The perks of tasting menus: Part of the fun is the element of surprise, and part is being served something that you wouldn't ordinarily order—and discovering a new, unlikely favorite. That's how it happened with me and the Grilled Trout ($22) at Il Casale. More

Pasta e fagioli's garbanzo-bean cousin, pasta e ceci is as rustic as it is satisfying, and usually includes three key ingredients: chickpeas, some form of short pasta, and rosemary. I've never eaten two versions that looked exactly same: Some are brothy with chunks of whole chick peas and vegetables, others are silky-smooth, and plenty—including Il Casale's—fall somewhere in between. More