer views of Lake Woodlands, and the room’s feel transitions from bright and coastal to cozy and intimate as the sun goes down.

The Service – Polished but not Stuffy

The staff at Azzurro has a polish that is rare in the Woodlands, outside of the most pricey spots. The service is enveloping without being smothering; at no point during the meal did we feel ignored. Staff recommendations are spot on; if you’re indecisive, the staff suggestions are well considered.

The Cuisine – Thoughtful Dishes Executed Beautifully

We began with a selection of antipasti and crudo; these raw or lightly cooked dishes don’t give a kitchen any place to hide their errors. The Azzurro chefs are up to the challenge; these are among the best dishes we’ve had in the Woodlands.

The Pesce Crudo is a deftly executed classic crudo. A selection of sliced fresh seafood (tuna, salmon, and scallop, on our visit) are drizzled with olive oil, and dressed with sea salt, onion, capers, and a hint of citrus. The outcome was a taste of the ocean with a distinctly Italian accent. The flavors of each type of seafood created three distinct experiences on this plate, and we were delighted by the result.

Octopus Carpaccio should not be missed. Shaved rare octopus is dressed with olive oil, lemon zest and sea salt, and gently dusted with red pepper flakes. A salad of arugula, grapefruit, and shaved fresh parmesan crowns the dish, and the result is superb. The shaved octopus is nothing short of superb, with a gentle firmness and not a hint of chewiness. This is a masterclass in the preparation of octopus.

Next up were the pastas, and they had a tough act to follow.

Mafaldine Braised Beef Cheeks far exceeded our expectations. It was simply one of the best pastas we’ve sampled this year. Sublimely tender beef cheek is served in a restrained pomodoro sauce, and presented over long strips of barely al dente ruffled pasta. This is a masterpiece of pasta, with the flavors and textures coming together to create the perfect bite. Highest recommendation.

The earthy deliciousness of the Truffle Ravioli was another winner. Enveloped in squid ink pasta, the truffled cheese was accented with mushrooms and garlic, and sauced with truffle creme. Truffle lovers will be very happy with this preparation.

After the pastas it was time to delve into the composed seafood dishes.

The Pan Seared Cod was a flavorful handling of this delicate white fish. A center cut slab of cod was perched atop a combination of tomato preserves, basil oil, brussels sprouts, and cherry tomatoes. The beautifully bronzed cod again demonstrated the kitchen’s skill.

Branzino is a delicious fish, and the Branzino Bagna Cauda puts it front and center. A lovely filet of branzino is draped across a mound of Piedmont black rice, and accented with baby shitake mushrooms and glazed pearl onions. A gentle Bagna Cauda Verde finished the dish. The result was incredibly subtle, and was, for us, the least interesting dish of the evening.

To say we were impressed by the experience at Azzurro would be an understatement. The Orioli family has created a true destination restaurant in the Woodlands, worthy of a drive up from inside the Loop. Woodlands residents are lucky to have such outstanding coastal Italian cuisine nearby; we can’t wait to return and try more of the menu… although it will be tough not to order again what we enjoyed so much.