LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
EATING Out |
by Barry Becker |
Tutto Bene: Everything Good!
At our recent fabulous night at the Pasta Bowl (now renamed Tutto Bene), so much great food was consumed that it's almost embarrassing writing about it all. All I can say in our defense is that there were 3 of us, so it's not quite as glutinous as it sounds. Not quite. Dan Matthew, formerly of Dos Locos, is now the manager here, and he escorted us to our seats and took great care of us all night long. We began with a perfectly baked brie, topped with a honey sauce laden with toasted pecans along with homemade granola, fresh pear, apple and orange slices and strawberries. The cheese platter offered several tasty hard and soft cheeses, along with endive, large imported olives, and pancetta rolled up in delicate roasted red peppers. The bread basket was full of wonderful breads, including incredible cheddar biscuits. And this was just to start! Although I warned my friends to pace themselves, it was a losing battle when the next course arrived, a huge platter with clams casino, clams oregenato, oysters Rockefeller, and baby rack of lamb. The clams casino were delicious, stuffed with bacon, shallots, red and green peppers, sherry and cheese. The oysters were divine with a lobster sauce and spinach, the oreganato had clams with bread crumbs and clarified butter, and the lamb was perfectly done, juicy and tender. We could have made a meal of these alone, but then we wouldn't have had room for the delicious bowl of minestrone, thick with vegetables and pasta in a delicious tomato broth, or the fabulous Insalate alla Franchesco, an artful presentation of wedges of arugula with radicchio and Belgium endive. This was served with a fabulous gorgonzola vinaigrette and an outrageous tray of sundried cranberries and blueberries, along with almonds, toasted pecans, pine nuts and granola, which we could add to the salad. Was this incredible? Absolutely! Believe it or not, we all had entrees, too. I had one of the specials of the day, a baked veal scallopine topped with eggplant and cheese in a tomato sauce with capers and olive oil, served with a side of spaghetti, which was wonderful. We also tried one of the house specialties, a bone-in filet mignon, encased in proscuitto and seared to perfection. Of course, we jumped at the offer to have a Marsala crab and rich mushroom sauce added to it, which made the meat even more outrageously sinful and delicious. And it was huge! Our third entre was Vitello alla Nichol, veal served with shrimp, scallops and crab, topped with cheese and served in a rich chardonnay sauce which was so incredible it was inhaled. As we ate, we all noted that Pasta Bowl was just not a good enough name for what we were all eating, as it didn't convey the breadth of the menu. Well, wouldn't you know it, Dan showed up as if on cue to tell us that as of May 1 the new name for this wonderful eatery is Tutto Bene, which translates into "Everything Good." He also told us that as part of the upgrading of the restaurant, they will have probably the most extensive wine cellar in the region, with over 150 varieties, and because of the way they seal their bottles, they will be able to offer approximately 74 varieties by the glass! What a selection! After a short breather, a dessert platter arrived with 3 types of crme brulee, all delicious (chocolate, anisette, and vanilla), a sinful tiramisu, light citrus tarts, chocolate dipped strawberries, almond crisp, chocolate truffles, and wonderful cookies. The espresso martini was also a great nightcap, a heavenly concoction of kahlua, vodka, Baileys, tia maria and more that's unbelievably wonderful, even for someone like me who doesn't drink much at all. Chef Timothy Egan has done a remarkable job creating a wonderfully imaginative Italian eatery, and after all we ate, all we can say is, "Tutto Bene, indeed!" |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 4, May 4, 2001. |