$30 Three Course Chef's Tasting Menu

I would be remiss if I didn’t say that this blogger is feeling the financial pinch being felt by many others but that has not kept me from dining out. Case in point, Sotto Sopra’s 3-Course Chef’s Tasting Menu that is offered every Wednesday evening for $30. Each month the executive chef, Bill Crouse chooses items off their seasonal based menu to highlight. The choices offered are crafted that everyone can dine from vegetarian to carnivore.

The husband, as I will refer to him in this column, and good friend, Patti, joined me last Wednesday for this excursion to Sotto Sopra Restaurant, a restaurant known for their contemporary Italian food. I just love their venue which is housed in a turn-of-the century, Mt. Vernon town house that is home to fabulous artwork, large gilded-framed mirrors and drapes that emphasize the stylish décor. I’ve always found the energy at Sotto Sopra invigorating and this Wednesday evening was no different. There was a party going on in the back section around the bar, all the tables filled as we dined and guests were engaged in lively conversation.

Our waiter, Isaac, brought our grissini and focaccia to the table along with a plate of drizzled extra virgin olive oil topped with Reggiano Parmesan cheese and fresh ground black pepper. We all opted for the Insalata di Rucola for our appetizer and went different paths for the entrees. Everything was delicious, the portions generous considering the low prices and we left not a single morsel on our plates. Service was timely, pleasant, and informative. Below is the menu for our evening with photographs of our choices. Please remember I’m not Ansel Adams and don’t claim to be – hopefully my photographs do justice to the wonderful dishes we enjoyed that evening.

Here is the what we had and you can CLICK HERE for for May and upcoming menus.

Sotto Sopra Restaurant
3-Course Chef's Tasting Menu

Wednesday Nights April’s Menu

(choice of Appetizer)

Zuppa del Giorno

Soup of the Day

Insalata di Rucola

Baby arugula, crispy apple-wood smoked bacon, crumbled goat cheese, dried cherries and stone ground mustard vinaigrette

Cuore di Latuga
Boston lettuce served with Gorgonzola cheese, sliced Granny Smith apples & caramelized walnuts with maple balsamic vinaigrette

(choice of Entree)

Ravioli dell’ Amore

House-made spinach and ricotta stuffed ravioli sautéed in butter and sage served with a pesto cream sauce and sun-dried tomatoes

Pesce di Giorno

Fish of the Day

(we had salmon with fingerling potatoes)

Fettuccine al Mare

House-made fettuccine served with mussels, shrimp and calamari in a light tomato sauce

Piccatine di Vitello
Sautéed veal scaloppini, parsnip puree, roasted asparagus and tarragon butter

(choice of Dessert)

Tiramisu
Ladyfingers dipped in espresso coffee with mascarpone & cocoa

Vanilla Crème Brulee
Custard topped with caramelized sugar

$30 per person

Does not include beverages, tax, or gratuity and other promotions and discounts are not applicable.

Reservations Suggested

For even greater savings you might want to arrive early and enjoy the restaurant’s Aperitivo Hour drink and food specials at the bar from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Also their flier said that on Friday night’s the drink specials are all night long at the bar.

Food for thought: You might want to sign up for Sotto Sopra’s E-Newsletter or subscribe to their blog for updates on special unadvertised events (dinners, cooking classes etc), recipes, and videos. (CLICK HERE)

Have you found any dining bargains? – Let me know.

Dining Dish says get out of the house, beat the inflations woes and enjoy a wonderful 3 course dinner for just $30. I strongly suggest reservations.

Sotto Sopra Restaurant
405 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410 625 0534

open 7 days a week
Lunch: Monday through Saturdays
Dinner: served daily
Street parking and valet parking at night.
http://www.sottosopra.us/
http://www.sottosoprainc.blogspot.com/

Being Seen

From the moment I walked into Tark’s Grill I knew that this is the “spot” to be seen. It generates an air of the old boy network, a place where the men, not guys, go to talk deals and women lunch. The traditional menu is reflective of dishes we all know well with salutes to local seafood and aged beef.

You will find I often meet friends for lunch – a small freedom that comes with being self-employed. This experience did not differ; I met Maggie Moseley-Farley, sales representative for Style Magazine, for an enjoyable luncheon updating local restaurant news and family stories.

Before Maggie arrived I ran into Mark Hofmann, manager of Tark’s Grill and genuine nice guy. I’ve known Mark for a number of years from his early chef days at Due, where he taught a cooking class for my Epicurean Club of Maryland students to Henry’s Bistro out at four corners in Jarrettsville where he purchased spices from my then employer, Vanns Spices. He agreed that what I had heard about their bar getting crowded once offices shut down for the day was correct and also recommends reservations for the dining room.

Once Maggie arrives we are seated. The menu is pretty traditional, not too many items that you wouldn’t have seen on a menu 10 years ago. One of the exceptions is the Seared Rare Ahi Tuna appetizer ($10.95) we shared and it was YUMMY; the tuna topped refreshing cucumber spaghetti, crisp Asian noodles with an oriental flavored beurre blanc (butter sauce).



Maggie and I decided to share a shrimp salad sandwich ($13.25), (from an earlier post some of you already know I am a shrimp salad snob), and the recommended crab cake sandwich ($14.95). Maggie considers herself a “bread aficionado” and was in love with the roll on the crab cake sandwich. The shrimp salad oozed large steamed shrimp perfectly cooked in my estimation but lacked the Old Bay Seasoning I personally prefer. The requested rye bread for the shrimp salad didn’t quite hit the mark for Maggie and me.

Our waiter was attentive but not overbearing and definitely had the finesse of a fine dining server. When probed, he stated that he also works at Ruth Chris in Pikesville. He saw me photographing the appetizer and reminded me to snap a shot of our lunch entrees. There was only one minor service misstep and that was the lack of flatware with our dessert.


Dessert was the old-fashioned chocolate layer cake ($7.95) which was moist, not too sweet and plenty for two to share. The dessert menu was nothing new wave; apple pie, carrot cake, lemon tart, key lime pie, coconut pound cake, sugarless New York cheese cake, fruit sorbets and ice cream – the sugarless offering is a nice touch.

Before I forget, Mark did advise they will be making menu changes in the near future which you can review any time at their website at http://www.tarksgrill.com/.

For those of you who remember the old “Pimlico Hotel” located near the race track, Tark’s has that same feel of privilege and cache. Dining Dish says, “Want to be seen? If the answer is yes, then definitely make it to Tark’s Grill.”

Tark's Grill
2360 Joppa Road #116
Lutherville, MD 21093
(P)410-583-8275
http://www.tarksgrill.com/
Mon-Thur 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m. – 12 a.m.
Sun 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

I'm a Day Late for Earth Day

NEW Farmer’s Market Coming to Baltimore

On Saturdays, starting June 14th through October 25th, we are welcoming FreshFarm Markets, responsible for many farmer’s markets including the one of the nation’s best at Dupont Circle as well as Annapolis, Silver Spring and St. Michaels. The new location will be 1000 Lancaster St. between South Exeter St. and Central Ave., on the Inner Harbor. The farmer/producers and partner organizations have not been announced. Keep your eye on Fresh Farm Markets

I'm Hot, I'm Flushed and I'm Done

While the last of the three batches of Matzoh brittle I baked is chilling I thought I would dash up to the computer and get you the recipe.

It was Kitchenography’s and Black Coffee and a Donut’s blogs that mentioned the brittle and I was inspired to try it on my own. So I don’t know if I owe them a debt of gratitude or hold my expanded waistline and high sugar count against them. Black Coffee and a Donut linked to David Lebovitz’s webpage which is the recipe I used (Click Here). I took David’s suggestion and put some fine sea salt in the butter and brown sugar mixture and added ½ teaspoon of vanilla once it was off the stove. You will note the recipe on Kitchenography’s post was the recipe that inspired David Lebovitz’s recipe- it was by Marcy Goldman.


Matzoh brittle is a Passover treat, though it is enjoyable all year long. It is made with the unleavened bread, Matzoh. If you have never seen Matzoh, it looks like a big cracker. The brittle is covered with a caramel, baked, and then topped with chocolate. You have the option to add your own assortment of additional toppings like toasted nuts or dried fruit. Once topped, chill the brittle for 30 minutes and break into pieces. I topped mine with assortments of dried cherries and cranberries, slivered almonds, fleur de sel (French sea salt ), and coconut.




For many years my friend and former co-owner of Glasz Café, Nona Nielsen Parker, would make pounds upon pounds of this sweet treat. As a friend, I was privy to free samples. Nona now works for Ned Atwater at Atwater's at Belvedere Square and makes the matzoh brittle for his clientele. You can purchase the chocolate-caramel creation for $16.99 a pound at Atwater’s or Tenzo Artisan’s version at 1016 S. Charles Street where it is sold by the square of matzoh for $4.00. (The bakery is open on Saturdays – call in advance other days for pick up 410-302-6233.) And the final “or” is you can do like I did and make it yourself. Either way, purchasing or making it, you need taste it.

O K, now I’m cool, I’m lacking color and I’m taking a break. Ciao!

I Got an E-Mail

About 4 to 5 weeks ago I received an e-mail from the chief honcho from the Examiner in Colorado and he had been reading the Dining Dish Blog. He told me the Examiner.com was launching a new format and was wondering if I would blog for them. Well the new Examiner.com launched this week, a soft launch as they get the kinks out so I'm announcing it to my Dining Dish readers.

I am the Baltimore Dining Examiner, that is the title, not a blogger but an Examiner, is that branding to the nth degree? So I need each one of you to go read my stories, at least click on them a minimum of 1,000 times a day - you got the drill down- 1,000 times a day. And be sure to leave pithy comments as well.

You'll see the stories aren't just dining local, it is more rants, raves, reviews and reminiscences. I plan to talk cookbooks, products, restaurants, cooking...no food uncooked or uneaten, pretty much what I write here. I will continue to write the Dining Dish Blog since I just printed 5,000 business cards with it's hyperlink -waste not, want....hmmmm, 1000 hits an hour.

Please feel free to send me press releases you think will be of interest at diningdish@hotmail.com. Want to learn more about me check me out at http://www.linkedin.com/in/diningdish

As Style Magazine said of Dining Dish, it is like Lucille Ball was writing the blog and there are definitely times with all that is going on I feel like Lucy! Let me thank you here and now for reading Dining Dish. You know I do this because after being with my husband for 28 years he doesn't listen anymore so you get the benefit of all my trials, tribulations and triumphs and alliteration.

Dim Sum in Ellicott City at Asian Court

There is a new restaurant and probably the only place now serving Dim Sum in Baltimore (really Ellicott City) called Asian Court. The recommendation came a roundabout way from my sister who lives in California who corresponds with an old friend, Jeff Davis, who lives most of the time in Hong Kong and was recently in Baltimore and found this new gem.

When I advised Jeff that I had made it to Asian Court for Dim Sum for lunch this week he replied. “hope u can return there on the wkend for the dimsum specials, as it is quite worthwile 'n u will see a mix of almost 95% Asian there w/their families, 'n w/it a whole different feeling 'n atmosphere, not unlike the real thing found more often in Asia...and the food served reinforces same...” (quite obviously Jeff is a cryptologist as well – only joking).

Dim Sum to the Chinese is like hors d’ouevres to the French or appetizers to us. Their origins come from Chinese tea houses. The literal translation is “to touch your heart.”

Getting There

I had put out an all-points bulletin to my food buddies but scheduling has been a problem. I like traveling in numbers for food, it means I get to sample more dishes. It was decided we would go one weekend for the Dim Sum when it is served on the rolling carts. The Dim Sum is cooked to order during the weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on the Saturday, Sunday and holidays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the carts as stated above.

Well scheduling with everyone has been difficult and when another friend said she and her husband were available for lunch this week we went over to the west side of town to Asian Court in Ellicott City. It is in a strip mall just passed Home Depot heading west from where 29 intersects Route 40.

Let the Dining Begin

The restaurant wasn’t full but as Jeff Davis said above, the majority of the people in the restaurant were Asian – always a good sign. The dining room seemed divided with tables with tablecloths and some without. The restaurant is nicely appointed with a tank of beautifully colored fish between the sushi section and the bar. The entrance was marble.

Don’t let me lead you astray with the dim sum; this restaurant serves a broad selection of Chinese dishes from ones we have come to know and ones that Anthony Bourdain might eat like Sauteed Pigs Intestine with Sour Cabbage and Pigs Feet with Bean Curd Sauce. Asian Court has a broad Japanese menu along with some delicious sushi. Also there is a large vegetarian selection.


So my dining posse and I wanted to try a little of this and a little of that and we kicked it off with Char Siu Bao-$3.25 ( bun stuffed with barbecued pork – your choice steamed or fried), Fung Jeow $3.25 (chicken feet, deep fried, then marinated with oyster sauce and steamed), Fun Gor $3.25 (translucent dumplings that are filled with ground pork with peanuts) and finally Stuffed Eggplant 3.95 (purple eggplant stuffed with a shrimp paste, fried and topped with a sauce).




I grew up eating chicken feet in my mother’s chicken fricassee and she used them to make chicken soup so this wasn’t a stretch for me. They are messy, they have a lot of bones but if you are so inspired, do give them a try and ask for extra napkins.

Next on our adventure was some sushi and as you can see it arrived beautifully displayed. We ordered Maki Rolls: Salmon Skin Roll $4.50, Eel with Cucumber $4.95, Shrimp Tempura $4.95 and Spicy Tuna Roll for $4.50. I really liked their sushi and it was because of their rice, it was well seasoned. So many times I get sushi and the rice is tasteless and too sticky (that happens when it isn’t cooled down properly*).

My friend Patti ordered the luncheon portion of pepper steak $7.45 which came with spring rolls and white rice. It was nicely prepared; it wasn’t too salty as this dish tends to be.

During luncheon we were chatting with Mei-Lin Louie and her husband Sam, what a charming couple. They informed me that they own another restaurant in Silver Spring called Asian Bistro Café. Mei-Lin sent out coconut pudding, which is a rice and coconut milk concoction with a jiggle like Jello. Mei-Lin explained that Chinese desserts aren’t very sweet.

I really enjoyed this restaurant and I have many dishes I want to try above and beyond the Dim Sum so I will be back, probably many times. I’m intrigued with the soups and noodle dishes.

If you live in the area they have delivery for a $25.00 order or more and curbside pick up.


* Chef Nyghia Hoang told me that to properly cool sushi rice it must be done in a wooden bowl or box which can absorb some of the moisture as opposed to something plastic which keep the rice sitting in moisture. You will see fans blowing on the rice to help this process.

Asian Court
9180 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410.461.8388
http://www.asiancourt.net/
Open 7 days
Chinese – from all regions
Japanese

Make Up Your Mind!

A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the short term effects of dark chocolate and cocoa in relationship to cardiovascular health for healthy older adults - its thumbs down for the boomers. It seems dark chocolate is boosting the heart rate

Prior research and stories hyped that dark chocolate was good for your heart health. Now you have to forget that delectable little piece of dark, rich chocolate that you had each night and empty your cupboard of the exotically sourced, artisan chocolates. Another blow to maturity!

Honestly, I don't have to eat the chocolate to get my pulse rate up, just mention chocolate and I'm panting.

Here is the link to the story. Point of interest, the article states that Hersey sponsored the study....as Arte Johnson on Laugh In used to say "Veeery Interesting!!"

Food Memories from my Yout

My love affair with food didn't start at an early age. I only recall one food favorite as a child and that was and still is spaghetti in a red sauce, my mother's and then eventually my own concoctions - but that is another post.

Today I was trying to remember back to my childhood to any food memories. I know the story my mother talked about was that my sister and I were picky eaters. We were both very scrawny, tiny children and my mother being a good Jewish mother, felt guilty that we weren't robust looking. I think she felt her friends thought she was starving us.

She bribed both of us with $10 if we could gain 10 pounds in a year. Okay, it was a long time ago and that 10 spot is equivalent to $100 by today's standards. I recollect trying hard to gain but I just couldn't do it. I could win challenge today in about 3 days.

My mother's frustration was that there was little that I liked and my goodness if I said I liked something, I got it everyday for lunch....EVERYDAY...until I would throw a tantrum. The sliced turkey meat sandwiches on rye with a sprinkling of salt sticks in my mind. The lunch box would come home still in tack with the morning's packed sandwich. Oh, mother would be so aggravated and upset. It was my sister who told me to throw the sandwich away (she was the rocket genius between the two of us). I remember swapping a sandwich with another student, it was a meatloaf sandwich with ketchup on white bread...it was good, WELL, it wasn't sliced turkey.

Let me not forget breakfast every morning, of course it was the same thing every morning, a soft boiled egg and a glass of chocolate milk---talk about nausea to kick off your day. She probably did something else on the weekends. I know I had pancakes from time-to-time but it was those fast, so-called nutritious soft boil eggs every morning. To this day I can't watch Rocky Balboa swallow the raw eggs in Rocky and not have a feeling I'm going to toss.

Chocolate milk was the only way to get milk down me, I couldn't handle white milk and to this day I don't drink white milk. I do use it with cereal if there is sugar in it (sugar substitute at this age.)

Don't be shy, let me know about your personal recollections of food of your youth ( or as Joe Pesci said in My Cousin Vinny, "yout").

Sotto Sopra's Lemon Basil Sorbetto

How do I describe this wonderful tart, sweet, savory delectable concoction...oops, I just did.

I was at an Opera Night at Sotto Sopra Restaurant and the lemon basil sorbetto was the intermezzo. It truly cleaned and refreshed the palate but I wanted more, more, more. (OMG I'm sounding like the Comcast Cable commercial.) Luckily I was working with their executive chef Bill Crouse, co-hosting a cooking class last month and one of the dishes he presented was the divine sorbetto.

When I had my dinner party a week ago I made the sorbetto. It came out perfect and I had more, more, more. I had made approximately a quart and had leftovers to munch on all week long.

If you have an ice cream maker you MUST make this recipe. Just click on the title of this post and it will take you to Sotto Sopra's blog and the recipe. If you are lucky enough to have some yuzu juice you might want to use some of that in place of the lemon juice. (you will need approximately 20 lemons to make the 2 cups of fresh lemon juice).

What Are Your Favorite Restaurants?

I need your help! Please let me know your favorite restaurants both in Washington DC and suburban areas, Northern Virginia and in Baltimore. The high end, the quirky neighborhood restaurants, favorite ethnic restaurants, late night restaurants. I'm working on a project and my stomach and purse strings cannot attempt to sort out all the many selections...I'm leaving it up to you to let me know. Be sure to list the city and a line or two what you like about the restaurants.

I Can Hardly Move

Vince Lupo, the intrepid photographer on my cookbook YUM and his lovely wife Mary came over for dinner. That is all Vince wanted as payment for some very nice professional shots he did of me. Here is a photographer who works for the leading magazines for fashion, food and architecture. So I wanted to make this a WOW dinner and I succeeded but I can hardly move.
(here are two of the pictures taken by Vince Lupo)

I started cooking yesterday. I did the brisket Italian style, the key lime cheesecake, cleaned the lobster for the lobster summer rolls, and made the lemon basil sorbetto. Oh, almost forgot I made the lentil and sausage soup.

Thinking I’m ahead of the game I did relax a bit in the a.m. and headed to the kitchen where I sliced the brisket. I did fancy oven roasted baby potatoes and broiled the asparagus. I made the dipping sauce for the summer rolls, did the Buddakan's Tuna Tea Eggs, put out the pate. Pulled out the mandoline to thinly slice the mango to top the cheesecake. Whipped the cream to top the cheesecake…oye!

Here is the final menu:

Appetizers in the family room

Pate, cornichons and French bread
Lobster and Mango Summer Rolls with Nuoc Mam dipping sauce
Buddakan Eggs with Raw Tuna topping

Salad
Sliced tomato, cucumbers, carrots, black olives, feta cheese with olive oil and benimosu vinegar

Soup
Sausage and Lentil Soup

Intermezzo
Lemon Basil Sorbetto

Entrée
Italian Style Brisket
Oven Roasted Potatoes
7 minute Asparagus

Dessert

Key Lime Cheesecake topped with Mango Ribbons

It was a lot of food but people went for 2nds. I have about 2 hours of clean up in the morning. I’ll post the links tomorrow to some of the recipes.

Ciao Ciao

Think Twice About Adding Milk to your Cornflakes

Two sisters from Chesapeake, Virginia found a corn flake shaped liked the state of Illinois and put it up for auction on E-Bay and eventually earned $1,350. I've eaten a couple of steaks the shape of Alabama or was it Montana - who knew?

Read more CLICK HERE:

Lunch at Sauté

Today I journeyed to Canton for lunch to meet with restaurant marketer, Merritt Dworkin of Chameleon Consulting (410 258 9658 – merritt.chameleonconsulting@gmail.com). I met Merritt about 6 years ago when I worked at Hoang’s restaurant in Canton. Some of you might know her name from the Hard Rock Café and Red Star Restaurant.

Merritt offered up a choice of restaurants for luncheon, one being the new Sauté and I thought it would be great to check it out for lunch. Also it helps with a list of recommended restaurants in Baltimore I am compiling for Sally’s Place (which get 6 million hits a year) Sauté is managed by Tony Guarino.

The place is lovely but my little point and shoot doesn’t do it justice. Along the bar side and in the dining room are these beautifully mullioned windows that fold open in good weather for a real European feel. Tony advised they will be offering al fresco dining once the weather permits. I’m not usually impressed with ladies rooms but they didn’t cut cost here where some might – it was very nice.


The original chef has come and gone and now Chef Mark Suliga, formerly of Brewers Hill Pub takes the top toque position. The lunch menu has the same lite fare, salads, and pizza offerings as the dinner menu. We kicked off our munch with a spicy Thai Shrimp, which were quite large accompanied with a chopped selection of hearts of palm and shrimp, add the avocado, blood orange and fried, yummy little toast and this plate is a hit.


I opted for the Serrano Ham Pizza with sun-dried tomato pesto, arugula and sherry vinaigrette. It had great flavor but the outer edges of the Serrano ham slices were a bit tough. The crust was thin and crispy the way I like it. Merritt ordered the Winter Panzanella Salad with butternut squash, pear, Asiago cheese, pumpernickel with a balsamic dressing. She added rare tuna to the salad.

Merritt and I discussed our careers and businesses and how we can help each other but in general it was a great excuse to have a nice afternoon out.

The dinner menu is pretty straight forward: Pan Roasted Delmonico, Tuna, Grilled Trout, Meatloaf, Seafood Bouillabaisse, Crab Cakes, Slow Roasted Pork Loin, Smoked Duck Breast and Duck Leg Confit, Pan Roasted Chicken, Porcini Encrusted Diver Scallops and Filet Mignon – something for everyone. They are running happy hour specials from 4 to 7 p.m.

Our lovely and very charming waitress informed us they have been pretty packed every night so definitely call for a reservation. They are offering valet parking on Friday and Saturday nights.

Dining Dish says: Check this place out!

Sauté
2844 Hudson Street
Baltimore, MD 21224
410.32.saute

Biting the Hand that Fed You

Just looking over some food news only to discover that Chef Marco Pierre White, London's youngest chef to receive 3 Michelin's stars during his career attacks the Michelin Guide as being outdated and over commercialized. Read more...click here

Learn more about Chef Marco Pierre White in his book "Devil in the Kitchen" or watch the video.

One Egg

Doesn't it figure when it comes down to wrapping up all these recipes for the holiday I'm missing one egg, well one yolk for lemon curd for the Olive Oil Cake. It was the egg that was in the carton that was broken. Neighbors are away, so no borrowing - do I dare send the husband to the grocery store on Easter or try to cut the recipe down?

Happy Easter!

I'm having my father-in-law and brother-in-law over for the holiday. With them simple is better but I still go a bit crazy. It's just about 7 a.m. and I'm heading to the kitchen to start cooking. We're heading out at 2 p.m. to a gathering then pick up the relatives to bring them back to the house.

Here's the menu for today:

Honey and Thyme Brined Turkey Breast
Mashed Potatoes
Haricot Verts with Shiitakes
Cranberry sauce
Stuffing
1/2 done pickled tomatoes (that is for me - no one else will eat that).
Ham cooked with mango and onions glazed with fruit nectar
Pumpkin Pie (baked already)
Olive Oil Cake (baked already) - still need to do the lemon curd

Yes all this for 4 people but plenty to send home with the father-in-law.

So I'm off and running...if you need me you know where I'll be all morning.

Happy Holidays

You Guys - Update #2

Again, on TV, the contestant on Do You Know the Lyrics uttered the annoying phrase.

Mine Yours Ours Salud - Enjoy

Mio Restaurant in midtown DC at 1100 Vermont Avenue N.W. had a little get together on St Patrick’s Day for media and public relations people to meet their new chef/partner, Stefano Frigerio. You might recognize Stefano’s name as the executive sous chef who worked closely with Chef Fabio Trabocchi at the award winning Maestro Restaurant in McLean. Stefano recently opened Osteria Cinghiale in Baltimore. You might recognize his name yet again from Riccardo and Monika Bosio 's Sotto Sopra Restaurant blog post, Dinner at Dara's where Stefano and his lovely wife, public relations maven, Dusty Lockhart of Three Lockharts Communications had dinner at my house.

Dusty Lockhart & Executive Chef Stefano Frigerio

I asked my husband if he wanted to take off early from work and attend this little gathering and he seemed up for the road trip to Washington DC. It really isn’t far, it is just traffic can be a bear between Baltimore and DC. It seemed no one was on the road and we made the 50 miles into downtown DC quickly putting us ahead of schedule and the first to arrive.

Normally I don’t like to be the first one at a gathering but this allowed me quality time to talk with Dusty, well with child at the moment, Stefano, and the managing partner, Manuel Iguina (no slouch in the restaurant business). I got a private tour of the kitchen: the pastry section that doubles for upper level party room’s kitchen, a peek into walk-in where I spied some beef hooked and aging, and finally through to the open kitchen area where Nicholas Stefanelli, the sous chef who worked with Stefano at Maestro, was getting our hors d’oeuvres ready.

Guests started to arrive. I played catch up with Acqua Birchenall, exuberant over her art exhibit in New York city running through March. Her husband Michael and regional publicist for Loew’s Hotels, Ellen Gale arrived shortly thereafter. Michael is the editor of FoodService Monthy. Also at the party was the DC restaurant publicist and gossip columnist, Linda Roth, Alexandra Greeley with Gayot, Slow Food DC, and Eating Asia, Amber Pfau of PFAU Communications, Leigh Lambert of the Washington Post Food Section, and Clarice Lelle, former pastry chef at Maestro.

The real stars of the room were the food, the chef and the proprietor. We sampled Beef Carpaccio with Quail Egg, the Foie-Gras Ballotine with Honey-Huckleberry Sauce on Corn Bread, the Serrano Ham on the Parmesan Crisp with a Balsamic Reduction, Crawfish Bisque, Stuffed Fried Olives, and much more.

Beef Carpaccio

The husband, mine of course, did very well mingling and socializing – he gave me room to roam and network. Usually I get a thumb sideways from him suggesting we leave but not this evening. The thumb for the evening is up, a thumbs up for MIO from this foodie and I look forward to going back for dinner. Check out the menu and put it on your restaurant list. It’s has a stylish atmosphere, great food, easy to find, and $7 valet parking after 5:30 p.m.

So in keeping with MIO’s tag line: Mine, Yours, Ours, Salud – let me add Enjoy.