Scarpetta

Last weekend we celebrated my Father's 75th birthday with dinner at Scapetta.  Italian restaurants have always been a favorite of my his and this meal started out strong with an amazing basket of bread.

Thick slices of stromboli filled with smoked mozzarella were the star of the show...one paired with creamy spinach and the other spicy salami.

Foccacia was used for the accouterments...creamy marscapone butter, citrus infused olive oil and a delicious eggplant caponata.  The bread was honestly so wonderful we devoured one basket and ordered a second.

Braised Octopus with ceci beans, olives and pancetta was incredible. I loved the red wine flavor and was pleasantly surprised by the crisp exterior of the meat.

Creamy Polenta with fricassee of truffled mushrooms was an absolute show stopper.  It was so rich and earthy...my spoon kept finding its way into that little bowl for just one more bite.

Somehow Scott Conant found a way to take an incredibly boring dish like spaghetti and turn it into something wonderful.  the pasta was so light and natural...the creamy sweetness of the tomato and basil in perfect balance with the noodles.

My Duck and Foie Gras Raviloi was another showstopper.  The tiny pillows of pasta were just thin enough to encase the duck and foie mixture without being overly rich.  I was pretty much in food heaven at this point and dessert was still on the way!

Warm Banana Bread with butterscotch pudding, toasted walnuts & chocolate stout gelato...

...and Amedei Chocolate Cake with salted caramel gelato and chocolate butterscotch.

I was practical swooning at the table after dessert (the wine probably helped too :).  Scarpetta was an incredible meal from start to finish; fabulous wine, wonderful service and Italian food that was simply perfect.

Scarpetta