Sunday, December 16, 2007

I Used to Wish I Knew How to Speak Italian

On Tuesday I met up with a frequently unseen college chum for dinner at La Donna. The restaurant has quite the deal on Tuesdays and Wednesdays...a $19.95 prix fixe deal where you pick an appetizer or salad, any entree on the menu (except of course the one I was going to try: Osso Bucco) and a choice of three desserts (sorbet, gelato or tirimisu). We ordered and shared the beef carpaccio with black olives and capers, the calamari (we had the choice of grilled or fried and, on my insistence, we went fried). Both appetizers were good. I'm not sure I really understand what carpaccio tastes like when it's excellent versus okay. I'd have to say that it didn't blow me away but the capers and olives gave a nice taste as did the Romano cheese on top. The calamari were exceelent, not rubbery just tender and still hot fried like. If I went back I'd try them grilled.
I had the Scaloppine alla Valdostana for my main course. It was rich as rich can be with its porcini mushrooms, Fontina cheese and well pounded veal. I actually, I think, prefer veal being in its original shape...here I'm thinking of the veal we had at Cotes Du Rhone. I also had been excited to try Osso Bucco for the first time, sigh. The tirimisu was fine, small portion, not as creamy to die for as others.
All in all a good deal for decent food.

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