Impressions: April 2010

After a long week shooting a healthy living cookbook it was finally time for me to relax. I believe firmly that one must play as hard as they work. That night I would indulge in a few of my favorites, red wine and Italian food.

It was 7pm this past Saturday and we diced to go to Trattoria Tosca in the charming Linden hills neighborhood. This Italian food gem sits right next to the Turtle Bread Company. They are both run under the same operation. This explains the delightful sourdough olive herb bread with rosemary butter that was brought to our table as we sat down. We easily made reservations that afternoon and while arriving a bit early we were promptly seated.

The wine list featured mostly medium price Italian labels that paired would with food. However, being that this was an evening of celebration for me. I chose to bring a bottle of wine from my private collection. With the $15 corkage fee I was thrilled to have the server open my 1999 Nappy Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Raymond Estates.

The food at Tosca was refreshing, not your normal Italian fare of lasagna, pizza and tiramisu. It was well thought out with rich, clean and pure flavors. The menu offerings change daily so you know it is fresh and you can always expect something new. I am not usually one to order sea scallops. I guess I have had them too many times when they are overcooked and poorly seasoned. My friend insisted we try them and so they were ordered as our antipasti. I was pleasantly surprised with the scallops. Served with a creamy, rich and savory Parmesan polenta I would have eaten by the spoonfuls if they let me. The bright green, sweet wild spring onions called ramps were a unique addition to add color flavor and marry the textures. The caramelized scallop was perfectly cooked fork tender it melted in my mouth like butter from the sea.

For our main course we chose the duck breast and rack of lamb with a side of the gnocchi, all were exquisite. The duck had crispy skin and succulent meat. It was served with fragrant foie gras potato puree with roasted onions, wild field mushrooms and a hint of rosemary. This intense dish was full of deep earthy flavors that hold the essence of comfort food. The rack of lamb was served with the same polenta as the scallop and although I don’t like eating the same item twice this was so good I was happy to make an exception. It did complement the savory tender lamb lollipops that sat upon it. The somewhat crunchy English peas with roasted garlic cloves were a sweet, colorful addition making this dish not only pleasing to the eye but to the pallet as well. I like to think that I am a bit of a gnocchi connoisseur. If it is on the menu I usually must try it. These little morsels rival some of the best. The thing love about gnocchi it that is so pure so simple. These light potato dumplings were beautifully caramelized with just a hint of fresh sage, a light brown butter and intense grana padano cheese they melted in my mouth with pure bliss.

At this point in our culinary adventure we were well-satisfied food wise. The only odd note we were noticing was that the service although friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu seemed to be a disgrace. They were serving fine plates of food but forgetting courses, as our gnocchi should have come with our entrees and it was failed to be ordered and came late. The runners were never sure who was to received which dish and after awhile the apologies from the near by tables seemed to be a common song all the servers sang.

For dessert we decided on some something light the gelato sampler intrigued us both with its unique flavor offerings. The Madagascar bourbon, vanilla bean, balsamic and chocolate gelatos were served with tiny buttery thyme shortbread cookies. The gelato was well made with a creamy texture. For me the flavors were a bit of a disappointment. They all seemed very similar. I had a hard time differentiating between all but the chocolate and even that lacked a bit of luster.

Overall, the food was a delightful change from the usual Italian fare. Simple, rich well prepare dishes plated with elegance brought comfort and celebration together. Don’t expect too much from your wait staff. A friendly smile is nice but will not make up for all the little errors. If the restaurant is full that means it will be quite loud in dining area. For a more private experience request the table in the front room with views of the kitchen or one of the tables by the widow. They also have patio seating available when then weather is nice with view of the park.