A few weeks ago some friends, Siege and I decided to hit up a more 'fancy' establishment than our last time out. Here's the quick break down of the peeps, food, and various other tom foolery that transpired at Spataro.
Diners: Jer, Siege, Gibby, AVG, B-Fong! B-Fong! B-Fong! (Editors Note: B-Fong is actually just 1 person)
Place: Spataro Restaurant & bar
Ambiance: Upscale Italian
And now begins the in-depth, play-by-play analysis of night. It started at a somewhat leisurely pace with the hostess seating some 20 minutes past our reservation time. Not a huge deal, though I must admit, I was famished and ready for some of that delicious rustic Italian bread. Our server was prompt in greeting us and getting the ball rolling with the drink orders.
After reviewing Spataro's impressive wine list online prior to arriving, Gibby and I thought it would be in our best financial interest to each bring a bottle of vino instead of purchasing one or two from the list. My contribution was a 2005 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico. Gibby brought a real show stopper of a Bordeaux from the Haut-Medoc region. We were so pumped to try our bottled treasures that we insisted our server open both of them at the same time...you know, just to let them breathe.
After much deliberation and at the recommendation of our server, the Antipasti Misti del Giorno seemed like the most sensible for 5 people. The starter consisted of an uber fresh house made mozzarella, Prosciutto di San Daniele, toasted bread and marinated olives. Overall a solid beginning. I only wish there were more of it on the plate. Our second of the apps was the ubiquitous Fried Calamari. But I have to say, this Italian version (Fritto Misto) was one of the tastiest I've had. The crispy, light batter gave way to moist and tender squid. Normally I'm not a huge Condiment/sauce guy, but the Fennel, lemon, chickpea aioli that accompanied the calamari was crazy good, yo.
At this point in the evening I had actually paced myself pretty well with regard to sheer volume of food mass consumed. Fortunately we had a nice break before our entrees arrived. The time was filled with plenty of bad impressions of co-workers from Gibby and I, more joking around, and a very exciting announcement. We were all delighted to hear that the Gibby's were having a baby. It was hands down the highlight of the evening. So we toasted the Gibbs and before we knew it, our mains were set before us in all of their wicked hot splendor.
I was pleased with my choice. Strozzapreti al Sugo is a pasta I've never had the pleasure of eating till now. The pasta itself resembled a french fry, at least in shape (not taste and had a wonderfully flavorful Niman Ranch pork sauce that coated the pasta beautifully. The chef, however, showed a bit too much restraint in seasoning the pork sauce. Otherwise, it would have been just about perfect.
Siege opted for the Cioppino, which boasted local seafood in zesty tomato sauce. It was light, fresh, and spot on! Gibby, B-Fong and AVG shared my zeal for starch and all ordered pasta dishes. Gibby threw down the same entree as I and B-Fong enjoying a very tasty plate of Orecchiette. Our 'mom-to-be, AVG, decided on the Melanzane e Polenta al Forno, an eggplant dish that just didn't quite hit the mark.
The deserts were good, but not super memorable. All in all, the Italian fare was pretty tasty, the wine was superb, and the company even better. I have to say though, I felt jipped that we didn't get to see B-Fong hit on a waitress. Oh well, Maybe next time.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
The Perfect Food
Now I wouldn't call myself an authority on pizza, but then again, I have consumed an obscene amount of pizza. From Original Ray's near 6th Ave in NYC to Roman style pizza, in the eternal city itself, wherever I go pizza seems to find me...or I seem to find pizza. Pizza, dare I say, may be the perfect food. It's extremely versatile with imagination being the only limiting factor. Although I must admit, as I'm a bit of a purist, good ol' pepperoni still does it for me. On the other hand, I could just as well go for a deliciously fragrant pizza Margarita. Or perhaps a pie topped with prosciutto, super fresh Parmigiano Reggiano on a bed of peppery arugula.
From the days when I was a scrawny teen, some of my fondest memories always involved a slice of "za" and soda. Of course, it would be silly to suggest that I only drink pop with my pizza. Man-sodas, aka beer, and even the occasional chianti, are also choice beverages to imbibe with our cheesy friend.
Okay, this post is starting to make me hungry. Especially since tonight's dinner was far too healthy for a man of my considerable girth. In case you're curious, we threw down Baked Sole with lemon and fresh dill and side of asparagus. Not bad, but it sounds downright boring when compared to pizza. Sole is a very light fish and just doesn't cut it 3 hours after dinner. Not really helping that I'm posting about the quintessential comfort food.
Anyway, allow me to proceed.
One can find pizza just about anywhere: High end restaurants, bistros, wine bars, the traditional pizza parlor (boy, there's an old school term for ya), and even sporting events.
So I leave you with these poignant questions:
Will one day the mighty pizza eclipse the all American hot dog as the food of choice at baseball games? Can the old school pizzeria nudge the dainty sushi slop shops proliferating the Sacramento dining scene??
Only time will tell friends. But I am confident that "za" will continue toward ultimate gastronomic supremacy. For it is pizza, the perfect food.
From the days when I was a scrawny teen, some of my fondest memories always involved a slice of "za" and soda. Of course, it would be silly to suggest that I only drink pop with my pizza. Man-sodas, aka beer, and even the occasional chianti, are also choice beverages to imbibe with our cheesy friend.
Okay, this post is starting to make me hungry. Especially since tonight's dinner was far too healthy for a man of my considerable girth. In case you're curious, we threw down Baked Sole with lemon and fresh dill and side of asparagus. Not bad, but it sounds downright boring when compared to pizza. Sole is a very light fish and just doesn't cut it 3 hours after dinner. Not really helping that I'm posting about the quintessential comfort food.
Anyway, allow me to proceed.
One can find pizza just about anywhere: High end restaurants, bistros, wine bars, the traditional pizza parlor (boy, there's an old school term for ya), and even sporting events.
So I leave you with these poignant questions:
Will one day the mighty pizza eclipse the all American hot dog as the food of choice at baseball games? Can the old school pizzeria nudge the dainty sushi slop shops proliferating the Sacramento dining scene??
Only time will tell friends. But I am confident that "za" will continue toward ultimate gastronomic supremacy. For it is pizza, the perfect food.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Bistro Blast
It was that time again, Friday night. The glorious weekend was here and a few co-workers, my wife and I decided to begin our time off in style with some good conversation and food at one of my favorite East Sac haunts...33rd Street Bistro. I was really pumped to go as it had been quite some time since I'd been. The service and food always seems to be at the very least very good. To add to the excitement, one of my dining peeps, affectionately known as Gibby, promised to bring along a little somethin'-somethin' from his Napa excursion a few weeks ago. You can read all about that trip and much more at his blog Gibby Tyme.
We arrived and it was packed to the gills with couples and small parties gathered in the small entryway. The restaurant does not take reservations, so we camped out and exchanged pleasantries for 20 minutes or so before getting settled at a cozy table nestled in the corner of the Bistro. It was a bit cramped for our party of five and Gibby spent the evening under a plant that frequently pricked the top of his dome when he sat up really straight. This wasn't much of a problem as we had plenty of good eats to haunch over.
Our waitress was friendly and very helpful even letting my try a couple of wine selections as I struggled to decide on the right wine for our appetizers that would open our palettes up and start the dinner off right. I decided on one of their specialty international wines that caught my attention. It was light, refreshing, and hinted of citrus fruit...it was Albarino. I wish I had the presence of mind to write down the producer and vintage because it was some tasty hooch!
The food journey at 33rd began with one of my favs, the Crisp Shrimp Cigars. A lively modern interpretation of the egg roll, at least that's what they look like. These tasty little delights have a light, crispy outside texture and are filled with a moist combo of shrimp, green onions, carrots, and something with a little heat...yuuuuum! Next up we shared an order of the Jerk Ribs. A sweet, tangy and spicy pile of oh-so-tender beef short ribs.
At this point in the meal we had thrown down the entire bottle of Albarino, all our apps and we were primed for our mains. Now seemed like the ideal time to bust out the wine that Gibby had brought from Napa. A big bold beaut of a Cab. The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon from Castello Di Amorosa was every bit as good as he made it out to be. In light of this magnificent wine, my entree of choice had to be the Bistro Meatloaf. Nothing says comfort and good times like a succulent slab of juicy lamb and pork meatloaf . The cayenne aioli that dressed the loaf added a nice refreshing twist to this classic.
My wife and B-Fong opted for the Pot Pie filled with chicken, peas, carrots and a tarragon cream sauce. The dish seemed to have highs and lows. 'The High' being that the chicken was flavorful, and the crust buttery and flaky. 'The low' being the aforementioned cream sauce seemed to be lacking in tarragon and seasoning rendering it forgettable.
Gibby and his wife Amy Vella threw down their mains with unbridled panini lust. Great choice guys. 33rd is notorious for churning out Grade A panini. Gibby's selection was The Gorge, a one-of-a-kind perfect blend of Turkey, Apple Smoked Bacon, and creamy, buttery Havarti cheese. I can personally attest to the greatness of this one....very , very good! AV chose The Columbian, a tasty sandwich filled with a cocaine....just kidding, wanted to see if you dozed off! Seriously though, a fine example of Northwest flavors with perfectly cooked salmon, red leaf lettuce and tomato all served up on crusty delicious ciabatta bread with lemon aioli.
The night ended on a somewhat lackluster note with the trio of chocolate desserts. The molten chocolate cake served up in a white ramekin was simple, rich and executed quite well. The other two chocolate desserts unfortunately are not worth mentioning.
Overall our whole crew enjoyed our time at 33rd Street Bistro. There was good food and wine, some really good laughs, and we even got to see B-Fong almost hook up with our server. Almost being the operative word. But that's another story for another time. The Bistro had cleared out and we were the only ones left. My dining compadres and I were stuffed, happy, and alas... ready for the weekend.
We arrived and it was packed to the gills with couples and small parties gathered in the small entryway. The restaurant does not take reservations, so we camped out and exchanged pleasantries for 20 minutes or so before getting settled at a cozy table nestled in the corner of the Bistro. It was a bit cramped for our party of five and Gibby spent the evening under a plant that frequently pricked the top of his dome when he sat up really straight. This wasn't much of a problem as we had plenty of good eats to haunch over.
Our waitress was friendly and very helpful even letting my try a couple of wine selections as I struggled to decide on the right wine for our appetizers that would open our palettes up and start the dinner off right. I decided on one of their specialty international wines that caught my attention. It was light, refreshing, and hinted of citrus fruit...it was Albarino. I wish I had the presence of mind to write down the producer and vintage because it was some tasty hooch!
The food journey at 33rd began with one of my favs, the Crisp Shrimp Cigars. A lively modern interpretation of the egg roll, at least that's what they look like. These tasty little delights have a light, crispy outside texture and are filled with a moist combo of shrimp, green onions, carrots, and something with a little heat...yuuuuum! Next up we shared an order of the Jerk Ribs. A sweet, tangy and spicy pile of oh-so-tender beef short ribs.
At this point in the meal we had thrown down the entire bottle of Albarino, all our apps and we were primed for our mains. Now seemed like the ideal time to bust out the wine that Gibby had brought from Napa. A big bold beaut of a Cab. The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon from Castello Di Amorosa was every bit as good as he made it out to be. In light of this magnificent wine, my entree of choice had to be the Bistro Meatloaf. Nothing says comfort and good times like a succulent slab of juicy lamb and pork meatloaf . The cayenne aioli that dressed the loaf added a nice refreshing twist to this classic.
My wife and B-Fong opted for the Pot Pie filled with chicken, peas, carrots and a tarragon cream sauce. The dish seemed to have highs and lows. 'The High' being that the chicken was flavorful, and the crust buttery and flaky. 'The low' being the aforementioned cream sauce seemed to be lacking in tarragon and seasoning rendering it forgettable.
Gibby and his wife Amy Vella threw down their mains with unbridled panini lust. Great choice guys. 33rd is notorious for churning out Grade A panini. Gibby's selection was The Gorge, a one-of-a-kind perfect blend of Turkey, Apple Smoked Bacon, and creamy, buttery Havarti cheese. I can personally attest to the greatness of this one....very , very good! AV chose The Columbian, a tasty sandwich filled with a cocaine....just kidding, wanted to see if you dozed off! Seriously though, a fine example of Northwest flavors with perfectly cooked salmon, red leaf lettuce and tomato all served up on crusty delicious ciabatta bread with lemon aioli.
The night ended on a somewhat lackluster note with the trio of chocolate desserts. The molten chocolate cake served up in a white ramekin was simple, rich and executed quite well. The other two chocolate desserts unfortunately are not worth mentioning.
Overall our whole crew enjoyed our time at 33rd Street Bistro. There was good food and wine, some really good laughs, and we even got to see B-Fong almost hook up with our server. Almost being the operative word. But that's another story for another time. The Bistro had cleared out and we were the only ones left. My dining compadres and I were stuffed, happy, and alas... ready for the weekend.
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