Eat In/Dine Out: Bolognese sauce two ways

Bolognese, a gloriously rich, classic meat-based sauce served with pasta, takes a long time to prepare and make.

It involves a lot of chopping and simmering to produce the silky, luscious sauce that's enhanced with vegetables, wine and milk. When I don't feel like doing it myself, here are two places I'd go:   

EAT IN

Drive to the cozy specialty market adjoining the Capers & Lemons Italian Restaurant at 301 Little Falls Drive, just off Centerville Road in Mill Creek, and head for the refrigerated cases. The store has containers of the sauces they prepare next door, mainly the bolognese. 

Eat in/Dine out: Get caramel apples on sticks at Govatos, pancakes at Drip Cafe

And that's pronounced either boh-luh-NEEZ or, as the Italians, say baw-law-NYEH-seh. 

It's the same ground beef and sausage bolognese that's served in the restaurant with rigatoni.  

The Capers & Lemons market sells containers of the restaurant's tomato cream sauce and it also has olive oils, vinegars, artisanal cheeses, fresh and imported dried pastas, homemade brownies and lemon bars and frozen foods like meatballs and ice cream. Call (302) 256-0524.

DINE OUT

The buzzy new Bardea Food & Drink Italian restaurant at 620 N. Market St. in downtown Wilmington serves housemade pappardelle with lamb bolognese ($17) and a plop of soft mint goat cheese. 

Some people have complained about the portion size of some of the pasta dishes at lunch and dinner. For sure, you don't get a whopping, supersize plate and you probably won't be taking home leftovers, but it is closer to the size of what you would find in restaurants in Italy.

Eat In/Dine Out: Make fantastic hummus in 5 minutes, thanks to Zahav chef

If you're starving or have a big appetite, split a starter plate like the charred octopus ($16) with Niçoise potato salad and green olive gazpacho or the sunflower hummus ($7) with black lime and za’atar.

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico