Avoid Ordering The Seafood Carbonara At Restaurants, Trust Us - Tasting Table

"Classic carbonara receives a coastal makeover in an entree that combines noodles and a sauce of egg yolk, hard cheese, and black pepper with seafood such as shrimp, scallops, mussels, or clams. It may draw you in with its creaminess and maritime promises, but you'll want to resist the urge. It's a dish that's blacklisted even by top seafood chefs themselves."

"Franklin Becker, the chef known for crafting the renowned seafood menu at Manhattan's Point Seven restaurant, notes that seafood carbonara is not a dish he would order when out to eat. Why? He says that some restaurants use the meal as a way to get rid of food that's about to turn, meaning that what you receive could be seriously lacking in freshness."

"Becker also warns that sauces and other ingredients can be used to mask seafood that's past its prime. Acidic components, in particular, can dull off-putting odors through a chemical reaction. They're not often found in a classic carbonara, but ingredients such as tomatoes are especially acidic and could be a major red flag if included on your plate. While you're at it, add the entire category of seafood pasta to your no-go list"

Seafood carbonara pairs noodles and a sauce of egg yolk, hard cheese, and black pepper with shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, or other seafood, creating a creamy coastal variation of classic carbonara. Some restaurants repurpose older or leftover seafood by folding it into seafood pasta dishes, which can result in seriously diminished freshness. Sauces and acidic ingredients can chemically dull off-putting seafood odors and mask spoilage; tomatoes are especially acidic and serve as a red flag when added. The broader category of seafood pasta shares these risks as kitchens attempt to avoid wasting short-term specials or unused ingredients.

Read at Tasting Table