Dinner at Carbones Prime, Rocky Hill, CT

June 30, 2025

After a sudden change in plans, my daughter and I found ourselves looking for a spot for a daddy/daughter date. She said she wanted something fancy, so Carbone’s Prime it was. Always a fan favorite. Friendly service, relaxed atmosphere, and consistently high-quality food.

Let’s start with the focaccia. Two inches thick with crispy, well-seasoned edges and a soft, pillowy crumb. Perfect for sopping up that olive oil like a proper Italian sponge.

We split the Chicken La Cava appetizer—perhaps the greatest app that ever lived. Chicken wrapped in bacon, stuffed with cherry peppers, and slathered in an orange chili glaze. Heat, sweet, savory, and salty all in one bite. A full-on flavor explosion. Thank you, may I have another?

My daughter went with the Margherita pizza. White base with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, and a generous drizzle of EVOO. The tomatoes were juicy and sweet, the cheese rich and creamy, a perfect pairing. And the crust? Cooked to perfection with a crisp undercarriage that would make any pizza snob nod in approval.

I usually go with a steak here, they’ve got a stellar selection, but tonight, I was chasing another flavor bomb. Enter: the Calabrian pork chop. A thick-cut, bone-in chop, breaded and fried, butterflied over a bed of mashed potatoes. Then smothered in a sherry lemon sauce and topped with house-made sausage, sweet peppers, and stuffed cherry peppers. Every bite was a symphony. The tangy lemon-sherry sauce cut through the richness of the pork and sausage, while the sweet peppers balanced the heat. And all of it rested on a duvet of mashed potatoes, rich, creamy, and velvety smooth