Chef's Table @ Nino's - Review (A++, 5 stars, etc.)

Holy shite...what a night that was.



Bruschetta - Wonderfully creamy lightly sweetened ricotta, salty, smoky crispy pancetta. Nice caramelization on the roasted tomato. Amazing mixture of textures and flavors in only two bites. The paired beverage was stellar - bright, a hint of anise flavor, slightly fruity.

Mushroom Soup - One of those things that I never would have ordered off of a menu, but easily the front runner for best dish of the evening. The flavors were spot on: slightly meaty, the perfect amount of spice. The real show stealer, though, was the texture. It was slightly chilled which brought out this wonderful velvety mouth feel, similar to a very gelatinous chicken stock but without the tongue coating sensation. The wine paired perfectly, standing up to the bold flavors of the soup.

The gremolato perched atop the crouton was a great touch, stirred in to the soup right before eating so that the wonderful brightness mixed in with all of the other flavors.

Caprese - Simple, but delicious. Fresh produce treated with respect is always a winning combination. A nice break after the big flavors from the soup. The pairing was perfect, again. Nice a fruity, light, and crisp.

Cannelloni - Veggies marinated in balsamic, grilled, chopped, and rolled in to fresh pasta along with roasted garlic goat cheese. The pasta was the perfect thickness with the right amount of bite, and stood up to both the creaminess of the cheese and the crunch of the veggies. Finished with a nice light marinara.

Lamb - The Brandywine tomatoes were deliciously sweet, and helped to offset the fat from the lamb. The mint wasn't overpowering at all. Lamb was cooked perfectly. I gnawed on the bones for 10 minutes, because it was that good.

Dessert - Great finish! Not overly sweet, great texture on the dough. It was kind of like an empanada. The coffee glaze was really good. Meant to be a play on coffee and donuts, worked perfectly.

$85 / head.

Yes, seriously.

Best fricking deal I've ever seen.

I'm planning on doing this quarterly.